Wal-Mart Canada to spend over $750 million this year on new, remodelled stores

[Cheap Cat]

It hasn't been enough. Even in the most recent issue with Ford in Toronto the living wage was barely mentioned. If they want to support the living wage they need to make it as important as job seniority since the living wage is their last resort back up plan - which may be the unionists only option one day soon.

After all CUPE seemed to be able to afford a lot of ads in the GTA during the most recent contract negotiations - I didn't see one ad that even referenced supporting let alone advocating the living wage.

I think you are confusing contract negotiations with the many other campaigns and initiatives unions are involved in. In contract negotiations, living wages was not an issue for city of Toronto workers. They are already making living wages. Seniority, contracting out etc were all issues.

People not involved in the labour movement do not know the extent that unions advocate for their communities and others who are not members of their unions.

Anyways lets get back on topic.

[Hitman21]

Hi there,

They should spend more on living wages then minimun wages. Wal-mart and all other retailers sucess are from the drones that work to serve customers and sales. Though, I do want to see some of the older stores get some improvements. Some stores are just plain nasty...

Ju Leon...

The truth is Walmart doesn't really care about living wages. They know people will work for minimum wage and people go to Walmart because its cheap. Its really consumers who want low prices who are to blame for the wages.

[NG]

I think you are confusing contract negotiations with the many other campaigns and initiatives unions are involved in. In contract negotiations, living wages was not an issue for city of Toronto workers. They are already making living wages. Seniority, contracting out etc were all issues.

On the City News channel the CUPE rep mentioned living wages being part of this since, as part of contracting out, living wages would be hurt since living wage jobs could be privatized.

Also seniority can be related to the living wage since if all the jobs are contracted out (or the plant is shut down) a living wage could be their back up plan.

People not involved in the labour movement do not know the extent that unions advocate for their communities and others who are not members of their unions.

I would agree with that BUT there's no way they'll know unless the unions market that's part of thier agenda as well - mentioning it in all their TV ads they had would have been a good step in that direction.

If they did this I could also see support for unions* increasing in the general population as well.

Anyways lets get back on topic.

Well whenever service jobs are discussed their standard of living is always an issue - and IMO rightfully so.

[NG]

The truth is Walmart doesn't really care about living wages. They know people will work for minimum wage and people go to Walmart because its cheap. Its really consumers who want low prices who are to blame for the wages.

The closest exceptions are Loblaws owned stores (unionized) and Costco.

I wouldn't pin it on Wal-Mart totally since all the corps don't see to give a crap about their employees.

Plus Wal-Mart has cleaned up their rep somewhat in th last few years by working with Obama to bring cheaper healthy food to people.

[Cheap Cat]

The closest exceptions are Loblaws owned stores (unionized) and Costco.

I wouldn't pin it on Wal-Mart totally since all the corps don't see to give a crap about their employees.

Plus Wal-Mart has cleaned up their rep somewhat in th last few years by working with Obama to bring cheaper healthy food to people.

Ok, you drew me in, back off topic. Loblaws is not at all an exception. You seem to forget what they did and continue to do to their employees by converting stores to other banners (ie calling a Loblaws, a Superstore) so they can cut wages and benefits in the process and get rid of full time employees. Just because they are unionized, it doesn't make them a good employer. Many workplaces became unionized because they treat their employees so bad.

Costco is the only retailer who appears to give a crap about their employees. They pay good wages and benefits. A doctor I know who deals with workplace injuries, says they are always very receptive to the accommodations/changes she recommends for injured employees. She is actually a big fan of Costco due to her interactions with them and there are few other companies that she can say that about.

As for Walmart cleaning up, they have skirted too many labour laws for me to ever believe that.

[SleepyMcGee]

A new Walmart recently opened in Scarborough on Eglinton near Markham Rd and at least from the outside, it seems much smaller than most other Walmarts, Supercenter or no Supercenter. It was built incredibly fast too. Within a matter of 2 or 3 months, including demolition of the structure that was previously there, it was open for business.

[WildWolf]

A new Walmart recently opened in Scarborough on Eglinton near Markham Rd and at least from the outside, it seems much smaller than most other Walmarts, Supercenter or no Supercenter. It was built incredibly fast too. Within a matter of 2 or 3 months, including demolition of the structure that was previously there, it was open for business.

Two or three months from demolition to completion. Your facts are all wrong, you must be sleeping most of the time, Sleepy McGee. The demolition began in the fall of 2010 and it was erected and open by the end of January 2012, that is about a year and a half. It was a former car dealership.

[sunnybono]

More minimum wage paying jobs ... how is this news?

True. No one economy can survive if the majority of their labour force is on min. Wage!!!!

Like it or hate it....at the end of the day jobs are still being created.

At what cost???? People go to work and still can't afford to survive!!!

Hi there,

They should spend more on living wages then minimun wages. Wal-mart and all other retailers sucess are from the drones that work to serve customers and sales. Though, I do want to see some of the older stores get some improvements. Some stores are just plain nasty...

Ju Leon...

true if they would spend a bit more on labour, it might just take them out of the lime light as being the ruthless employers they are.

