General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI just posted this on Wal Mart's Facebook page.
Walmart workers reliance on public assistance programs cost American taxpayers millions of dollars annually. The families of Walmart workers used 38 percent more non-health benefitsfood stamps, subsidized school lunchesthan the families of employees of other large retailers.
A study by the U.C. Berkeley Labor Center, A Downward Push: The Impact of Wal-Mart Stores on Retail Wages and Benefits, showed that Walmart replaced better-paying jobs with lower-wage ones and depressed wages in competing businesses.
The January 2012 Walmart Associate Benefits book provides a directory so associates can locate their local Medicaid office.
Along with this link:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/07/02-7
Wal-Mart: 50 Years of Gutting America's Middle Class
For all the "Let's shit on this post" people, the posting was in response to this hypocrisy:
So, the people who depress wages to the point that people HAVE to go on public assistance (and therefore cost you more in tax dollars) to feed their kids, now want to help feed the kids they are starving, just so they can get ANOTHER TAX BREAK.
Fuck you Wal-Mart
Indydem
(2,642 posts)Because it's not going to stay there, and you'll be reported for spamming.
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)It won't stay there, of course, but it's not spamming.
boston bean
(36,221 posts)TalkingDog
(9,001 posts)because it was in response to THIS
Indydem
(2,642 posts)donate food to help the hungry, participate in summer learning programs, or hire employees.
Holy SHIT, are these fuckers actually HITLER?
progressoid
(49,991 posts)Their ill-perceived greed overshadows their true plan to rid the world of poverty through monopolistic price control and low wages.
Indydem
(2,642 posts)Why get shitty over what little good corporate citizenship they do engage in? Why not be encouraging more?
progressoid
(49,991 posts)There is a reason they have to advertise their supposed good corporate citizenship. They have decades of disastrous business practices they need people to forget about.
I'll stop getting shitty when their "good corporate citizenship" exceeds their greed. They have a looong way to go before they're even close to closing that gap.
librechik
(30,674 posts)Oh, wait, I think you just told me! How nice for them to employ 3000 teens at minimum wage, no benefits--they only saved themselves a few million dollars in labor costs... Really---you can't see through that propaganda? Really?
are you a dem from Indiana or an "independent dem?" because I question your dedication to democratic causes if you rush to the defense of fucking WalMart!
Indydem
(2,642 posts)I did not know that attacking Wal-Mart was a democratic cause.
I find it repugnant that attacking a business that employs millions of Americans (including my mother) and DOES provide them benefits (my mother has better health insurance than I do) and, in this case, is doing good works in communities across the nation, is some how now boilerplate of the Democratic Party (according to some).
If that is the case, that the litmus test for whether or not you are a "true democrat" is shitting on Wal-Mart over every fucking thing that they do, good or bad, then I guess I fail your personally contrived test.
librechik
(30,674 posts)and are still defending their labor practices. And yes, standing up to bad actors like WalMart (altho being critical of their policies is hardly "shitting on them" is part of being a good democrat. Now I've told you, so you have no excuse as a good democrat not to defend your mother instead of her greedy, soul-less bosses.
Indydem
(2,642 posts)My mom loves her job, makes competitive wages for an unskilled, inexperienced laborer in our area. She was offered benefits when no one else even considered it. They have treated her with nothing but respect and been very flexible with her when by dad was sick and dying.
You have a bias against Wal-Mart because of what you believe they do. While they sure as hell aren't saints (no corporation is) they are no more evil than any other corporation. There are plenty of other companies that polute our air and water, employ people at lower wages, use virtual slave labor and a host of other terrible offenses, however all I ever see is Democrats attacking Wal-Mart for every single thing they do. Help the community - bastards. Extend benefits to more employees - bastards. Put solar cells on their stores - bastards.
I didn't do business with Wal-Mart before my mom started working there (i did buy DVD's there on occasion). But they way that they have treated my mom has really changed my opinion on them. Perhaps here store is the exception to the rule, I don't know, but it ruffles my feathers when all I ever read on this board about Wal-Mart is attacks and 5 year old studies relying on 12 year old data.
librechik
(30,674 posts)You are the one defending a set of opinions.
TalkingDog
(9,001 posts)If you think "hire employees" is some kind of code for- offer people a wage and benefits they can live on while supporting the local economy so that the regions they are in flourish instead of degrade- I hate to break it to you, but you are wrong.
And while your hyperbole is amusing. It also is churlishly juvenile. If you want to argue the merits of Wal Mart feel free. Otherwise, I'll just assume you have no argument and resort to taunting to cover for that fact.