SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
6/30/2004
$25,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte
SINEGAL, JANET L
MEDINA,WA 98039
N/A/VOLUNTEER
10/27/2004
$25,000
Democratic Congressional Campaign Cmte
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
12/9/2003
$10,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
4/22/2003
$8,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP./PRESIDENT &
12/4/2003
$5,000
Victory Campaign 2004
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/CEO
3/11/2003
$4,000
Edwards, John
Sinegal, Janet L Ms
Bellevue,WA 98004
none/homemaker
8/6/2004
$3,000
DNC Services Corp
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
5/6/2003
$2,000
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
1/23/2004
$2,000
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
10/11/2004
$2,000
Obama, Barack
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO WHOLESALE
6/1/2004
$2,000
Farmer, Nancy
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/PRESIDENT & CEO
8/19/2003
$2,000
Dean, Howard
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
PRICE COSTCO/CEO
10/20/2003
$2,000
Smith, Adam
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
PRICE COSTCO/CEO
4/5/2004
$2,000
Smith, Adam
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/EXECUTIVE
10/1/2004
$2,000
Ross, Dave
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/PRESIDENT & CEO
3/4/2003
$2,000
Lieberman, Joe
Sinegal, James D Mr
Issaquah,WA 98027
Costco Wholesale
5/31/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John
SINEGAL, JAMES MR
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/PRESIDENT & CEO
10/21/2003
$2,000
Alben, Alex
SINEGAL, JAMES MR
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/PRESIDENT & CEO
4/20/2004
$2,000
Alben, Alex
SINEGAL, JAN
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
NOT EMPLOYED/NOT EMPLOYED
3/11/2003
$2,000
Edwards, John
SINEGAL, JANET
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
NONE/NOT EMPLOYED
10/1/2004
$2,000
Ross, Dave
Sinegal, Janet L Ms
Bellevue,WA 98004
none
8/6/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John
SINEGAL, JIM
BELLEVUE,WA 98004
COSTCO WHOLESALE/RETAIL SALES
6/1/2003
$2,000
Lieberman, Joe
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
3/31/2003
$1,000
Dodd, Chris
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
3/31/2003
$1,000
Dodd, Chris
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
6/3/2003
$1,000
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
1/30/2004
$1,000
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
3/15/2004
$1,000
Dodd, Chris
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO WHOLESALE/PRESIDENT & CEO
2/24/2004
$1,000
McCarthy, Carolyn
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO WHOLESALE/PRESIDENT/CEO
2/23/2004
$1,000
Barbieri, Donald K
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO WHOLESALE/PRESIDENT/CEO
5/14/2004
$1,000
Barbieri, Donald K
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO WHOLESALE/PRESIDENT/CEO
9/29/2004
$1,000
Barbieri, Donald K
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/PRESIDENT
8/29/2003
$1,000
Larsen, Rick
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/PRESIDENT
5/12/2004
$1,000
Larsen, Rick
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/PRESIDENT
5/12/2004
$1,000
Larsen, Rick
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
PRICE-COSTCO/PRESIDENT & CEO
2/18/2003
$1,000
McDermott, Jim
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
PRICE-COSTCO/PRESIDENT & CEO
7/31/2003
$1,000
McDermott, Jim
SINEGAL, JAMES D
HUNTS POINT,WA 98004
COSTCO/EXECUTIVE
10/13/2004
$1,000
Dicks, Norm
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
6/4/2003
$1,000
Boxer, Barbara
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
9/24/2003
$1,000
Knowles, Tony
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
10/7/2003
$1,000
Daschle, Tom
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
10/7/2003
$1,000
Daschle, Tom
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO WHOLESALE/CEO
8/28/2003
$1,000
Kennedy, Patrick J
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO WHOLESALE/CEO
4/6/2004
$1,000
Kennedy, Patrick J
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO WHOLESALE/CEO
4/6/2004
$1,000
Kennedy, Patrick J
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO WHOLESALE/CEO
5/25/2004
$1,000
Kennedy, Patrick J
SINEGAL, JANET
BELLEVUE,WA 98004
VOLUNTEER
7/30/2003
$1,000
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JANET
BELLEVUE,WA 98004
VOLUNTEER
1/30/2004
$1,000
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JANET
BELLEVUE,WA 98004
VOLUNTEER
1/30/2004
$1,000
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JANET
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
HOMEMAKER
5/25/2004
$1,000
Kennedy, Patrick J
SINEGAL, JANET
MEDINA,WA 98039
VOLUNTEER
2/10/2004
$1,000
Cantwell, Maria
SINEGAL, JANET
MEDINA,WA 98039
VOLUNTEER/VOLUNTEER
10/9/2003
$1,000
Inslee, Jay R
SINEGAL, JAMES
BELLEVUE,WA 98004
COSTCO/EXECUTIVE
5/30/2003
$500
Dicks, Norm
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
8/11/2004
$500
Boxer, Barbara
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
6/3/2003
($1,000)
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
1/30/2004
($1,000)
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JAMES
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO
1/30/2004
($1,000)
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JANET
BELLEVUE,WA 98004
VOLUNTEER
1/30/2004
($1,000)
Murray, Patty
SINEGAL, JAMES D
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/CEO
4/4/2003
($2,000)
Edwards, John
SINEGAL, JAMES MR
ISSAQUAH,WA 98027
COSTCO/PRESIDENT & CEO
10/11/2004
($2,000)
Alben, Alex
The bulk food deal makes me have to eat like a horse before the stuff spoils. I usually buy food at the local grocery store.
