Texsox Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 L.A. Suburb to Vote on Wal-Mart Building Tue Apr 6,10:56 AM ET Add Business - AP to My Yahoo! By GARY GENTILE, AP Business Writer LOS ANGELES - Wal-Mart wants to offer its bargains in Inglewood, but many residents aren't buying the pitch. Voters in this working class city were to decide Tuesday whether to allow the nation's largest company to open a shopping development despite opponents who say it will skirt zoning, traffic and environmental reviews. Wal-Mart has argued in Inglewood and elsewhere that its stores create jobs and said residents should be able to decide for themselves whether or not they want the stores in their community. Last year the Inglewood City Council blocked the proposed shopping center that would include a traditional Wal-Mart as well as other stores. That prompted Wal-Mart to collect more than 10,000 signatures to force Tuesday's ballot initiative. Religious leaders and community activists, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson (news - web sites), rallied Monday to urge voters in the city of 117,000 to defeat the ballot measure, which is backed by Wal-Mart. The initiative's opponents argue it would give Wal-Mart the right to build without having to go through the usual array of public zoning, traffic and environmental hearings or reviews. "You don't get to get around all of the environmental impacts accepted in this country," Rep. Maxine Waters said Monday. "You don't get to bypass the city and their building and safety and their planning departments. What they have done is they have gone over the top." Wal-Mart has faced strident opposition from unions, resident groups and some municipalities who say the company's gargantuan shopping centers hurt independent businesses, drive out higher-paying blue-collar jobs and worsen traffic congestion. Wal-Mart has spent more than $1 million in its Inglewood campaign, according to campaign finance records, while opponents have spent a fraction of that amount. Objections to the Bentonville, Ark.-based Walt-Mart Stores Inc. have surfaced around the country, including Chicago, where the City Council recently stalled a measure to approve the first Wal-Mart inside Chicago's city limits because of concerns about the company's labor practices. Wal-Mart officials defends the number and quality of jobs its stores create. "They are nonunion jobs, but they are not low-paying jobs," company spokesman Bob McAdam said. "Wal-Mart pays competitive wages with other retailer and we offer health benefits to every employee." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 "They are nonunion jobs, but they are not low-paying jobs," company spokesman Bob McAdam said. "Wal-Mart pays competitive wages with other retailer and we offer health benefits to every employee." Knowing what my sister makes and her insurance, this is a fairly accurate statement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 "They are nonunion jobs, but they are not low-paying jobs," company spokesman Bob McAdam said. "Wal-Mart pays competitive wages with other retailer and we offer health benefits to every employee." The only part of that sentence that is true is "they are nonunion jobs." WalMart can go :fyou itself. :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou WalMart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 How many people do you know that work at Walmart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 I think this is hysterical. The pols are all in an uproar because *gasp* the people get to decide what they want, instead of waiting for the politicians to figure out who is going to grease their palms the most. It is obvious that whatever the pols are doing isn't working, because if Wal Mart didn't think they had a chance, they wouldn't go directly to the people like this. All this screaming is just about a bunch of government workers, whose cushy jobs just became a little less important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 How many people do you know that work at Walmart? WalMart is not exactly unknown in my part of the world and their major push to destroy the Meijer stores with imported goods is not playing well in a state where we have lost 220,000 manufacturing jobs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 What does any of this have to do with Jesse Jackson? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 What does any of this have to do with Jesse Jackson? They sell Budwieser? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted April 6, 2004 Author Share Posted April 6, 2004 What does any of this have to do with Jesse Jackson? hmmm, television cameras Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 WalMart is not exactly unknown in my part of the world and their major push to destroy the Meijer stores with imported goods is not playing well in a state where we have lost 220,000 manufacturing jobs That's now what my question was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 I think this is hysterical. The pols are all in an uproar because *gasp* the people get to decide what they want, instead of waiting for the politicians to figure out who is going to grease their palms the most. It is obvious that whatever the pols are doing isn't working, because if Wal Mart didn't think they had a chance, they wouldn't go directly to the people like this. All this screaming is just about a bunch of government workers, whose cushy jobs just became a little less important. I think this is not humorous: skirt zoning, traffic and environmental reviews. They did the same thing in Portage, Michigan, put $$$$$ into a campaign to avoid zoning, traffic problems, and environmental conditions, and at the expense of roughly $3,000 per vote in the local referendum they bought themselves (with a 51% vote) a store that violates zoning, any concept of traffic sanity, and wrecks havoc on the environmental needs of the old celery flats, one of the lowest sitting in the water table places in the area. Big money can buy elections, as we know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 The only part of that sentence that is true is "they are nonunion jobs." WalMart can go :fyou itself. :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou WalMart Perhaps in your neck of the woods.. but here cashiers at WalMart start at $8.50 an hour. That's pretty damn good if you ask me. Of course it wouldn't support a family alone, but it's good scratch for a part time or supplemental job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Perhaps in your neck of the woods.. but here cashiers at WalMart start at $8.50 an hour. That's pretty damn good if you ask me. Of course it wouldn't support a family alone, but it's good scratch for a part time or supplemental job. Precisely what my sister has said, and as I said, she works there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldmember Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Precisely what my sister has said, and as I said, she works there. mine too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted April 6, 2004 Author Share Posted April 6, 2004 On one hand WalMart does help you "stretch a dollar" in small communities where the local hardware store also sold three baseball gloves and "dress shirts". But like any business in town it isn't always a net gain in jobs. You gain the Wally World and lose the local grocer, pharmacist, sporting good store, music shop, etc. Downtowns slip to nothing, etc. But will people continue to pay more to shop at the downtown store? