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Nearly 40 percent of Wal-Mart’s US workers to get pay raises
Associated Press ^ | Feb 19, 2015 12:17 PM EST | Anne D’Innocenzio

Posted on 02/19/2015 9:51:16 AM PST by Olog-hai

Hoping to shed its reputation for offering little more than dead-end jobs, Wal-Mart, the nation’s biggest private employer, is giving raises to nearly a half-million workers and offering what it says are more opportunities for advancement.

Wal-Mart told The Associated Press that as part of $1 billion its spending to change the way it trains and pays workers, the company will give raises to nearly 40 percent of its 1.3 million U.S. employees in the next six months.

In addition to raises, Wal-Mart said it plans to make changes to how workers are scheduled and add training programs for sales staff so that employees can more easily map out their future at the company.

The company said the changes, which were announced on Thursday as Wal-Mart reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results, will hurt profits this year. “We are trying to create a meritocracy where you can start somewhere and end up just as high as your hard work and your capacity will enable you to go,” CEO Doug McMillon told the AP during an interview this week at the company’s headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. …

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Food; Society
KEYWORDS: liberalagenda; meritocracy; raises; walmart
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Big mistake even talking to the AP.
1 posted on 02/19/2015 9:51:16 AM PST by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

Worth noting that the CEO, Steve McMillon, started out his career working in a Walmart warehouse


2 posted on 02/19/2015 9:55:29 AM PST by digger48
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To: digger48

Doh...that would be Doug McMillon


3 posted on 02/19/2015 9:56:02 AM PST by digger48
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To: Olog-hai

There’s a company in Tulsa that is doing fantastic ... with its workers and with its business! It’s QuikTrip. It’s the best convenience store/gas station I’ve seen anywhere in the USA. They are amazing!

And the workers there are doing fantastic ... as they get $30,000 a year, with the manager of each place getting $70,000! They all get full benefits from the company.

Now they are a true American company and quite the success story!


4 posted on 02/19/2015 9:57:46 AM PST by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)
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To: Olog-hai

>>plans to make changes to how workers are scheduled and add training programs for sales staff so that employees can more easily map out their future at the company.<<

Anything in these proposed changes to make their employees more than barely sentient neanderthals?

Worst customer service ever.


5 posted on 02/19/2015 9:58:35 AM PST by ItsOurTimeNow ("I'm not questioning your honor...I'm denying its existence." - Tyrion Lannister)
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To: Olog-hai
“We are trying to create a meritocracy where you can start somewhere and end up just as high as your hard work and your capacity will enable you to go,”

What a concept! Why hasn't anybody thought of this before?

6 posted on 02/19/2015 9:59:05 AM PST by Joe 6-pack (Qui me amat, amat et canem meum.)
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To: Olog-hai
Wages are the last prices to rise in a general inflation. Real price inflation, the prices we actually pay for stuff, has been running probably 7% for several years while wages have not moved or effectively declined because of reduction of hours worked. Perhaps wages are starting to budge.

Another delayed sign of inflation that is finally starting to happen is the major labor strikes. Inflations occasion them as worker's wages buy less and less even as they don't nominally shrink.

7 posted on 02/19/2015 9:59:59 AM PST by arthurus (it's true!)
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To: Olog-hai

I can name the bias in three words, George.


8 posted on 02/19/2015 10:10:30 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: ItsOurTimeNow

You said, “Worst customer service ever.”

Quite true!


9 posted on 02/19/2015 10:11:37 AM PST by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)
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To: Olog-hai

When the old man Sam ran the place it was much better run.


10 posted on 02/19/2015 10:15:13 AM PST by LongWayHome
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To: Star Traveler

They are in Kansas City also. And you’re right, there is no comparison to any other convenience stores.


11 posted on 02/19/2015 10:16:51 AM PST by mykroar ("Never believe anything until it has been officially denied." - Otto von Bismarck)
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To: Olog-hai

Walmart caves. Give a mouse a cookie, he’ll just want a glass of milk. The workers will be, “hey, it worked...we go $15 an hour...let’s start again and go for twenty!”


12 posted on 02/19/2015 10:19:50 AM PST by FrankR (They will become our ultimate masters the day we surrender the 2nd Amendment.)
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To: ItsOurTimeNow
Anything in these proposed changes to make their employees more than barely sentient neanderthals? Worst customer service ever.

If Wal-Mart pays higher wages,it will help attract better employees.

I can give a couple examples: Costco is known for better pay and benefits than Wal-Mart. In my experience, the employees at Costco are at a much higher level than the Wal-Mart.

Chick-Fil-A vs. McDonalds

Chick-Fil-A is known for paying a few dollars above the hourly minimum wage. The quality of the employees, and the customer experience is much higher at Chic-Fil-A than McDonalds.

This is only one step for Wal-Mart. The management will need to follow up by making improvements in inventory management by making sure the stores are adequately stocked with merchandise, and by making sure enough employees are in the stores to service the customers.

If Wal-Mart tries to make up the cost of increased wages per employee by scheduling fewer employees in the stores, then it will result in angry customers and the move will backfire on Wal-Mart.

13 posted on 02/19/2015 11:29:56 AM PST by jeannineinsd
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To: Olog-hai

The Democrat/Gubbermint/Labor Union Protection Racket has been paid off. Can breathe easy for another year.


14 posted on 02/19/2015 11:32:48 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Star Traveler

I have a QT next to me and it does tremendous business. They undercut everyone on gas prices and I can get a 32oz refill for 70c. The flatbreads are good as well.

The workers are very polite, much like Chick-fil-A.


15 posted on 02/19/2015 11:37:17 AM PST by eyedigress
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To: eyedigress

In Tulsa (which is also the headquarters for QuikTrip) ... they “set the prices” for the city. Everyone else follows them, except for a few odd ones here and there!


16 posted on 02/19/2015 11:40:50 AM PST by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)
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To: Star Traveler
Quick Trip does an excellent job. Here in St. Louis area, they have QT Kitchens. They do this with an excellent employee model.

I noticed at Wal-mart, they have a lot of employees in the superstore, but they are not burning any rubber stocking or helping customers. I wonder if they paid more, but increased quality of the employee, if they would reduce labor costs. I think Wal-mart problem is they expanded so fast they sacrificed employee quality. (As a side note, the employee part of the McDonald's operating plan is what made the franchise a successful business model. High growth destroyed this part of the model.)

I hope QT maintains the employee part of the business model.

17 posted on 02/19/2015 12:01:15 PM PST by 11th Commandment ("THOSE WHO TIRE LOSE")
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To: Olog-hai
We are trying to create a meritocracy where you can start somewhere and end up just as high as your hard work and your capacity will enable you to go,”

Wow that will really irritate the unions.

18 posted on 02/19/2015 12:07:34 PM PST by Fzob (Jesus + anything = nothing, Jesus + nothing = everything)
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To: jeannineinsd
If Wal-Mart tries to make up the cost of increased wages per employee by scheduling fewer employees in the stores, then it will result in angry customers and the move will backfire on Wal-Mart.

I think the savings will come in attracting better employees and reducing employee turnover and the recruiting and training costs associated.

19 posted on 02/19/2015 12:16:59 PM PST by DoodleDawg
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To: Fzob
Wow that will really irritate the unions.

Not really. They're pushing for $15 an hour.

20 posted on 02/19/2015 12:20:25 PM PST by DoodleDawg
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