Why You Shouldn’t Shop at Walmart on Friday (and Why the Strike is Good for the Economy) by Reich

[xchrom]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/11/22-6



A half century ago America’s largest private-sector employer was General Motors, whose full-time workers earned an average hourly wage of around $50, in today’s dollars, including health and pension benefits


Today, America’s largest employer is Walmart, whose average employee earns $8.81 an hour. A third of Walmart’s employees work less than 28 hours per week and don’t qualify for benefits.

There are many reasons for the difference – including globalization and technological changes that have shrunk employment in American manufacturing while enlarging it in sectors involving personal services, such as retail.

But one reason, closely related to this seismic shift, is the decline of labor unions in the United States. In the 1950s, over a third of private-sector workers belonged to a union. Today fewer than 7 percent do. As a result, the typical American worker no longer has the bargaining clout to get a sizeable share of corporate profits.

[pinboy3niner]

1. K&R

[xchrom]

2. ...

[pinboy3niner]

3. I'm going to try to get pics at a W-M strike today in Downey, CA

It's one of three major strike actions in the L.A. area, and 187 L.A. Occupiers have signed up to be there to support the strikers.

Nadin will beat me posting her pics from the San Diego strike, but I'll try to get some L.A. pics posted this evening.

[xchrom]

4. that'll be very cool!

[pinboy3niner]

6. When I shoot the pics, I'll try not to shoot myself in the penis

( http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021870754 )

[xchrom]

7. ok -- wait -- if you do THAT -- i want to be there to see it and 'splain it to the EMT.

[Aerows]

11. Someone

should have warned Anthony Weiner of that when he was busy wielding his camera

[dotymed]

5. Amen!

[Skittles]

8. cue people wailing their kids / grandkids need crap for Christmas

they don't care

[npk]

9. Huh. He's comparing building cars to stocking shelves.

Look I agree with Walmart workers that there working conditions are nowhere near where they should be, but you can't compare the two companies. Besides I am not sure how boycotting Walmart is going to help it's workers. I assume if you are working at Walmart, unless you are teenager or college student, you probably can't find work anywhere else and desperately need the money. If people stop shopping at Walmart the company would most likely lay off massive amounts of workers. Not exactly a good scenario for the people who work at Walmart.

[Aerows]

12. If people stop shopping at Walmart

They are going to have to shop somewhere else. That somewhere else will probably treat their workers better. It's not as though demand for whatever Walmart sells is going to go away.

[SoapBox]

10. Kicked

[99Forever]

13. K&R

[Doremus]

14. I went to Walmart yesterday.

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To see if there was a picket line I could join. Unfortunately there wasn't, but the parking lot had half as many cars as past years. Probably a reflection of the poor economy in our area but I'd like to think the shoppers were purposely absent in solidarity.

[HopeHoops]

15. I called all of the local WalMarts and asked if they were open. They all said yes. I said "too bad".