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Big money can buy elections, as we know. You said it all right there... And who are some of the biggest contributors to democratic canditates, which are the main ones resisting the Wal Mart efforts... That's right democrats. When their democratic unions jobs disappear, their campaign contributions disappear with it. THAT is the primary concern of these pols... reelection money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 I've been well documented as being very against wal-mart... going so far as to boycott the store... I realize this does nothing to them, but I have principles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSteve Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 You said it all right there... And who are some of the biggest contributors to democratic canditates, which are the main ones resisting the Wal Mart efforts... That's right democrats. When their democratic unions jobs disappear, their campaign contributions disappear with it. THAT is the primary concern of these pols... reelection money. oh come you, you are too good for that. If I were to say that by low paying the employers the salaries and bonuses of the executives would be higher and that was to feed Republican contributors, you'd say I was silly, paranoid, overly partisan, or absurd. The mirror is on you now, my good friend. And in reply to a few other threads, a lot of workers cannot support their families on $8.50 an hour which is one of the higest WalMart wages; many places it is $6.50 an hour. Either one, feed a family, pay rent or a mortgage, and pay child care out of that and see how wonderful $8.50 or $6.50 is. None of us adults supporting ouselves let alone a family would be happy at even $8.50 an hour. I am happy for those who can work just for etra scratch. When you are working to live, that is a wholly insufficient wage. And of course that is without medical insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 I've been well documented as being very against wal-mart... going so far as to boycott the store... I realize this does nothing to them, but I have principles. I also boycott WalMart. I am pleased to know someone else here does too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Personally I like having a Wal-mart around. When it's midnight & I need to go grab something I can just haul ass over there and get it. Do I care about the pay and benefits they have for their workers? No. But I do like having a place that's open when I'm actually free to go shop there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 And in reply to a few other threads, a lot of workers cannot support their families on $8.50 an hour which is one of the higest WalMart wages; many places it is $6.50 an hour. Either one, feed a family, pay rent or a mortgage, and pay child care out of that and see how wonderful $8.50 or $6.50 is. None of us adults supporting ouselves let alone a family would be happy at even $8.50 an hour. I am happy for those who can work just for etra scratch. When you are working to live, that is a wholly insufficient wage. And of course that is without medical insurance. My mom worked at Wal Mart in Florida from 1990 to 1993 as a department manager and made $22K. 10 years ago.. in Florida. That's borderline rich down there! And I assume the wages have only increased over the years... And you appeared to miss where I said a family could NOT be supported on $8.50 an hour... And finally.. you are wrong about the insurance. Wal Mart offers insurance to ALL employees who work over 32 hours per week according to their corporate office. Fan.. can your sister confirm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 oh come you, you are too good for that. If I were to say that by low paying the employers the salaries and bonuses of the executives would be higher and that was to feed Republican contributors, you'd say I was silly, paranoid, overly partisan, or absurd. The mirror is on you now, my good friend. No I wouldn't. What about any of our leaders fill you with the illusion that they are working for us? They are crooks who only care about 50.1% of the vote, and whatever it takes to get it. Damn right the republicians only care about keeping the rich, richer... that is how they get reelected. Why do you think their policies cater to the upper classes? Come on. Ditch the Mr Smith goes to Washington BS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KipWellsFan Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 You can also put me on that boycott list as I have been boycotting it, as well as urging others to do so! Every value that I have keeps me from shopping there as it is one of the most cutthroat, big-business, labour law abusing companies in the world. Sure you may think they help create jobs but it is quite the opposite as studies have shown that overall jobs are lost due to Wal-Mart bouncing other small busineses right out. (i did a high school project on this a while back) Just look at the richest people in the world! Like 4 or 5 of them are Waltons and they still need to use cheap labour. Those f***s deserve to be imprisoned. :fyou :fyou Walmart :fyou :fyou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 oh come you, you are too good for that. If I were to say that by low paying the employers the salaries and bonuses of the executives would be higher and that was to feed Republican contributors, you'd say I was silly, paranoid, overly partisan, or absurd. The mirror is on you now, my good friend. And in reply to a few other threads, a lot of workers cannot support their families on $8.50 an hour which is one of the higest WalMart wages; many places it is $6.50 an hour. Either one, feed a family, pay rent or a mortgage, and pay child care out of that and see how wonderful $8.50 or $6.50 is. None of us adults supporting ouselves let alone a family would be happy at even $8.50 an hour. I am happy for those who can work just for etra scratch. When you are working to live, that is a wholly insufficient wage. And of course that is without medical insurance. I hate to break it to ya but paying someone 40 grand a year to stock shelves or ring up a few DVD's is not going to happen nor should it. If someone wants a high paying job then let em go to college or trade school and learn something that is in enough demand for a commensurate salary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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