Wal-Mart pollutes my mail
Today we Grotonites received word from Wal-mart,
directly in our mail boxes, that it is eager to spread the blessings of low
wages and no health care to our beloved city. Apparently, they are old pros at
this sort of thing. Very slick of course. Most of the pamphlet is reproduced
below:
I would like to think that the opposition has them worried, but by now this sort of thing is probably standard operating procedure whenever they have even token opposition. I was struck by two of the many benefits that Wal-Mart brings to communities just like mine all around the nation. Here's one:
Over 150 jobs will be created in Groton. The average wage of a current full-time associate in Connecticut is $11.24 per hour.
May I translate?
Wal-Marts pays its full time workers the princely sum of $11.34 per hour. Wal-Mart will employ 150 people. Wal-Mart will not necessarily employ 150 full time workers, however, because Wal-Mart is busily shedding full time workers in lieu of far cheaper part time workers:
As the nation's biggest private employer with 1.3 million workers, Wal-Mart suffers one of the highest worker turnover rates in the industry, said Burt Flickinger, managing director with retail consulting firm Strategic Resources Group, who cited his firm's own research.
Flickinger said Wal-Mart is cutting hours for full-time employees and looking to hire more part-time workers in a bid to trim both operating and healthcare costs - which can help the bottom line but can also cut the other way, since high turnover and lower staffing can mean lost sales, especially on busy weekends.
So the lucky full timers will make the Grand Total of $11.34 an hour, sans benefits, of course, while the part timers will make...what? Funny, we're not told, nor are we told whether they'll get health care (Hint: No) A truly great deal for Groton. I can't wait to get my application in. (And, oh, by the way, a full time Wal-mart worker isn't necessarily going to work a full time shift, and they won't necessarily be working predictable hours. That type of thing is so twentieth century.
Another benefit we lucky Grotonites will receive is this:
In 2005, Wal-Mart and SAM'S CLUB gave over $1,300,000.00 in cash and in-kind donations at the local level in Connecticut.
Gosh that's great. I don't suppose Wal-Mart would be at all interested in upping the ante a little bit and reimbursing the state for the costs of providing healthcare to its workers:
Wal-Mart tops the list of Connecticut employers with workers receiving health benefits for themselves or their children through the state’s HUSKY A (Medicaid) program. In December 2004, 824 Wal-Mart workers received health benefits through HUSKY A, and an additional 204, while not themselves covered by HUSKY A, had children who were covered by it. In total, 1,028 Wal-Mart employees—more than 11 percent of the company’s workforce in the state—were dependent on HUSKY A for their own coverage or for their children’s. A great many of the Wal-Mart workers who receive coverage for their children, but not themselves, through HUSKY A put in substantial work hours. Nearly four in five (78 percent) work more than 30 hours per week.
Wal-Mart workers’ reliance on the state’s health programs costs Connecticut taxpayers $5.4 million a year, or 13 percent of the $43 million tab for the top 25 employers whose workers and children get health coverage under the state’s programs.
I'm no math major, but I think that means it works out that we Connecticut taxpayers pay about $4.1538 for every $1.00 in largesse from Wal-Mart. Another 150 workers means about 16 more uninsured folks (and/or their famiies) on Medicaid, racking up another $85,000.00 in costs to the state.
I would like to think that the opposition has them worried, but by now this sort of thing is probably standard operating procedure whenever they have even token opposition. I was struck by two of the many benefits that Wal-Mart brings to communities just like mine all around the nation. Here's one:
Over 150 jobs will be created in Groton. The average wage of a current full-time associate in Connecticut is $11.24 per hour.
May I translate?
Wal-Marts pays its full time workers the princely sum of $11.34 per hour. Wal-Mart will employ 150 people. Wal-Mart will not necessarily employ 150 full time workers, however, because Wal-Mart is busily shedding full time workers in lieu of far cheaper part time workers:
As the nation's biggest private employer with 1.3 million workers, Wal-Mart suffers one of the highest worker turnover rates in the industry, said Burt Flickinger, managing director with retail consulting firm Strategic Resources Group, who cited his firm's own research.
Flickinger said Wal-Mart is cutting hours for full-time employees and looking to hire more part-time workers in a bid to trim both operating and healthcare costs - which can help the bottom line but can also cut the other way, since high turnover and lower staffing can mean lost sales, especially on busy weekends.
So the lucky full timers will make the Grand Total of $11.34 an hour, sans benefits, of course, while the part timers will make...what? Funny, we're not told, nor are we told whether they'll get health care (Hint: No) A truly great deal for Groton. I can't wait to get my application in. (And, oh, by the way, a full time Wal-mart worker isn't necessarily going to work a full time shift, and they won't necessarily be working predictable hours. That type of thing is so twentieth century.
Another benefit we lucky Grotonites will receive is this:
In 2005, Wal-Mart and SAM'S CLUB gave over $1,300,000.00 in cash and in-kind donations at the local level in Connecticut.
Gosh that's great. I don't suppose Wal-Mart would be at all interested in upping the ante a little bit and reimbursing the state for the costs of providing healthcare to its workers:
Wal-Mart tops the list of Connecticut employers with workers receiving health benefits for themselves or their children through the state’s HUSKY A (Medicaid) program. In December 2004, 824 Wal-Mart workers received health benefits through HUSKY A, and an additional 204, while not themselves covered by HUSKY A, had children who were covered by it. In total, 1,028 Wal-Mart employees—more than 11 percent of the company’s workforce in the state—were dependent on HUSKY A for their own coverage or for their children’s. A great many of the Wal-Mart workers who receive coverage for their children, but not themselves, through HUSKY A put in substantial work hours. Nearly four in five (78 percent) work more than 30 hours per week.
Wal-Mart workers’ reliance on the state’s health programs costs Connecticut taxpayers $5.4 million a year, or 13 percent of the $43 million tab for the top 25 employers whose workers and children get health coverage under the state’s programs.
I'm no math major, but I think that means it works out that we Connecticut taxpayers pay about $4.1538 for every $1.00 in largesse from Wal-Mart. Another 150 workers means about 16 more uninsured folks (and/or their famiies) on Medicaid, racking up another $85,000.00 in costs to the state.
Posted: Friday - January 26, 2007 at 08:33 PM
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