Wal-Mart Fights Benefits Disclosure in Minnesota

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

Fresh from its embarrassment two weeks ago that Wal-Mart employees represent the single-largest group of user of Badgercare, the State of Wisconsin's insurance program for working families not covered by employer plans, the Evil Empire is trying to avoid disclosing the same information across the border in Minnesota.

BOYCOTT WAL-MART!!

-snip- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. does not want Minnesotans to know how many of its workers in this state receive public health care assistance.

The world's largest retailer has denounced as a public-relations ploy legislation -- which some state legislators have dubbed the "anti-Wal-Mart bill" -- that would create a public list of companies whose workers are enrolled in MinnesotaCare and other government-funded health care programs. -snip-

Wal-Mart Fights Benefits Disclosure in Minnesota

[Iowa]

1. Great!

"...a public list of companies whose workers are enrolled in MinnesotaCare and other government-funded health care programs...".

This should be done in every state. Expose these companies to public ridicule and then link them (via contributions) to the Republican party.

[cascadiance]

2. Just Say NO to Wal-Mart!

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tempest]

27. You're paying a lot higher prices than you think

More than half of Wal-mart's employees are on public assistance of some kind.

California alone pays out $68 million a year in public assistance for Wal-mart employees.

[barb162]

28. if only people could put two and two together about these low wage

employers

[Chopin]

30. And the problem is?

Walmart is great! Like I said, I wouldn't buy electronics from them, but the rest of the stuff is just fine.

[Tempest]

31. You can't be serious

And the problem is?

Who do you think pays for public assistance, like welfare and subsidized health care, genius?


Don't bitch next time your property taxes and sales taxes go up because you contributed to it.

[Chopin]

33. What?

Middle class America and Hamptonites need to step out of their $40k SUVs, open their eyes, and take a good look at America. This is 21st century. Right now some lame attempt at Nationalization, or "Americanization" would fall flat on its ass. This ain't 1950s. World has changed. Made in America is not what its cracked up to be. Never was. In fact, knowing the work ethic and dedication of average "all American worker", I stay away from such goods.

[Tempest]

34. Never was?

What are you, a teenager?

Only someone ignorant or too young to remember would make such a comment.


The bottom line is that you support turning U.S. workers into slave labor, which is what Wal-mart is doing by depressing wages and eliminating benefits.

And that's un-American.

[Chopin]

36. slave labor?

This country was built on it. Not everybody can afford to shop at local "boutique" or buy expensive brands, or spend extra $ at some truly overpriced, low quality junk just because its "Made in America".

[cascadiance]

37. Well, if slave labor is so great at making goods...

then why don't you volunteer to be a slave someplace and show how we can make decent products here domestically instead of what you decry as "overpriced and low quality junk"! Show us how it should be done! Anyone want to be Chopin's "owner"?

[tk2kewl]

42. I'm doing a lot of home improvements these days

maybe I can shackle him to a stake in my yard and put him to work.

[JimmyJazz]

38. good grief!

Welcome to DU - enjoy your stay :eyes:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

40. I smell frozen pizza.

[Tempest]

43. I'm sure the death watch has started

I foresee a tombstone in his future.

[Tempest]

41. This country was NOT built on slave labor

This country was built mostly by the North where slavery was outlawed.

The South was an agricultural society which didn't build much at all of the country.

You don't seem to know much about your nation's history.

[cascadiance]

46. And the south is still where most of the"welfare" states are...

and they keep living more off the federal dole from us taxpayers' money. The vestiges of our slavery past put out a real fine example of our new economy now don't they!

[Tempest]

51. The number of confederate flags you see on trucks

Gives you a good idea of just how much in the past the south still is.

No wonder the only real industry in the south is still agricultural and poultry production.


The south also has most of the worst ecologically damaged areas in the nation.

[In_The_Wind]

45. Some of the worst junk I've seen was for sale in Wal-Mart.

That was before I stopped walking into their stores for anything.

[Tempest]

47. Wal-mart sells the lowest quality products you can find

I have neighbors who shop there and they are constantly complaining about the stuff they buy falling apart within days or weeks.

