General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCA To Wal-Mart: Enough! No More Taxpayer Subsidized Profits For You (Needs to be National)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/06/03/california-to-wal-mart-enough-no-more-taxpayer-subsidized-profits-for-you/Legislation is now making its way through the California legislaturewith the support of consumer groups, unions and, interestingly, physiciansthat would levy a fine of up to $6,000 on employers like Wal-Mart for every full-time employee that ends up on the states Medi-Cal programthe California incarnation of Medicaid.
steve2470
(37,457 posts)femmocrat
(28,394 posts)Why should we subsidize Wal-mart when the Waltons are gazillionaires?
alittlelark
(18,890 posts)bahrbearian
(13,466 posts)geckosfeet
(9,644 posts)The only thing worse than unmotivated underpayed full time employees, is unmotivated underpayed part time employees. You need more of them and the turnover is higher...
corkhead
(6,119 posts)Karma is a bitch.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)If they are willing to work part time with no benefits, there is nothing Calif can do to help them. If you volunteer to be a slave, I guess that's your right.
cstanleytech
(26,322 posts)That is that not everyone who works part time doesnt do it because they want to but because they cant find a full time job.
A perfect example is my brothers girlfriend, she has been trying to find a full time job anywhere for 2+ years with zero luck and right now she is working at walmart part time not because she wants to but because its all she can find.
No what really needs to be done is something needs to be done to incourage both higher wages and for companies like walmart to rely less on part timers and to hire more full timers.
My personal opinion on how to do both of those things would be via taxes.
Do away with every single loophole and set the corporate tax rate at 20% and have it climb the higher and higher depending on the % of full time vs part time workers and the same with wages, make it so the % of taxes climbs higher and higher depending on how big the gap is from the lowest paid workers vs its highest paid employees.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)I realize they are in a tight place.
delrem
(9,688 posts)Jeff Murdoch
(168 posts)are there to target employees trying to unionize rather than customer safety.
Response to rhett o rick (Reply #16)
Ed Suspicious This message was self-deleted by its author.
still not being paid a living wage. Fine them for not paying a living wage.
Gidney N Cloyd
(19,847 posts)...how many full-time employees they should have if they're paying for X-# workhours.
Bibliovore
(185 posts)tokenlib
(4,186 posts)..they'll just reduce more workers to part-time. Need to find a way to penalize them fo the number of employees on aid--regardless of job classification. I was happy when I first heard this..then realized it will not have the intended effect.
JeffHead
(1,186 posts)All they will do is reduce everyone's hours to skirt the law. How many "full time employees" do they employ anyway?
Stardust
(3,894 posts)Cha
(297,734 posts)California's not playing around. Course, walmart workers might not be happy with only getting part time work.
Its about time.
Marie Marie
(9,999 posts)SheilaT
(23,156 posts)can be part time. While part time work is reasonable, a huge outfit like WalMart should hire far more full-time employees than part timers, and pay them decently while giving reasonable health benefits.
I work part time out of choice, but I have benefits: health, 403b (it's a hospital, a non-profit), paid leave time. As I type this I'm on vacation, lucky me. Oh, and my health care is remarkably good. I do happen to be offensively healthy, and almost never use it, but a co-worker who has various health issues is also happy with our coverage. This is the way it should be everywhere. Full time, part time, you should have benefits.
creeksneakers2
(7,476 posts)I work part time at Walmart. I work part time because I have another full time job. I couldn't work full time at Walmart too, so I'd lose my job if Walmart switched to all full time workers.
I'm happy, Walmart's happy, or at least satisfied enough that they don't fire me. I get my health care from my full time job. What business is it of anybody else what deal I set up with Walmart?
SheilaT
(23,156 posts)just as we can't have only part time workers, although for totally different reasons.
sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)of the state of California when it pays for social services that should be borne by a corporate employer which ranks only behind the US Department of Defense and the People's Liberation Army of China in the size of its global work force.
leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)raccoon
(31,126 posts)CrispyQ
(36,532 posts)Many businesses, retail especially, depend on part time workers for evening & weekend shifts. Walmart would have great difficulty running it's business on full time only employees, so why shaft the part timers who make your business possible? Oh, my bad. Profit, of course, America's one. true God.
leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)CrispyQ
(36,532 posts)When I first started working at the grocery store, the store only guaranteed part timers 16 hours a week, but you needed 24 to qualify for benefits. They'd schedule you 16 hours, knowing you'd come in on-the-fly at least one day, maybe two, to get that magical 24 hours. The first negotiation I witnessed changed that. The union fought for & won a guaranteed 24 hours, so all part timers qualified. This was before Reagan.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)lunasun
(21,646 posts)who think they are covered under Walmart and when they get sick find out not really unless they have the first 10K out of pocket(& remember> they work at Walmart so unlikely) becuase they don't understand their coverage is such a very high-deductible plan .