Death blow to yet more Canadian small retailers.

What's left. Canadian supermarket chains, Cdn Tire & The Bay

I wonder why "it's hard for many families to make ends meet these days"?

+1

And for those who come in and say "It'll raise prices!" ummm no Costco treats and pays their employees well yet they're able to provide excellent value for dollar compared to the competition.

This is very true. If you ask any employee of Costco, they will tell you not only does costco pay well and provide decent benefits, but they treat all their employees with respect!!!

Unions have been fighting for living wages for years. The minimum wage wouldn't be were it currently is in Ontario if not for the labour movement. But try raising a family on $15 an hour. As for the Caterpillar fiasco, management was trying to get workers to take pay cuts that would have put them in the $15 an hour range knowing full well that that was unacceptable so they could lock them out and move the jobs to the US. I think that Caterpillar should be forced to pay back any tax break incentives that were paid to that plant and the money should go to helping those workers. We should all be outraged and concerned over what happened there because it affects us all.

Catrpiller would pay the $5million given by the Harper Gov't. in a heartbeat is asked. It's not the money they were after, it was the patents, R&D and the modern machinery that they wanted. they knew the employees and union wouldn't accept a ridiculous offer of 50% break on wages and their master plan of obtaining the plant and its equipment worked and once again industry Canada along with the Harper gov't are stiiting there with their tails between their legs and does nothing about it!!! Look at the Target and Zellers Deal. Industry Canada and the Harper Gov't allowed Target to purchase the properties of Zellers ultimately kicking all the employees in the nuts!!!! A lot of Zellers employees had 20+ years and now don't know where they stand!!

How would you feel if you are that poor Zellers worker????

[NG]

Ok, you drew me in, back off topic. Loblaws is not at all an exception. You seem to forget what they did and continue to do to their employees by converting stores to other banners (ie calling a Loblaws, a Superstore) so they can cut wages and benefits in the process and get rid of full time employees. Just because they are unionized, it doesn't make them a good employer. Many workplaces became unionized because they treat their employees so bad.

Well have to agree on Costco and disagree on Wal-Mart (I tend to all corps as evil with WM just being one of them) but should I place no priority on shopping at Loblaws stores because they're the only unionized retailer in Canada?

Honestly that's one of the few reasons I shop there to begin with.

[NG]

True. No one economy can survive if the majority of their labour force is on min. Wage!!!!

I suppose the silver lining, if there is any, is that it'll expand the proletariat working class. The whole "A full belly makes a poor revolutionary" thing.

[zoro69]

Catrpiller would pay the $5million given by the Harper Gov't. in a heartbeat is asked. It's not the money they were after, it was the patents, R&D and the modern machinery that they wanted. they knew the employees and union wouldn't accept a ridiculous offer of 50% break on wages and their master plan of obtaining the plant and its equipment worked and once again industry Canada along with the Harper gov't are stiiting there with their tails between their legs and does nothing about it!!! Look at the Target and Zellers Deal. Industry Canada and the Harper Gov't allowed Target to purchase the properties of Zellers ultimately kicking all the employees in the nuts!!!! A lot of Zellers employees had 20+ years and now don't know where they stand!!

How would you feel if you are that poor Zellers worker????

There was never any $5 million subsidy given to caterpillar
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle2329659/


If zellers hadn't had value in the leases it would have gone the way of fields, blockbuster and the piles of other retailers that have come and gone. Closed with all the staff gone. So whats the difference if they sold the leases to someone else who wants to open new stores? It was done that way because zellers' business had no value to anyone

[Hitman21]

There was never any $5 million subsidy given to caterpillar
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle2329659/

This is true. The media is trying to make it look like there was a $5 million subsidy and blame it all on Harper.

[woof]

Catrpiller would pay the $5million given by the Harper Gov't. in a heartbeat is asked. It's not the money they were after, it was the patents, R&D and the modern machinery that they wanted. they knew the employees and union wouldn't accept a ridiculous offer of 50% break on wages and their master plan of obtaining the plant and its equipment worked and once again industry Canada along with the Harper gov't are stiiting there with their tails between their legs and does nothing about it!!!

This nonsense about patents is being frequently repeated. Fortunately the Globe and Mail did their homework and looked into the issue and found that there was no R&D being done in Canada and about 98% of the patents being used by this Canadian operation were originally invented by Americans and were originally registered in the United States, most of the R&D probably being done at EM's research headquarters in Illinois. "Canada" has no claim whatsoever to any patents or designs. All the "thinking" was done in the US and then the ideas were transferred up here so that Canadians could do the "hard labour". Presumably because of the currency and other factors it was cheaper to do this in Canada once upon a time. I guess times changed..

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle2334186/

And now back to the thread on Wal-Mart!

[Shaner]

Well, you can always look for something better. Nobody's forcing anyone to work there.

There aren't 30+ million good paying jobs. Not everyone can find something better because there isn't always something better.

[Shaner]

This is true. The media is trying to make it look like there was a $5 million subsidy and blame it all on Harper.

But if the Toronto Star said it, then it must be true, especially if it paints Harper in a negative light...