But they continue to shop there for some reason.

And yes, they're conservatives.

[In_The_Wind]

54. tisk-tisk ... some people never learn

If something makes you unhappy ... why continuing doing it. There are other discount stores and better ways to look at things!

[Tempest]

57. The funny thing is

Target's prices are comparable to Wal-mart and their stuff is better quality.

[In_The_Wind]

58. Another example of the way Wal-Mart is bilking the public.

My last time inside a Wal-mart was 1995, they always sold junk.

[Pharlo]

71. And the AA definition of INSANITY is....

"Taking the same action over and over again expecting different results."

Hmmmmm.....Explains a lot. Doesn't it?

[cascadiance]

50. I bought one lamp from them a long time ago before I started my boycott

And the bottom "lava lamp" part of the dual lamp burned out on it and fell off (could have been a fire hazard if I'd not been in the room at the time).

That's the only thing that I'd bought from Wal-mart since I can remember. Good quality products my butt! Even product quality "bargain" reasons don't justify them if your labor ethics don't sway you.

[In_The_Wind]

55. cheaply made garbage

I'm happy to say - my ethics keep me from shopping in many stores.

It's great that you only had to clean up a small mess instead of fire damage!

[K8-EEE]

64. Oh Surprise, A Freeper Visitor Who Is Pro-Slavery

My point was stuff was better and lasted longer when it was made in the USA, that's been my experience.

If you buy good EU shoes for example, you spend $80 - $100 and wear them literally for years, rather than throw 5 pairs of ugly, uncomfortable made-in-China (slave labor) in the trash every year.

Buying Walmart crap that breaks every year is a false economy.

[Swede]

35. So you don't mind tax dollars going directly to Walmart?

Five of the top ten richest Americans are Waltons and huge part of their profits are generated by not paying any benefits to their employees. Your okay with that?

[Tempest]

44. He seems to be perfectly fine with it

That's the only conclusion you can come to from reading his posts.

It seems he longs for the ancient system of serfs and fiefdoms, lords and manors.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

48. And you know the problem with that system?

Aside from the obvious? It's that all these people who long for that system assume that they'd be on the "Lord and Master" end of the social spectrum. Unless Chopin has a wanking huge trust fund, I don't think he realizes that he'd be cleaning somebody else's pool.

[Tempest]

52. Since he seems to be big on Wal-mart

I'm guessing he already cleans someone's pool.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

53. That or sitting on a big pile of Wal-Mart stock

Seems pretty adroit a parroting conservative talking points.

...so how's tricks out in the Hamptons, anyway?

[BiggJawn]

49. People like you...

Are what takes the wind out of the "all American Worker". Why should we knock our nuts together making quality stuff when people like you with all the taste of Philistines don't give a fuck about anything but the lowest price? Chinese crap is still CRAP, but at least it was CHEAP Crap....What logic!

And what would YOU know about work ethic, burger-boy?

[K8-EEE]

62. That's A Crock, And Take Crock Pots For Example...

Anybody that has a made in America 1970s era crockpot, it will last forever....the new Made In China version, I got one for a gift and returned it TWICE before throwing it in the dump, it burned everything, didn't work. Looked at the Target site and other consumers had similar experiences.

Same for Frigidaire, same for a lot of other companies...the quality goes SOUTH when they have the slave labor do it. OBVIOUSLY!

[cascadiance]

63. The fundamental issue is inflation...

... and the lack of mainstream America's salaries keeping up with it. Certainly the CEO's and other elites have had their salaries inflate rather nicely over the last decade or two.

Companies selling to most of us have had to find ways to keep prices low on goods and services so that we can still afford them at our "repressed" wages over that same period of time. The way they've done that is through outsourcing to get cheaper labor, and making poorer quality merchandise with cheaper materials, etc. That's why stuff these days is so much more crap than it used to be.

That is also why firms like Wal-Mart need to drastically change or be "brought down" by the consumer!

