The $7.8 billion includes an estimated $6.2 billion in public assistance for low-wage Walmart employees, including programs like food stamps, subsidized housing, and Medicaid. It also includes an estimated $70 million per year in “economic development subsidies” from state and legal governments eager to host Walmart in their cities. How much do you suppose the subsidies for those folks would be if Walmart didn't hire them?
Many seek to demonize Walmart, visualize no Walmart for those workers to go to. Or raise the minimum wage and accelerate their automation goals even more.
No one is demonizing them, but Walmart does benefit from cheap labor at the minimum wage. The reason why people work there is not just for the wage it is for the benefits. They are as large employer in many states. But it is a valid question of whether the minimum wage is at a level that allows someone working 40 hours a week to still edge across the poverty line. And don't feel sorry for Walmart. The reason you get such cheap prices is they fuck over suppliers in the worst way. I went down that road with a few suppliers and they realized it was a big mistake and had to drop them.
I am. If I can shop at a mom and pop and pay slightly more I do. Unfortunately, every year more mom and pops close and so I'm forced to wander into a Walmart to get something I need. No different than Amazon anymore really. They should be demonized - their corporate policy damages local economies. Walmart/Amazon/etc is the exact opposite of the Laissez-Faire capitalism their proponents claim to support. They are subsidized by near-free labor and tons of tax money so true free market capitalism can't even work. They set the price, not the market and that is Very Uncool (TM). Is this really your counter-argument? That these people are being "saved" by a company that is on the record using taxpayer dollars to subsidize their rock bottom wages (and really, their product prices and supply chain as well)? That they control compensation to a point that prices being driven down in local business result in a subsequent local decrease in total compensation in all their competitors? Really? Did you ever consider the "Walmart effect" whereby a Walmart comes into town and destroys local business and drives down prices to a point no one can compete? Maybe they'd go work for a mom and pop selling products for reasonable prices and making a decent living wage if Walmart hadn't moved in! Costco, for example, seems to be doing very well and pays their employees a living wage. Why can't more people follow their example? They've been paying decent salaries forever, offer cheap prices for good products, and haven't tried to use the automation demon to shrink their labor pool.
You seem to think you discovered something that could be grown. So go for it and build that better mousetrap.
So if something sucks than your answer is either suck it or come up with something better. Ok stop the trade war with China, either suck it up or come up with something better America!
Increasing the minimum wage will only hasten automation and offshoring for labor intensive operations.
Pretty much but more so on a personal basis. Change jobs or careers to better YOURSELF. Vote for people who reflect your idea of a better outcome. What else is there to do?
That is happening anyway since China and everyone else can make things cheaper than we can. IN fact most of Walmart's inventory they sell is made overseas. Only thing American about Walmart is the ownership and location of their stores haha. We are not a country for labor intensive industries...in fact how many of them are still left in this country? 'Murica wants their cheap shit and most labor intensive goods are cheap shit anyway. But you cannot offshore in store labor at retailers and restaurants.