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jn2375

(910 posts)
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 08:29 PM Nov 2012

Cancelled my Sams Club membership and opened one with Costcos in support of their unionized workers

Walmart is part of Sams Club and since Costco has unionized workers and pays them well with benefits I feel it's time I started doing my part and start shopping with them to show my support. Only wish I had done this earlier.

Someone questioned if their unionized ...here's a link to the Teamsters saying some are http://www.teamster.org/content/costco-workers-stand-together


They may not all be unionized but at least they pay their workers well with benefits and treat their workers fairly.

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Cancelled my Sams Club membership and opened one with Costcos in support of their unionized workers (Original Post) jn2375 Nov 2012 OP
Costco has better products too Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Nov 2012 #1
I don't think costco is unionized otherone Nov 2012 #2
Most Costco employees are not union members. The union members Costo does have PoliticAverse Nov 2012 #9
Costco stores in the Bay Area... all unionized and have been for quite a while. demosincebirth Nov 2012 #24
Costco is unionized twice. Workers & shipping (Teamsters). Also, JaneyVee Nov 2012 #10
thanks for clarifying that's what I'm seeing jn2375 Nov 2012 #11
Thanks for the details. Will pass this on to others. America doesn't need WalMart's business model. freshwest Nov 2012 #16
That is the proper amount of compensation for the CEO. Sadiedog Nov 2012 #18
You'll *love* Costco, for workers rights and if you're like me, to ogle the cheese selection. myrna minx Nov 2012 #3
I'll have to check it out thanks for the tip jn2375 Nov 2012 #13
Ooh and the substantial free treats! cilla4progress Nov 2012 #27
Costco workers average $17 an hour Kingofalldems Nov 2012 #4
this payrate goes up evertyime I see it posted lol nt msongs Nov 2012 #6
I got it from tonight's Rev. Al show Kingofalldems Nov 2012 #15
I think it is correct. About two years ago when I was in Costco I asked two of the sabrina 1 Nov 2012 #26
You'll never regret your choice. 99Forever Nov 2012 #5
Some are - most aren't WinniSkipper Nov 2012 #7
I drive 90 miles roundtrip at least once a month to go to Costco, though Sam's is walking distance.. hlthe2b Nov 2012 #8
Costco rocks. Yeah too bad you didn't do it a long time ago. lonestarnot Nov 2012 #12
you'll be glad you did! renate Nov 2012 #14
Costco proves that what unions stand for.. a living wage.. returns real dividends ... union or not. libdem4life Nov 2012 #17
Before the local Costco opened, I had signed up csziggy Nov 2012 #19
you'll be so pleased with the change, the difference in quality of the two store's products is NMDemDist2 Nov 2012 #20
Congrats! glinda Nov 2012 #21
Thank You trublu992 Nov 2012 #22
Their Kirkland brand is pretty good too. nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #23
I love the microwaved bacon they have.... chillfactor Nov 2012 #28
Why would you have membership at Sams Club in the first place if Costco is in your area? demosincebirth Nov 2012 #25
We did the same a few years ago! karmaqueen Nov 2012 #29
I wish everyone would make the switch, I personally won't set foot inside a sam's or a walmart putitinD Nov 2012 #30
Thank you for doing that!!! TeamsterDem Nov 2012 #31
K&R Warren DeMontague Nov 2012 #32

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)
9. Most Costco employees are not union members. The union members Costo does have
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 08:43 PM
Nov 2012

come primarily from Teamsters that were part of Price club that merged with Costco in 1993.

http://www.teamster.org/content/costco-workers-stand-together


 

JaneyVee

(19,877 posts)
10. Costco is unionized twice. Workers & shipping (Teamsters). Also,
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 08:46 PM
Nov 2012

they give healthcare for full and part-time employees and the CEO only takes $350,000/yr salary (doesn't include stock). Not all Costco workers are unionized but those that are make $17/hr+ and receive healthcare & pension.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
16. Thanks for the details. Will pass this on to others. America doesn't need WalMart's business model.
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 10:19 PM
Nov 2012

Sadiedog

(353 posts)
18. That is the proper amount of compensation for the CEO.
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 10:32 PM
Nov 2012

It is too bad that so many CEO`s think that they are worth soooooo much more than their work force.

myrna minx

(22,772 posts)
3. You'll *love* Costco, for workers rights and if you're like me, to ogle the cheese selection.
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 08:32 PM
Nov 2012
Thanks for doing your part!

Kingofalldems

(38,464 posts)
4. Costco workers average $17 an hour
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 08:35 PM
Nov 2012

I think Biden's visit today was a big show of support to companies who treat workers fairly.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
26. I think it is correct. About two years ago when I was in Costco I asked two of the
Fri Nov 30, 2012, 12:31 AM
Nov 2012

employees there how they liked the company. I asked because I had read so many good things about them and I wanted to find out if the workers agreed. The first person was a woman and I asked her how she liked working there. She said she loved it, that she was being paid $17.00 an hour and had full benefits. She also said the management was great and treated the workers very well.

The second employee was an older man who was checking people out at the door. I asked him the same questions. He said he was retired and only worked part time but was paid about $17.00 an hour and even though he only worked part time, he had health coverage. He said he loved his job. He also said his wife worked there also, full time and she too had HC coverage and was very happy working there.

