Not a smart idea to unionize a Walmart...

[manny78]

The poor dumbass in Saguenay should have known that union+Walmart=unemployment.....

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MONTREAL (CP) — Wal-Mart Canada announced Wednesday it will close one of its two unionized stores in Quebec.

The company cited economic reasons in its decision to mothball the store this spring in Saguenay, about 250 kilometres north of Quebec City.

Roch Landriault, Wal-Mart’s Quebec spokesman, called the store closing “unfortunate,” noting that 190 people will lose their jobs.

“Unfortunately, this store is in financial difficulty,” Landriault said in an interview.

He noted the unionization process at the store has gone on for two years and there has been little progress recently trying to negotiate a contract.

The store was finally unionized last summer. Since then, another outlet east of Montreal has received its union accreditation.

The closure in Saguenay is not that surprising. A company spokesman said last November the chain was worried about the “economic viability” of the store.

Wal-Mart operates two other stores in the Saguenay region.


http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/02/09/925535.html

 

[HumorMe]

I wonder if they could open back up and keep the union out of it?

 

[milo hobgoblin]

Gee hard to believe they are profitable when they have to pay decent wages and benefits to their employees..

I fucking HATE Wal Mart and will never step foot in that fucking shit hole store.

 

[manny78]

I wonder if they could open back up and keep the union out of it?

They'd mostly end up having issues with the Labor's Commission. That's the reaosn why the Teamsters took the province of Quebec as a their battlefield against Wal-Mart cause our stupid labor's law as so anti-employer.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

I hate Wal Mart too, but I hate the idea of unions even more. Property rights are property rights.

 

[HumorMe]

The bad thing is is that Walmart can not even attract decent hourly wage workers (as a whole) who can even function at a job and the union wants to intervene and pay them more to function less.

Something is amiss.

 

[manny78]

I hate Wal Mart too

Why are you a hater Matt ? Cause they sell crap ?

 

[Gambino]

Property rights are property rights.

worker rights are worker rights.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

worker rights are worker rights.

here we go again.

Employment in the US is a voluntary agreement which both sides must agree to, and can be terminated by either sid at any time.

Key word is "voluntary". No one working at Wal Mart has a gun to their head.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

Why are you a hater Matt ? Cause they sell crap ?

It attracts an element of society I prefer to avoid.

 

[SoKlueles]

I worked at walmart and they built a superstore, we had a butcher with the meat dept and they were trying to get a union in just the butcher shop part of it.......dang ppl were pissed

 

[HumorMe]

worker rights are worker rights.

Why would I want to pay a person $15.00 an hour plus benefits because of a union if I can hire the same element for minimum wage and no benefits.

In most cases you get what you pay for but in this particular instance you don't.

 

[Gambino]

here we go again.

Employment in the US is a voluntary agreement which both sides must agree to, and can be terminated by either sid at any time.

Key word is "voluntary". No one working at Wal Mart has a gun to their head.

All the rich white collar guys bitch about unions, seemingly to hoard more money for themselves and their exploits. While you may be only able to afford 6 houses instead of 9 cause you have to pay higher wages, the higher wages allow me to have one house. That's how i see it...

 

[jestros]

I know I would love to be in a union, then at least I would get health insurance.

 

[Gambino]

Why would I want to pay a person $15.00 an hour because of a union if I can hire the same element for minimum wage.

In most cases you get what you pay for but in this particular instance you don't.

The arugement goes that a higher quality of worker will apply and the shitballs will be pissed down to mcdonalds or digging ditches.

 

[HumorMe]

The arugement goes that a higher quality of worker will apply and the shitballs will be pissed down to mcdonalds or digging ditches.

Another argument would be how high of quality to expect?

Granted not all employees of Walmart are bad but enough are bad to overshadow the good ones.

 

[WODIN]

Walmart is like a virus. They keep expanding the same store blueprint and gain a % of a market and a marginal increase in revenues by doing so. Eventually this method will fail and they will start to close more and more stores as the margins begin to decline across various regions and demographics.

 

[javaguru]

I have no problem with workers wanting to bargain collectively but I have a big problem with large monopolistic unions that artificially inflate wages over entire sectors.

 

[manny78]

The arugement goes that a higher quality of worker will apply and the shitballs will be pissed down to mcdonalds or digging ditches.