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)So proud of my state. I know HellMart will do all they can to screw their employees if this passes, but it is a first step to say, No More. I hope the unions find some leverage on this as well.
I so missed Democrats acting like Democrats!
ReRe
(10,597 posts)... CA giving Democrats everywhere "How To Be A Democrat" lessons!
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)Restoring our once great educational system, our infrastructure and manufacturing, and maybe single payer! We can do it!
ReRe
(10,597 posts)Swede Atlanta
(3,596 posts)We need to reduce corporate welfare....
Some of it is out in the open such as subsidies to the oil and gas industries. Some are nuanced in terms of tax benefits to financial institutions. These, such as underwriting the social costs of subsistence wages, are less visible.
We need the public to understand that, in addition to paying $3.20 for XXX product, the country is paying $YYY to provide the employee with the basic necessities of life such as food, a roof over their head and health care.
The American public, in general, are totally unaware of this. Unfortunately my attempts to explain this to people has been difficult. It was difficult because these people could not understand anything larger than themselves. I truly believe that our fantasy coonskin capped Daniel Boone would understand these issues better than the average Joe Blow on the streets.
Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)Just take the first step already...Then we can take the next and then the next, until we get to be where we need to be.
The corporate take over of America started in the sixties with the beginnings of commercial media deregulation (the telecommunications act of 1966; allowing an increase of ownership up to 35% of a given market). And year after year the corporate rats have been gnawing regulations to shreds bit by bit. they have made a shit load of tiny changes over the last 45 years (which added up to a huge overall change). It is going to take time to find and undo all the knots in the system.
newmember
(805 posts)My company stopped hiring full time employees.
Everyone hired there in the last 6 months is called an on call employee
No benefits and no set schedule.
You have two choices , take the job or be without a job
There's not a whole lot of jobs out there to chose from.
And the companies know it.
If this law was to be passed here they would make everyone on call.
ForgoTheConsequence
(4,869 posts)Significant other works for the school district, to avoid paying for health insurance they had their hours cut to 4-5 a day maximum. Sounds like its going to come out to about a 300 a month cut in pay, plus no benefits.
newmember
(805 posts)I haven't heard one peep about from Obama.
why.......
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)and just call it a "Walmart Tax"
The tax breaks given to Walmart, in exchange for running off local businesses & supermarkets need to be paid by fines TO Walmart AND an additional sales tax collected by counties that open their arms to Walmart.
Inviting a glutton to a family dinner pretty much assures that someone's going to get less food.. at the very least make the glutton pay something so everyone gets to eat, or take up a collection from the ones who invited the glutton in the first place.
Make people aware that those low low /falling prices do COST them money in the long run
sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)to make ends meet working for billionaires. Sound familiar. How did it come to pass that so many working people passively accept or even support that relationship?
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)that there's nothing they can do... and then they head inside a discount store & buy those $4 jeans & $1 flipflops made in Bangladesh..
sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)xtraxritical
(3,576 posts)newmember
(805 posts)and say that Walmart is not a success story but a failure for American workers.
He could say Walmart is the largest private employer in the country but
the way they treat their workers by having them rely on government assistance is a disgrace.
If he really wanted to make a difference in peoples lives he , Obama would take the lead on this.
Why doesn't he?
And if he doesn't why do we support him still?
Oh and ' I don't feel happy every morning when I wake up because Obama is president..............
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)newmember
(805 posts)Oh and I'm sure my post will be hidden by a jury but it's the truth about him.
NBachers
(17,149 posts)If you really wanted to make a difference in peoples' lives you, newmember would take the lead on this.
Why don't you?
newmember
(805 posts)that didn't take long
NBachers
(17,149 posts)Skittles
(153,204 posts)really been losing entertainment value lately though
oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)I am glad to know this.
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)But I can predict the "job creators'" response to this law, should it go into effect; they will simply make all of their lowest paid employees, part-time.
ReRe
(10,597 posts)... "make all their lowest paid employees part-time", then maybe CA will just kick FailMart out of their state!
WillyT
(72,631 posts)nolabels
(13,133 posts)I didn't buy much before that because i knew them to have anti-worker business practices. The Teamsters Union that I'm in says that we shouldn't shop there, so I don't
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)Good on them! At least somebody gets it.
demosincebirth
(12,543 posts)oxymoron
(4,053 posts)mountain grammy
(26,656 posts)yes, the corporation will continue to abuse and underpay employees. But the tide is turning. The word is out. Even though the corporate media has protected their corporate friends in the retail industry, the word is spreading.
