Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Wal-Mart calls for minimum wage hike
CNN/Money ^ | 10/25/5

Posted on 10/25/2005 2:29:37 PM PDT by Crackingham

Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott said he's urging Congress to consider raising the minimum wage so that Wal-Mart customers don't have to struggle paycheck to paycheck. Scott told Wal-Mart directors and executives in a speech Monday that he believes "it is time for Congress to take a look at the minimum wage and other legislation that can help working families."

"The U.S. minimum wage of $5.15 an hour has not been raised in nearly a decade and we believe it is out of date with the times," Scott said. "We can see first-hand at Wal-Mart how many of our customers are struggling to get by. Our customers simply don't have the money to buy basic necessities between pay checks."

Given increasing gas prices and other economic pressures on Wal-Mart customers, Scott went on to say that Wal-Mart shoppers will further be challenged to "support themselves and their families."

"While it is unusual for us to take a public position on a public policy issue of this kind, we simply believe it is time for Congress to take a responsible look at the minimum wage and other legislation that may help working families," he said.

Tracy Sefl, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart Watch, a group that's been highly critical of the retailer, said Scott's comments on raising minimum wage were "laughable and out of left field."

"I find it disingenuous and laughable that Lee Scott makes these remarks while the company hires lobbyist such as Lee Culpepper who oppose raising the minimum wage," Sefl said.

"We would be the first to applaud real change. But when a comment on raising minimum wage is dashed off and it flies in the face of Wal-Mart's own corporate stance, that's laughable," she added.

(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: congress; minimumwage; walmart
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 161-166 next last
To: Gabz

~snicker~


101 posted on 10/25/2005 5:03:50 PM PDT by Mrs.Nooseman (Tony Snow and Mark Levin fan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies]

To: Mrs.Nooseman

TEE HEEE!!!!

How be you?


102 posted on 10/25/2005 5:05:40 PM PDT by Gabz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 101 | View Replies]

To: Gabz

I am doing great.

How are you?

Ankle back to normal?


103 posted on 10/25/2005 5:07:14 PM PDT by Mrs.Nooseman (Tony Snow and Mark Levin fan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 102 | View Replies]

To: Mrs.Nooseman

Good to hear it.

Ankle is not back to normal, but is much better, thanks.


104 posted on 10/25/2005 5:09:05 PM PDT by Gabz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 103 | View Replies]

To: Gabz

You are welcome.

It's good to hear that your ankle is on the mend.:)


105 posted on 10/25/2005 5:09:44 PM PDT by Mrs.Nooseman (Tony Snow and Mark Levin fan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 104 | View Replies]

To: SandwicheGuy

Thanks for the cynicism...why don't you learn some manners....then maybe we can talk.

As far as WMT caring about 'good public policy'...they are a business, not a social welfare agency, first job training program or economic think-tank...they exist to make money for their shareholders. If raising the minimum wage in their estimation makes them more money, like any well run business I would expect them to be in favor of it.

I'm tired of reading Walmart bashing posts from people that think that Walmart exists to further the public good ror provide some social safety net.


106 posted on 10/25/2005 6:09:54 PM PDT by Ethrane ("semper consolar")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham

There should be no minimum wage.


107 posted on 10/25/2005 6:30:28 PM PDT by Ninian Dryhope
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KarinG1
No, you are misreading what I said, which was that if Wal-Mart raised wages, other employers would have to follow suit to attract employees. I thing I may have also mentioned that government intervention is unnecessary. I personally have nothing against Wal-Mart and occasionally shop there myself. I don't think it is their business to decide what other companies should pay their employees, but I recognize that they could influence those wages through free market methods without government interference.

I think people are reading entirely too much into this statement from the CEO. If you take it purely from a business perspective, increasing the minimum wage will increase the amount of money some poor shoppers have to spend at Walmart...therefore as a businessman, he would support it. Not to mention the fact that it would hurt other business competitors by increasing their costs of doing business.

Walmart already pays most if not all of their employees MORE than minimum wage, so while it may affect their cost structure to some degree (compensatory increases), it would not affect them primarily.

I do not agree that the minimum wage should be increased either...I wish the government would abolish the minimum wage altogether as a matter of fact.

I'm just stating that I understand why as a BUSINESS, it might be in WMT's best interest for the minimum wage to be increased...and therefore I understand where this spokesman's statement is coming from.

108 posted on 10/25/2005 7:03:56 PM PDT by Ethrane ("semper consolar")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: KarinG1
No, you are misreading what I said, which was that if Wal-Mart raised wages, other employers would have to follow suit to attract employees. I thing I may have also mentioned that government intervention is unnecessary. I personally have nothing against Wal-Mart and occasionally shop there myself. I don't think it is their business to decide what other companies should pay their employees, but I recognize that they could influence those wages through free market methods without government interference.