High quality workers have better to do than working at some shit job like Wal-Mart, singing cheesy songs before the shift. While unions may raise their wages initially (and not by a high margin) it will still attract the same manpower. It's a retail store and it doesnt take millions of brain cells to work there.

 

[milo hobgoblin]

"
Key word is "voluntary". No one working at Wal Mart has a gun to their head."


Matt.. with the Wal Mart economy we are slowly developing.. a ver small class of highly techinical and financial saavy workers, everyone who cant spend 5-6 years in college will have a gun to their head.

A large service industry will be the only other jobs available.. and only what the illegal immigrants dont take.



Corporations MUST understand there is a price to pay for operating in and benefitting from a first world country.

You can only have so many engineers, stock brokers and doctors.. with no unions.. many corporations would simply hire immigrants to work for half the wage.

Im no big fan of Unions but someone has to force these companies to keep the middle class alive.

 

[Gambino]

It attracts an element of society I prefer to avoid.

wtf bor, it's called the people of America, the "element" you dislike. Are you to good for your own countrymen?

 

[milo hobgoblin]

Gambino.. I think he means the ghetto trash and illegals that shop there..not the employees.

 

[Gambino]

anyway milo, i agree with your last post. that's what i was trying to say.

 

[spongebob]

ive got a solution, just highlight this post to read it!

if you dont like wal-mart, dont shop there.
if you dont like unions, change the laws.

 

[WODIN]

wtf bor, it's called the people of America, the "element" you dislike. Are you to good for your own countrymen?

Matty has a fatty phobia.

 

[Gambino]

Matty has a fatty phobia.

I see some slamming hot milfs in my local wallmart.

 

[wutangnomo]

It attracts an element of society I prefer to avoid.

Then you should love Walmart because it keeps those elements of society out of your stores.

 

[Razorguns]

Of all places, Canada with it's high unemployment they try this shit. Dumbass workers. Hope they're happy.

They're lucky they don't have 5 million cheap illegal mexicans running around. They'd all be unemployed for life then.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

wtf bor, it's called the people of America, the "element" you dislike. Are you to good for your own countrymen?

Nope, in fact I served my countrymen and women for several years in the US Army.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

The arugement goes that a higher quality of worker will apply and the shitballs will be pissed down to mcdonalds or digging ditches.

This is inherently flawed.

Higher salaries attract better qualified candidates as well as lesser qualified ones.

 

[wutangnomo]

Walmart is like a virus. They keep expanding the same store blueprint and gain a % of a market and a marginal increase in revenues by doing so. Eventually this method will fail and they will start to close more and more stores as the margins begin to decline across various regions and demographics.

Walmart is already facing a huge hurdle, as they are trying to expand into the international market. Walmart has grown as much as they can in the US, and the only other two countries in which they have been successful is Canada and the UK/Britain. Europe and Asia aren't being too receptive to Walmart. Then you have Target that is giving them a run for their money as well.

 

[Razorguns]

Then you have Target that is giving them a run for their money as well.

WAlmart is also quite prevalent in mexico too. I'm sure you can imagine the salaries there.

 

[WODIN]

Walmart is already facing a huge hurdle, as they are trying to expand into the international market. Walmart has grown as much as they can in the US, and the only other two countries in which they have been successful is Canada and the UK/Britain. Europe and Asia aren't being too receptive to Walmart. Then you have Target that is giving them a run for their money as well.

Yep the period of phenom growth for wal-mart is near and end. Probably the next 5 years will see a peak then the invetable declines as is the case with any retail model.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

All the rich white collar guys bitch about unions, seemingly to hoard more money for themselves and their exploits. While you may be only able to afford 6 houses instead of 9 cause you have to pay higher wages, the higher wages allow me to have one house. That's how i see it...

I love these posts.

"Exploits"...like creating jobs and apying taxes,

"Exploits"...like buying stuff and putting more money back into the economy.

Damn exploits.

What this argument ignores is that wealth is not finite. There is not a limited amount out there; more can always be created. When more is created, it allows everyone to have more, as even the super rich have to do something with it,

If they spend: stronger economy, more goods produced.

If they save: banks can lend more at better rates.

If they invest: more jobs.

Wealth creates wealth. Putting the breaks on these mechanisms stagnates the growth of everyone's standard of living.

 

[Gambino]

I

Wealth creates wealth. Putting the breaks on these mechanisms stagnates the growth of everyone's standard of living.