People are starting to understand what's happened in our country and why. 2014 could be the big awakening.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)ReRe
(10,597 posts).... if they just omitted the word "full-time." Yeah, baby! USA! USA! USA!
SCVDem
(5,103 posts)Do you think they will leave the state?
Will the Republicans apologize to the Waltons for how we are treating them?
Think how many small business will reopen if they leave!
BTW. Screw you California haters! We like our regulations.
mick063
(2,424 posts)When it comes to innovative law, they come up with it. Often their bills are a model that other states follow. An example would be their medical marijuana legislation. They also dictated auto emission standards that forced Detroit to build cars to suit a sizable California market, hence the entire nation realized the reduced emissions.
Further, their Attorney General has done more to investigate the 2008 mortgage collapse than just about any other AG outside of New York. If only Holder had the balls, although the California AG happens to be a very competent woman.
With the Democratic super majority in state legislature, ALEC probably has less influence there than most other states. Of course they still do have influence.
I tip my cap to California. They may set the standard that will lead us out of this plutocracy. Obviously, the corrections must start at the state level and typically, they start in the great state of California.
Niceguy1
(2,467 posts)For doing your part to create more part time jobs
But hey, it sure felt good, right? That is all that matters.
stuffmatters
(2,574 posts)Yeah, letting them just reduce hours or call employees "free agents"/consultants"...their greed will always find a loophole.
Firebrand Gary
(5,044 posts)on point
(2,506 posts)They should be forced to pay on per hour basis for EVERY employee, full or part time into medical care at the same rate they pay for the CEO and execs to take awat the cheat of going to part time employees
Once that is done, I'll bet the full time count goes up...
ColesCountyDem
(6,943 posts)erpowers
(9,350 posts)It is something that should be done nationwide. It seems this would also help the national economy if it were done nationwide. If all of the retail workers (Wal-Mart and other stores) were paid enough money to stay off government support the government would spend less money providing support to low-income individuals. In addition, those workers would then have more money to put into the economy.
Coyotl
(15,262 posts)AndyA
(16,993 posts)While stockholders make a fortune, the American taxpayers subsidize their business by taking care of its employees.
Same goes for the oil companies with their huge subsidies.
Add to that all the other corporations that pay a zero tax rate due to loopholes and sneaky accounting procedures that allow them to profit at the expense of the American taxpayer.
There shouldn't be a free ride in this country for anyone. We should provide assistance to help individual people get back on their feet again, and to small businesses to help them get established, but not to big corporations that are already making huge profits.
santamargarita
(3,170 posts)hootinholler
(26,449 posts)merimint
(2 posts)Now to get something like this in EVERY STATE..!
renate
(13,776 posts)xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)a year? Make that fine hurt. A $6,000 'fine' is next to nothing.
A great idea just need some wrinkles ironed out.
Jeff In Milwaukee
(13,992 posts)I thought that employers with workers at 30+ hours had to either provide health care or pay a penalty. I thought this kicked in next year (or 2016, so something like that).
As has been pointed out, employers will simply keep their people at less than 30 hours to avoid the mandate.
What we need is a requirement that says an employer with the equivalent aggregate of 50 fulltime employees (or whatever number you prefer) has to provide healthcare. So it won't make any difference how many hours an individual employee works -- as a company, once you're over the magic number, you start providing health care.
This would actually create a financial incentive for companies to employ people fulltime -- One person fulltime + one healthcare coverage is less expensive than two persons halftime + two healthcare coverages.
Ian_rd
(2,124 posts)My initial reaction is "fuck to the yes," and I like the idea to be sure. But this seems like a strange thing to do. Wal-mart apparently isn't breaking any laws with regard to worker pay or treatment. In a way, health benefits and worker pay are all wrapped up in the same category: worker compensation. So is this a way to vote for a higher worker compensation without just voting for higher worker compensation?
I'm certain our redunkulous healthcare system makes this issue complicated, but it seems like there'd be a more direct approach to addressing how businesses offset the cost of their workers to the tax payer.
SalviaBlue
(2,918 posts)SleeplessinSoCal
(9,145 posts)gonna be sharing this with family and friends.
gopiscrap
(23,765 posts)to these corporations...In fact fucking Wal Mart should be nationalized and the profits go to the US Treasury!
SunSeeker
(51,728 posts)blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts).
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)What will the savvy businessmen do now?!?!
zappaman
(20,606 posts)SHRED
(28,136 posts)TalkingDog
(9,001 posts)n/t
SHRED
(28,136 posts)You would think they would link it.
Beartracks
(12,821 posts)Wal-Mart proves that the so-called "job creators" can easily be "welfare creators," too!
=========================