If we want better quality merchandise and services, we need to pay people more to produce them and also so that they can afford to buy them too!

[mitchum]

69. Well, if you really like shoddy shit made by slave labor...

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

32. Rep Henry Miller (D-CA)

Conducted a study of Wal-Mart's economic impact last year (I think). His report showed that a typical Wal-Mart costs the taxpayers more than $400,000 per year to maintain because we end up subsidizing their crappy wages and non-existent benefits.

There is no such thing as a bargain. Assuming that you're not being price-gouged by Store A, if Store B offers the same item at 20% less, it means that Store B is cheating its workers or its suppliers (or both) and society ends up paying the bill.

Let's say it again: There is no such thing as a bargain.

Here's the URL for Rep. Miller's Report:

http://edworkforce.house.gov/democrats/WALMARTREPORT.pdf

On Edit: With something like 3,000 locations in the United States, the total taxpayer subsidy is something on the order of $1.2 billion. And that doesn't count the economic havoc they cause be squeezing their competitors and suppliers.

[livvy]

70. This is an excellent report.

Anyone who has ever shopped at one of those despicable stores should be required to read it. Perhaps then they'd find a more respectable place to shop! I've never patronized Wal-Mart for some of the reasons included in the report, but there was stuff in the report I had not known before. Thanks for the link.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

39. Sam Walton? Is that you??

[Zhade]

66. Can you put that on a shirt? I'd buy one!

Love the design.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

73. We're doing our part in my neighborhood. Turned away 2 attempts by WM

to build in the area. Working on blocking the 3rd one. MKJ

http://www.no72ndavewalmart.com/

[wakeme2008]

3. there was an article in the business part of the Tampa Tribune or St. Pete

Times (I forget which one :) ) Sunday paper about how Target is beating WallyMart in profits. Shoppers are being turned off on the junky looking stores and Target is carrying more "upscale" clothes.

Their take was more and more ppl are now going to Target vs WallyMart.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

5. Went into a Wal-Mart a few months back...

It was an emergency or I wouldn't have gone in. But, God Almighty, that place was just filthy! The displays were sloppy (stuff was falling on the floor) and crammed in together. The aisles were narrow and the floors were actually grimey and a little bit sticky. I can't believe that people actually eat FOOD that they've purchased in that joint.

[wakeme2008]

8. Right... and go to Target

and the aisles are wide and store clean......

[K8-EEE]

61. Freepers Shop There, They Feel At Home In Filth

They vote for Bush after all....and swallow GOP talking points like pigs do slop, they love sticky floors.

[flygal]

12. And Target offers FREE health care

My friend's mom worked there 15 hours a week for it. Now I think it has to be 20 but still - it was FREE!!! I will support them just on the way they treat their employees - and they don't make them dress like dumpster divers.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

18. That's incredible

A) That they would offer free health care and B) that they would offer it to part-time employees. On a related subject, there are articles out there (here's a Link) about how CostCo is eating Wal-Mart's lunch by providing higher wages -- thus a more experienced and stable workforce. You don't have to take the "low road" to be successful in retailing.

I don't shop on price any more. I shop at stores that do the right thing (or at least do it most of the time - nobody's perfect).

[yodermon]

21. Went to Costco on Monday.

Memorial day.

Costco was closed.

CLOSED. On Memorial Day.

What retail store, of any stripe, would be CLOSED on a holiday like that? *gasp* giving their employees an actual holiday OFF?

I was impressed. I can happily wait til the weekend get my shopping done there.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

25. Aren't they closed on Sundays as well?

[yodermon]

59. Don't think so

At least not the ones around my area (Charlotte)

Chik-fil-a is closed on Sundays, however.

[yellowdogintexas]

60. and they close at 6pm on Saturdays! Can you believethat?

[luvLLB]

56. I worked at a Target for 4 years....I didn't have FREE health care.

I had to pay for the crappy insurance.

[candy331]

76. luvLLB, I worked for the state of GA and I had to pay for my health care

insurance. I think nearly all companies who offer insurance the worker has to pay portions of it, but try buying insurance that is not part of group insurance then you will see what the difference is. Walmart pays low wages so many of the workers really can't buy the insurance even though it is offered so they wind up on Medicaid.