These mechanisms prevent you from backdooring me and paying an illegal 1/4 of my wage

 

[Razorguns]

Rampant industrialization through Wealth is what created this country and set it apart from the rest of the world during the early part of this century.

If it wasn't for huge monoliths investing BILLIONS in railroads, construction, natural resources, and mining - knowing full well they might not see profits for years -- we'd be right up there with Europe right now in terms of standard of living.

We'd still be a sea of ma and pop general stores, fruit stands and saloons.

Those billions they invested created jobs for millions (with millions more immigrating). The millions they saved, made the us government and banks stronger economically. And the millions they profited allowed them to start new ventures, new companies and invest in R&D for new technologies.

All our major cities and skyscrapers and infrastructure didn't just pop out of the ground overnight. It was the vision, initiative and risk-taking of those "lazy wealthy over decades, to develop those elements.

 

[Razorguns]

These mechanisms prevent you from backdooring me and paying an illegal 1/4 of my wage

Well that still is _illegal_. But it's the us government, due to pressure from immigrant groups, that decide not to do anything about it. The blame has to angled correctly here.

 

[WODIN]

Rampant industrialization through Wealth is what created this country and set it apart from the rest of the world during the early part of this century.

If it wasn't for huge monoliths investing BILLIONS in railroads, construction, natural resources, and mining - knowing full well they might not see profits for years -- we'd be right up there with Europe right now in terms of standard of living.

We'd still be a sea of ma and pop general stores, fruit stands and saloons.

Those billions they invested created jobs for millions (with millions more immigrating). The millions they saved, made the us government and banks stronger economically. And the millions they profited allowed them to start new ventures, new companies and invest in R&D for new technologies.

All our major cities and skyscrapers and infrastructure didn't just pop out of the ground overnight. It was the vision, initiative and risk-taking of those "lazy wealthy over decades, to develop those elements.

Change that to the last centry, not this century.

actually large corps count for less than 15% of GDP. Small to medium size business drives this country.

Most of those skyscrapers were underwritten by Municiple bond issues through govt. gaurantees.

 

[Razorguns]

Most of those skyscrapers were underwritten by Municiple bond issues through govt. gaurantees

True, but your small business could never have built a skyscraper, or a railroad, or a disneyland.

As for small businesses -- since the topic is on wages primarily -- your small business with it's limited revenue stream could never afford to pay the high salaries which created the token american family with a 2 car home and 3.5 kids and a white picket fence.

Small businesses have a role of course. But to put down big businesses and their leaders merely because they're "big" business, is silly.

The desire to run an efficient company, deliver a sound product, and stay profitable is the same, no matter what size of the company (unless you're a dot-com but anyhootz!).

 

[wutangnomo]

Yep the period of phenom growth for wal-mart is near and end. Probably the next 5 years will see a peak then the invetable declines as is the case with any retail model.

As much as I would like to believe this to be true, I don't see it happening that soon. Sure they may be a retail chain, but they aren't your typical model since they possess so much market value.

Walmart is pretty creative and will try to continue their stellar growth one way or another. Think Sam's Club. When that starts slowing down, there will be something else. I'd say next 15-20 years maybe.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

These mechanisms prevent you from backdooring me and paying an illegal 1/4 of my wage

No they don't.

Change "illegal" to "Indian" and you understand why outsourcing is so popular. The crushing burden of regulation and legal hurdles of doing business in the US is hastening outsorucing as much as any cost savings, which are not as huge as one might think.


Further, the economic detriment of these mechanisms results in a tradeoff whereby your perceived gains are really just spreading a loss out among a great number of people, making it seem like a small perceived loss.

 

[WODIN]

As much as I would like to believe this to be true, I don't see it happening that soon. Sure they may be a retail chain, but they aren't your typical model since they possess so much market value.

Walmart is pretty creative and will try to continue their stellar growth one way or another. Think Sam's Club. When that starts slowing down, there will be something else. I'd say next 15-20 years maybe.

No what I mean is that the rubber stamping of the same store model will decline. As you so aptly state they will have to reinvent or die. Thats fairly true of all models.

 

[wutangnomo]

No what I mean is that the rubber stamping of the same store model will decline. As you so aptly state they will have to reinvent or die. Thats fairly true of all models.

Oh ok gotcha. But the Walmart empire as a whole won't die out so quickly, which is what I do want to see happen lol.