For those confused as to why WalMart is a bad "standard" read this.

[JanMichael]

http://www.nlchp.org/FA_HAPIA/

And this, the "Rent Wage by MSA", look up your own damned city (MSA): http://www.nlihc.org/oor2003/

Oh, how about this, a some nice definitions of what "Poverty" really is: http://www.npc.umich.edu/poverty/

Has poverty changed over time?

In the late 1950s, the poverty rate for the total U.S. population was 22.4 percent, or approximately 39.5 million individuals. These numbers declined steadily throughout the 1960s, reaching a low of 12.1 percent, or 24.1 million individuals, by 1969. For the next decade, the poverty rate fluctuated between 11.1 and 12.6 percent, but began to rise steadily again in 1980. By 1983, the number of poor individuals had risen to 35.3 million individuals, or 15.2 percent of the population.

For the next ten years, the poverty rate remained above 12.8 percent, and had climbed to 15.1 percent, or 39.3 million individuals, by 1993. The rate declined dramatically for the remainder of the decade, to 11.3 percent by 2000, before rising slightly in 2001, to 11.7 percent. (6)

Some Walmart numbers as provided by the DSA: http://www.dsausa.org/lowwage/walmart/why_walmart.html

Wal-Mart's strategy is to use part time workers to reduce its benefit costs. "Associates" - as the company workers are dubbed - are told that if they work 34 (recently increased from 28) hours a week then they are "full time workers". According to Forbes, the self-styled capitalist tool, employees at Wal-Mart currently earn an average hourly wage of $7.50-20% to 30% less than unionized workers at Target and Kmart. The typical Wal-Mart employee earns $18,000 and isn't eligible for or cannot afford health benefits.

Wal-Mart has employed large numbers of women associates that it has paid less than their male counterparts. By maintaining these discriminatory practices Wal-Mart has reinforced its low wage structure and improved its bottom line. In 2001 a class-action lawsuit was filed challenging Wal-Mart's gender discrimination. Up to 1.5 million women workers could win damages.


OK, bottom line: Walmart employs some 800,000 US workers at borderline Poverty wages. Yes, most of those people have another low wage woprker as a spouse, SO WHAT?! So now you're defending the "Two Low Wage Family"????

My point? Look at the California strike for a moment. Workers in unionized stores make almost $10 more per hour and they get benefits yet the Walmart "System" is, OF COURSE, pushing their wages down!

Can you seriously say this is a "GOOD THING"?

I thought Democrats, the party that I'm registered as, should be OUTRAGED by this continual downward income pressure on those that can least afford it!

Look...I have a good job that provides full HC and vesting after only 5 years. Why should I care?

NO!

Why shouldn't I?

[Pale Blue Dot]

1. Bravo, and kick

Thanks for the links.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. I hate Wal-Mart, too, but I'd just like to point out...

that defintions of "poverty" change over time, so comparing percentages may not be such an accurate gauge. Comparing percentiles, deviations from medians, "living wages," etc., would be better ways to go.

Wally does, of coure, keep profits up partly by keeping wages down, whatever dwdinitions are in use at the time. Poverty pays!

[Skittles]

6. you treasonous bastard

lol, I just wanted to say that. :7

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Indeed, the Democrats should be targeting the new underclass

The party that stood for the New Deal in the thirties should be the champion of the people of whom Barbara Ehrenriech writes in Nickel and Dimed.

All in the Family by Jack Rabbit, Democratic Underground. January 8, 2002

[Spazito]

4. What they do here in Canada is...

ensure that many employees work only enough hours to ensure that they DON'T have to pay benifits. My daughter worked in the pharmacy in our Walmart (was not considered part of Walmart-subcontract) and she couldn't believe the "chant" that all Walmart employees had to do before opening the doors in the morning.

[Bozita]

5. They pay $7.50/hr and they make workers chant?

That's disgusting.

[Spazito]

8. Yes, they have the "Walmart song" , it is disgusting, imo

my daughter was hauled before the manager but, because she worked in the pharmacy, she couldn't be disaplined for missing the morning "brainwashing" session.

[JanMichael]

11. It's a grand song too!

"Sleep well all you wage slaves, sleep well"...

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Alley Oop

:bounce:

[JanMichael]

10. Right back at ya'!

Booha!

[stevedeshazer]

9. They have destroyed my childhood town

Just makes ya feel warm and fuzzy all over, don't it?

It is a good place for mullet hunting, though...

[FDRrocks]

12. *Applause*

Wal-Mart and thier local/small-business treachery disgusts me. In a world where the market is framed like this, I thank Target for opening up right next to the 'Super' Wal-Mart.

[neebob]

13. I agree

but all it takes to know what's going on with Wal-mart is to visit your local Superstore and spend an hour or so noticing that only the greeter even vaguely resembles the friendly, helpful, happy Wal-mart employees in the TV commercials. The rest are clearly miserable.

[laura888]

14. I am on board to help bring unions to Walmart...

...what you've written, and what I read in Nickel and Dimed are criminal!

One thing that bothers me is that the American masses seem to have largely forgotten the huge labor gains that American made in the 1800s and early 1900s, when workers striked and organized to demand better conditions and wages. This was a revolution as big as the Civil Rights movement and the Woman's movement. And it was painful, with lots of people going to jail, some being killed, and the U.S. calling in the National Guard.

But all you see on the History Channel are WWII documentaries that whip the viewers into a patriotic mania.

Profit-driven corporations will not give an inch unless made to do so.

I did not know that Kmart and Target are unionized - how much better are their wages, etc?

[Padraig18]

15. My town recently told Wal-Mart to 'go away'

Wally World attempted to get a zoning change on some property in order to build one of their hideous stores, and over 300 people showed up at the hearing to oppose the zoning change (our village is pop. 2900), and the village board refused to rezone the property.

Slowly but surely, I think part of the American people are waking up to the danger Wally World represents.