[gratuitous]

4. Doesn't Wal-Mart want everyone to know

Just how much their business is being subsidized by the taxpayers? Wal-Mart keeps its cost of doing business down by paying low wages, and then the taxpayers make up for it by providing their employees' health care and supplementing their meager salaries.

Doesn't Wal-Mart want everyone to know just how much of the community is being used to ensure their profits?

[Tempest]

29. It's not just Wal-mart's low wages and public assistance

It's also about Wal-mart receiving billions in tax breaks and building assistance.

In my town, Wal-mart was able to get the city to pay over $500,000 in street improvements for a new store. That was on top of a 10 year break on the property taxes.

[gizmo1979]

6. Keep pounding them.

The biggest company in the world.One of the richest families in the world can't afford to pay for health care how sad.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

9. Minnesotans! Write letters to the editor.

Mine was printed in the Sunday edition of the Milwaukee J-S the week after the story broke. Chastise your legislators for allowing corporate welfare bums to rip off taxpayers.

[cthrumatrix]

17. Walmart is using OUR TAX DOLLARS to pay for employee costs

it's help their bottom line....

[unhappycamper]

7. This is great! A dual use button:

http://www.unemployeddemocrats.com.nyud.net:8090/shop/images/245.JPG

[cascadiance]

23. Yah... I'm also ashamed to sign my name with my middle initial now too...

with it being a "W" as well. But at least I don't have to go through life being tainted like poor folks like the band "Bush", Kate Bush, etc. I feel for those folks who in many cases probably feel the need for a name change.

[wicket]

10. kicked and nominated

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[Spiffarino]

11. Nominated. This issue can't get enough exposure.

Repubs should be disgusted by this behavior, too. Wal-Mart getting filthy rich by shitting on its workers is one thing. Making themselves even richer by letting the state pick up the tab is beyond the pale whatever your politics.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

15. Found a good website the other day..

but forgot to bookmark it (crap!) and can't find it right now. But somebody is making a Wal-Mart documentary and is inviting current and former Wal-Mart employees to post stories of their experiences. What a friggin' snakepit that place is -- for its employees. Crappy pay and management that makes the Gestapo look warm and cuddly by comparison. One former manager said that all teleconferences with the home office end with the warning, "Remember, you job is depending on this."

Creeps.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

74. Here's a link to an article about the movie

Wal-Mart, get ready for your close-up

And this fall brings the feature film "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price."

As the world's largest company with more than $285 billion in sales and $10 billion in annual profits, Wal-Mart is a big enough star for the silver screen. And there's plenty of drama as critics routinely accuse the retailer of everything: underpaying workers, discriminating against women, squeezing suppliers, tapping overseas sweatshops, skirting child-labor laws, union busting, neglecting the environment, employing vendors with illegal workers, extracting unneeded tax subsidies, destroying small businesses.

Can't wait to see this one!


http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_2778752

:applause:

[loudsue]

13. WalMart should be put out of business NOW!

They are a parasite on our system of Capitalism...sucking off the government tit while trying to bust unions, put local retailers out of business, cheat and mistreat their employees, and further the outsourcing of our labor pool overseas.

Every supplier, trying to win WalMart contracts, has to cut their prices so low (which cuts worker's wages), that they are either NOT making a profit, or are going out of business. WalMart threatens them with going to an overseas supplier, if the prices aren't dropped enough.

It's reverse prosperity for everyone...even, ultimately, the customers who shop there, whether they realize it or not.

:hi: I recommended this thread, too.

