Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006 | The City Council is going to vote on whether Wal-Mart can build super stores in the city limits, they are going to tell us how to shop. The union backed members have been told to vote out Wal-Mart, these are the same unions that have over 1 1/2 billion in unfunded benefits at the city. I guess they owe the unions more then they owe the voters, consumers and taxpayers. They would rather give up millions in new retail tax dollars then go against their union bosses.
I have shopped at a number of “super Wal-Mart’s” in the south and in Nevada. Their prices are a lot cheaper then the neighboring grocery stores; up to 15-20 percent on similar items. They are criticized that their goods are imported from other countries, like China. Next time you’re at your favorite department store look at the labels, almost all of the products are manufactured in other countries, it is not just Wal-Mart. They are criticized for not paying career type pay.
I worked in retail management for many years: I hired, trained thousands of high school and college students. The vast majority only wanted a part-time job. They didn’t want careers, they wanted extra money to help them get through school, and rightfully so. They wanted flexible hours. Sometimes you had a great employee who enjoyed the business. Those folks usually were placed in permanent jobs, many were promoted to management. I have seen many great folks promoted to important and well paying jobs by starting part-time for Christmas. I have seen many employees start part-time, stay in school, graduate from college and actually choose retail as a career This whole deal is about trying to unionize Wal-Mart, in the 1970s it was Sears. Retailing does not lend itself to union rules. One person stocks the shelves, another sells it, another rings it up. It just does not work, unless you want to raise the prices. How is that good for the consumer? Some of these same council members also brought us the pension mess, when are they going to do what’s best for the taxpayers?