Thousands apply for 400 jobs at Oakland's first Wal-Mart

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/12405843.htm

OAKLAND, Calif. - The city's first Wal-Mart, set to open next week, fielded more than 11,000 applications for 400 openings, company officials said. By late Tuesday, 350 positions had been filled.

"There's still a lot of people who were put out of work in the last four years who still don't have a job," Levy said. "If the rest of the labor market was strong, you wouldn't have 11, 000 people applying for 400 jobs" at Wal-Mart.

The company, which employs 66,000 people at 150 Wal-Marts in California, offers an average hourly wage in the Bay Area of $10.82. "People are looking for jobs with a career," said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Cynthia Lin. Labor groups have long lambasted Wal-Mart for what they see as meager health benefits and low wages.

But for people like Melvin Brown, just about any job is worth it if it comes with a paycheck. He's been out of work for six months. "It's best to accept what you can get," said Brown, 52, who applied for an overnight maintenance position. "You start low and aim high."

[Skidmore]

1. What do they mean?

Unemployment is at its lowest in history!! The economy is booming!! There jobs galore!!

The jobs of the 21st century...Walmart is the new career track opportunity. Melvin has it right--you've gotta start low sometimes. Problem is there is no high to aim for these days.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Well it's low if you don't actually count the people who are unemployed

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

10. No, no, no, NO...repeat the line CORRECTLY:

"The economy is STRONG, and gettin' STRONGER!"

I HATE it when we go off script.

:evilgrin:

:toast:

[Canadiana]

13. I read in a LTTE in NYT last week, and it's true,

that Walmart pays so low, puts other stores out of business and generally breeds the poverty that makes people shop there for the low prices. It's a sick, sick cycle.

[grauch]

3. what labor market?

"If the rest of the labor market was strong, you wouldn't have 11, 000 people applying for 400 jobs" at Wal-Mart.

...Is this indicative of the labor market in Oakland, or California, or the United States?

[jsamuel]

4. That's what happens when they FUDGE the unemployment numbers for 3 years

straight...

[HereSince1628]

5. Reported Current Unemployment may be low but

there are tens of thousands of people who have fallen into categories outside the criteria for being listed as unemployed, and there are millions of people who are seriously underemployed.

Wal-Mart is NOT an employee friendly corporation.

[DJ MEW]

6. Was she serious when she said that

-"People are looking for jobs with a career," said Wal-Mart
-spokeswoman Cynthia Lin.

Does she really mean to say that a job at the local Wal-Mart is a career position?

Mall-Wort jobs are at best a supplemental income, or an option of last resort when there is nothing good out there.

I hate Wal-Mart.

[Bozita]

7. How many of the hirees will be taking a paycut?

[grauch]

9. why would they apply at Wal-Mart...

just to take a paycut? If they have a higher-paying job, they would keep it, all other things being equal.

[TheFarseer]

12. none

I'd have to guess they were unemployeed or working at the gas station before Walmart came along. If you mean the job they had before they were unemployeed, probably all of them!

[natrat]

8. BOYCOTT WALLMART

friends dont let friends shop wallmart

[tanyev]

11. And very few of the people that will be hired will ever qualify for full

health and retirement benefits with the Wal-Mart corporation.

[Double T]

14. 400 more jobs created by the bush administration economic policies.....

Wal-Mart providing their employees with a barely living wage.