WalMart is the devil. :evilgrin:

:kick::kick::kick:

[msongs]

14. ChinaMart aka Walmart has millions to spend on PR campaigns but

nothing for their employees. right now the radio is flooded with ads claiming to be walmart employees bragging about how great it is to work there.

it is obscene for a company with billions in profit to spend money on these self serving ads.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/liberaltshirts.htm

[mandomom]

16. Go straight to the people.

IMHO, the press does not need Wal Mart's permission, nor do we need a law, to expose the numbers of their employees on public assistance. Our taxes supplement Wal Mart's bottom line by providing basic benefits of human dignity that Wal Mart does not provide. An outreach campaign to Wal Mart employees can ask those who get public assistance to add their names to the list. The state cannot give out the info for privacy reasons, but the employees/aid recipients themselves can, and they should be assured of no retaliation from Wal Mart for speaking out. Then the facts will be on the table, and Wal Mart may be able to show that the employees who get public aid are eligible for reasons unrelated to their Wal Mart salaries. This info would let Wal Mart explain itself with facts and avoid the current inuendo against it.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

20. No retaliation from Wal-Mart?

No offense, but you've got to be kidding.

Wal-Mart employees who attempt to organize unions are accused of theft (never officially charged with a crime, mind you) and summarily dismissed. These guys are the Evil Empire, and retaliation is their primary tool for personnel management.

[cascadiance]

24. At least in China, the government is stepping up efforts to help workers..

unionize, both within Wal-mart stores themselves (as indicated further down in article link) as well as Wal-Mart's China-based suppliers of products, as noted by this latest set of demands Chinese workers are pushing onto Uniden, A Japanese-invested firm there supplying Wal-Mart.

Hopefully more global labor movements keep rising up everywhere. That will be how we fight back against these outsourcing corporations!

http://www.china-labour.org.hk/iso/article.adp?article_id=6326



Maybe this will stifle Wal-Mart's efforts to relocate there...

Now if we can only get our government to stand up for organized labor's rights! Sigh!

[Bombero1956]

65. and to think

that Wal-Mart is actually encouraging the Chinese workers to unionize and discouraging American workers from unionizing at the same time. Can you say hypocrites?

[Kixel]

19. It's about time...

I have a friend who has been working full time at Sam’s Club while going to school. She has been with them for two years, and prior to Christmas she was working every day, 60 hours a week. Of course, she is scheduled as a part time employee, so she is on Minnesota Care. She still works full time, however, they choose not to change her status to avoid health care costs.

I really like this trend-go after Wal-Mart with the truth. If they don’t want it public knowledge, then they should change their health care practices. With the cuts they are talking about issuing to Minnesota Care right now, something is going to have to give. It’s time Wal-Mart steps up to the plate.

[proud2BlibKansan]

67. How can someone work 60 hours a week

and not afford health care? How low was her salary?

[tlcandie]

22. Our Target is changing!!!!

They shut down the cafeteria area... the pharmacy is now there AND I overheard someone telling another employee or customer that there will be a Starbuck's somewhere within Target :O

[nicholieeee]

68. i'm surprised

that no one has mentioned yet the blatant sexism that wal-mart practices. i'm a poor college student and i did a report on their unethical doings and i found waayy more info on how wal-mart pretty much outright refuses to promote their female employees and they get paid much less than their male counterparts. it just amazes me how much this company gets away with and next to no one catches it, or they turn a blind eye. :banghead: arrrg

[Pharlo]

72. and THAT is the reason I quit shopping at Wal-Mart.

I am a single female. If they do not wish to treat females as equals, then they really don't want womens' money. I will do without, or travel an extra 15 miles to pay more at a different store. (Nor do I make enough that this does not require a reassessment of expenditures and adjustments accordingly. But, I think it's worth the effort.)

Since then, enough other reasons have surfaced for which I would quit patronizing their establishment, but that was my impetus for terminating any direct association with Wal-Mart which I may have had.

[FourStarDemocrat]

75. In 2004 a prospective Walmart was denied its building permit in Queens, NY

A huge group of residents and members of the local business community in Rego Park, NY got together, worked hard, and denied Walmart permission to open a huge store (and what would be their first in NYC)because of Walmart's abyssmal record on employee wages and benefits, and the harm that Walmart does to the rest of the merchant community in whatever locality they open in. It was a great victory against Walmart, and I hope more communities across America follow suit.