Shrewd retailer ping.
the Ralph Lauren shirt you buy at Costco, is not the same Ralph Lauren shirt you buy at Ralph Lauren, or at Nordstrom. Sure, its got the same brand name label, but its a lower quality product designed for a store like costco.
Costco and WalMart do an entirely different kind of business. Costco only sells stuff that they can get at a huge discount. They don't carry everything, and the products they offer come and go. They don't have to operate on a tiny margin like full-service grocers -- including Wal Mart -- have to do.
Note to Ace. You don't have to be a union goon all your life.
Costco has repeatedly had local governments use eminent domain laws to acquire other private property so it can build a Costco store. In California, they convinced a town to remove a Church to build a Costco since it would generate more property tax...
That's not the message here. They are two separate business models. With an average hourly wage of $17.00, how many first time job seekers get to work at Costco?
Wal-Mart pays a much lower average wage but provides huge opportunities for those entering the job market for the first time with limited skills.
They are just different. If Wal-Mart was so bad they would be experiencing problems attracting employees and then, maybe, their model would have to change. It's not happening though.
I also noticed that the author neglects to mention how many hourly employees at Costco have the opportunity to move into management. At Wal-Mart, 76% of all managers came from the ranks of hourly employees. No other company in the country offers that kind of upward mobility.
The pundits can elevate Costco above Wal-mart when Costco does $285 billion in annual sales, with 1.6 million employees, and has more than 5,000 stores around the world by utilizing this same model.
I agree. We are members of BJ's, Sam's and Costco and live near a Wal-Mart. I went through a brief time last year when I purchased at Wal-Mart. Just last week I saw that the apple juice was from China, but they communciated it in such a way that I could barely see that before I bought it. No more food and little else from Wal-Mart.
Costco, OTOH, is always so professional. If the lines are long, they open new ones. The employees are trained to resolve problems quickly. If they can't, there's always someone close who can. And they never hold up lines when that happens.
There merchandise is excellent. If we buy anything that they later discover is problematic, we get a letter telling us about it and how to handle the problem. Sam's is improving to compete with Costo, but it still doesn't have the quality of employeees as Costco and it shows. The new BJ's in our area has terrible employees and as a result, is almost always empty. We wonder how long it will last.
I agree with this article. When you pay employees and expect performance from them in return, you get it and customers notice it and return.
Agreed. I don't approve of Costco's political activity, but I do like how it pays it's workers well and still manages to make money.
First, every Costco I’ve ever been in is under 20 years old. I know a bunch that are under 10 years old. What that means is that they simply haven’t been around long enough for pension and h&w issues to significantly impact them. That will change, it’s just a matter of time.
Issue two is that in the case of their stores where unions represent their workers they’ve got an open ended obligation. I’m referring specifically to those stores that are/were represented by the IBT. Those employees in Central States and New England funds are going to be screwed. Meanwhile, Costco is legally obligated to make up current and future shortfalls for retirees/future retirees that never worked a single day for their company.
That’s one of the inherent evils of defined benefit and multi-employer pension plans.
Anyway at this point they aren’t impacted too heavily. Later on it will change and they’ll have to start cutting back. When they start consolidating positions you’ll have just what everyone else has – declining workforce (declining union membership) that has to float an ever increasing pension plan.
Over the next 5 – 10 years you’re going to see (especially regarding Teamsters) one of the biggest retirement waves there have ever been.
Also, over the next 15 – 30 years (or whenever) they’re going to have a changing of the guard. He’s pushing 70 now. He isn’t going to live forever. I have no idea as to their structure but you can bet their executive committee and/or board are going to have certain concerns regarding his replacement. They’ll be looking for someone that is more business oriented and not everyone’s friend.
If that doesn’t happen with his replacement, it will eventually. Bank on it.
Finally, they always recite the “happy employee equates to low turnover” mantra. That’s good AND bad.
Most jobs at a place like Costco are semi-skilled at best. Those aren’t really the sort of thing you want to provide as a “career” – especially if you’re paying a premium in the process (compared with the competition).
My experience has been that anytime you have someone performing a mundane, tedious, semi-skilled function they will be at their most productive somewhere between 18 months and three years. It’ll slowly decline to about years 12 – 15 and then significantly thereafter.
In that scenario you want people to turnover between years 3 and 5. If you can encourage them to move on around year 4 it’s the best of both worlds. They’ve made a premium and in exchange you’ve gotten the most productive work out of them. And – most pensions require five years to be vested so you dodge a bullet there.
But that’s not how it works. You’re paying a premium for someone to run around as floor washer or working a pallet jack. They have absolutely NO reason to go elsewhere to improve their lot in life because they’ve got it easy where they are.
So they decide to be a life-long item scanner or warehouseman. Each and every contract you’re going to have to sweeten the pot or they will damage or destroy your business. You’ll also have to deal with increasingly silly work rules.
That’s how it always happens. Just follow Costco over the coming years and you’ll see it with them too.
I hear HP is getting ready to put the screws to their employees. I think I'm going to do some of my own professional screwing and start buying the company printers and plotters elsewhere.
All I'd like to know is when did a company called "Kirkland" (the Costco brand) become what has got to be one of the largest, most product-diverse companies in the world?
From food, to electronics, to lawnmowers, to pants, to patio furniture...amazing, and I don't think I've ever read anything about them. Never even heard of them til about 2001. Maybe I will research them out of curiousity, now that I'm thinking about it.
I love investing and Wallstreet, but there is no doubt in my mind that wage earners get the least benefit from our economy, mainly because the government screams inflation and puts the brakes on the economy every time the market favors labor. It's good to see a CEO that cares about his people as much as his shareholders, and only takes a modest salary for himself.
Note to Ace of Spades: Who's #1? That's all that matters.