So I think those rates are probably accurate.

99Forever

(14,524 posts)
5. You'll never regret your choice.
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 08:36 PM
Nov 2012

Costco is a far superior place to shop. Sam's Club, like Wallyworld, sells second rate crap products. Costco has quality, top of the line name brands, excellent employees and stands behind everything they sell.


And yes, to the person that asked, Costco is indeed Union.

 

WinniSkipper

(363 posts)
7. Some are - most aren't
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 08:41 PM
Nov 2012

From Wiki

While some former Price Club locations in California and the northeastern United States are staffed by Teamsters,[59] the majority of Costco locations are not unionized although there seems to be a move in 2012 to unionize some locations in Canada.[60] The non-union locations have revisions to their Costco Employee Agreement every three years concurrent with union contract ratifications in locations with collective bargaining agreements

hlthe2b

(102,311 posts)
8. I drive 90 miles roundtrip at least once a month to go to Costco, though Sam's is walking distance..
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 08:42 PM
Nov 2012

My sister put me on her Sam's card, so, I can't deny going there occasionally and the one near me is actually quite nice compared to the ones I'd been in elsewherre.

But, I definitely prefer Costco for nearly everything.

renate

(13,776 posts)
14. you'll be glad you did!
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 09:25 PM
Nov 2012

My favorite thing about Costco (aside from the way they treat their employees, and their generous return policy) is that they really work hard to bring their customers value for money. The selection isn't huge for a lot of items like ketchup or cottage cheese or whatever, but when you buy from Costco you know that someone else has already done a lot of the quality control and price comparison for you. If Costco sells an item I'm looking for, I don't usually bother with comparison shopping.

Have fun! And clean out your trunk before you go, because you're going to need the room!

 

libdem4life

(13,877 posts)
17. Costco proves that what unions stand for.. a living wage.. returns real dividends ... union or not.
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 10:24 PM
Nov 2012

If fair wages were paid, unions would not be necessary. That's kind of the point.

csziggy

(34,136 posts)
19. Before the local Costco opened, I had signed up
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 10:35 PM
Nov 2012

I'd already let my Sam's Club membership lapse since I just wasn't going there. I don't shop Costco often, but I save enough on my allergy medication to pay for my yearly membership.

NMDemDist2

(49,313 posts)
20. you'll be so pleased with the change, the difference in quality of the two store's products is
Thu Nov 29, 2012, 10:46 PM
Nov 2012

amazing!

karmaqueen

(714 posts)
29. We did the same a few years ago!
Fri Nov 30, 2012, 01:18 AM
Nov 2012

When we found out how well the workers were paid and treated. The store is much better run than Sam's. The workers are much more friendly... maybe because they are treated fairly.

TeamsterDem

(1,173 posts)
31. Thank you for doing that!!!
Fri Nov 30, 2012, 02:46 AM
Nov 2012

We don't represent all of Costco's shipping and warehouse personnel, but we do represent a lot of them and are always looking forward to the opportunity to represent more of them should they want us to. We'd love to represent Sam's Club workers as well but with the way Wal-Mart fights unionization drives we really don't have much of a shot unless workers begin to see themselves in a collective struggle against the Wal-Mart style race to the bottom.

The main difference (in terms of labor relations) between Sam's and Costco is that the latter sees money as better spent on wages and benefits as opposed to anti-union consultants and of course market backlash, whereas the former has some sort of an "over my dead body" stance against any unionization. I guess I'm saying that their opposition seems out of balance to the "threat" posed by unionization: from the numbers (estimates) I've seen it would appear that Wal-Mart would stand to lose very little even presuming full unionization of all of its inside personnel (the bulk of employment), yet they spend an inordinate amount on anti-union "education" and legal battles which don't seem to match even the loftiest of expectations regarding unionization levels.

Remember that even if someone could wave a magic wand and have ALL of Wal-Mart's workers magically unionized that alone wouldn't cost Wal-Mart anything, as wages and benefits would then be negotiated between the parties. Wal-Mart would very likely give a few concessions on pay and benefits, but they have a strong negotiating position as well, and would most likely wind up paying very little extra - and would save money in other areas by not requiring Jackson-Lewis's services. I'm not sure it'd be a wash, but the profit hit would be slight and may be recoverable as employees spent their earnings locally, thus encouraging more Wal-Mart shopping as the money gets spread around.

There's a weird bell-shaped curve that - if you can just imagine a bell curve - more or less predicts both how many concessions a union can extract AND what the potential profit hit will be to a company upon contract agreement: basically the smallest companies lie on the far left-hand side of the curve (too small from which to extract many demands owing to revenue issues), and the enormous companies like Wal-Mart lie on the other end, too vastly powerful for the union to bargain with in terms of striking some form of equilibrium of power. So any CNBC talking head who suggests that unionization would damage Wal-Mart's profits is either knowingly lying or woefully ignorant of just how union contract negotiations typically pan out, as the days of mass strikes (successful ones, especially) are long gone, thus the union's bargaining power is vastly diminished.

I didn't mean to ramble, there. Thanks again for supporting unionized workers, we all thank you!!!

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