I think people are reading entirely too much into this statement from the CEO. If you take it purely from a business perspective, increasing the minimum wage will increase the amount of money some poor shoppers have to spend at Walmart...therefore as a businessman, he would support it. Not to mention the fact that it would hurt other business competitors by increasing their costs of doing business.

Walmart already pays most if not all of their employees MORE than minimum wage, so while it may affect their cost structure to some degree (compensatory increases), it would not affect them primarily.

I do not agree that the minimum wage should be increased either...I wish the government would abolish the minimum wage altogether as a matter of fact.

I'm just stating that I understand why as a BUSINESS, it might be in WMT's best interest for the minimum wage to be increased...and therefore I understand where this spokesman's statement is coming from.

109 posted on 10/25/2005 7:04:39 PM PDT by Ethrane ("semper consolar")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham

I guess stupid people run big corporations sometimes.


110 posted on 10/25/2005 7:24:35 PM PDT by satchmodog9 (Free choice is not what it seems)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JFC

Just because they give to the Republican party doesn't mean they're a friend. Sam Walton (?sp) sure, present company, I wouldn't jump with them into the sack so quick.


111 posted on 10/25/2005 8:47:38 PM PDT by jb6 (The Atheist/Pagan mind, a quandary wrapped in egoism and served with a side order of self importance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Ethrane

You make too much sense. the WalMart bashers will not understand.


112 posted on 10/25/2005 9:26:02 PM PDT by Gabz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 109 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham
Lee Scott is capitulating to the left-wing nutcases that want to take Wal-Mart down. This is an obvious ploy that will do nothing for workers because Wal-Mart will shrug and raise its prices in proportion to a minimum-wage hike.

Lee Scott is running the company into the ground by appeasing the leftists who aren't going to shop or support Wal-Mart anyway. Sam Walton is spinning in his grave.

113 posted on 10/25/2005 9:32:11 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Harmful or Fatal if Swallowed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SittinYonder
Maybe if they'd stop spening all their money on useless crap from Walmart they wouldn't have to live pay-check to pay-check.

Toothpaste, deodorant, toilet paper....are useless crap?

Most people don't buy TVs, stereos, or computers at Wal-Mart. They just buy the daily essentials and maybe some groceries.

114 posted on 10/25/2005 9:36:18 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Harmful or Fatal if Swallowed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Perdogg
Raise it to $6.75 an hour. That's all.

Raise it to ZERO. The minimum-wage should be abolished.

115 posted on 10/25/2005 9:37:32 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Harmful or Fatal if Swallowed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: jb6
Walmart is only pissed off it's loosing out to the Dollar Tree stores and such.

Yep. And don't forget about Aldi and other stock-up food stores.

116 posted on 10/25/2005 9:41:55 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Harmful or Fatal if Swallowed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Gabz

LOL...I know.

As a WMT shareholder, the only reason I want for WMT to raise worker's pay is out of necessity...i.e., they cannot attract capable workers at their current payscales.

Everyone that assumes WMT is caving to the 'left' here doesn't realize that WMT already pays their workers MORE than minimum wage, which is an important fact.

I look at this as nothing more than a statement that WMT wants their 'typical' shopper to have more to spend in their stores....it is not a statement on WMT's political or financial philosophies per se; they are too smart for that.


117 posted on 10/25/2005 9:42:05 PM PDT by Ethrane ("semper consolar")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 112 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

I love this corporate welfare that Walmart is sponsoring. They themselves pay minimal wage and set no example but demand that the government forces all other businesses to raise wages.


118 posted on 10/25/2005 9:47:22 PM PDT by jb6 (The Atheist/Pagan mind, a quandary wrapped in egoism and served with a side order of self importance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 116 | View Replies]

To: jb6

Now, if in fact WMT paid only minimum wage (and they do not) and businesses cannot hire workers for less than minimum wage, why would WMT care if other companies were forced to pay minimum wage workers more?

You cannot hire someone for LESS than minimum wage now, right?


119 posted on 10/25/2005 9:52:52 PM PDT by Ethrane ("semper consolar")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 118 | View Replies]

To: Ethrane
You cannot hire someone for LESS than minimum wage now, right?

Sure, if we accept the following as enforcable:
1. No illegal alien work

2. No pay under the table

3. No forcing of employees to work off the record (something that Walmart has been sued over several times and lost)

120 posted on 10/25/2005 10:38:53 PM PDT by jb6 (The Atheist/Pagan mind, a quandary wrapped in egoism and served with a side order of self importance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 119 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 161-166 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson