$410.2 million in 2007

[Big Don]

$410.2 million in 2007
That is ONLY in Ohio...

 

[Big Don]

Too many people blame Wal Mart for all kinds of ills, when the facts are, as the world's largest private employer, Wal Mart pays a whole hell of a lot of people to work, since when is employing people wrong? As a wildly successful business, Wal Mart pays staggering amounts of taxes, thus enabling, local, state and federal governments to waste our money in new and exciting ways.

 

[MBuzzy]

I think this article focuses too largely on the unions. This article makes it seem as if people buying from non-union suppliers are what is putting people out of work. Personally, I'm very biased AGAINST unions and I have yet to find a good argument as to why they are a good thing. In many industries, the unions are the very thing that drive the prices up. Unions are the reason that my hometown is now a rotting cesspool. The unions continually cause the corporations to shut down business for strikes, pay workers more, give them more benefits (neither of which are necessarily bad thing, unless they go unchecked), and eventually close their doors. What happens then? In most cases, the unions pack up shop and run saying "SORRY!" to all of the union workers who just lost their jobs. how about these large companies who can't afford to pay union prices and are therefore FORCED to outsource jobs to other countries. If you ask me, Unionized labor is what is CAUSING outsourcing and price jacking. Look at the construction industry....the standard pile driver (basically a crane mechanic and concrete expert) is paid about $50.00 per hour. A foreign worker will do the same job, work longer hours and is only paid $10.00 per house. You have to think of things from the company's perspective too - call it cold hearted, but they need to turn a profit as well...for the other worker in the corporation and the stockholders.

There was a time for unions, when they were VERY necessary and did a great good. That time is past and in general, INHO, they do more harm than good. I of course welcome any opposing opinions, as I am only limited to my own experiences (construction and Steel industry).

 

[Big Don]

Unions were great things a hundred or so years ago when employers abused their employees without fear or restraint. Today, however, the least intelligent worker knows the words: "I'll Sue!" and there are plenty of lawyers around to take any case, no matter how dubious. Unions, quite frankly, cause more harm than good. Why does postage cost so much? Because there are MULTIPLE postal unions. Why did UPS lose a BILLION dollars a few years ago? Because their union employees went on strike. Why is it someone who holds a masters degree can be a college professor but, not a high school teacher? Because the teacher's unions have decreed one must have a teaching credential. Why are there so many crappy "reality" shows on TV? Because the writers guild (another union) went on strike for four damned months. Unions claim they protect workers, who or what protects us consumers from the actions of unions? Under the Davis-Bacon act, any construction work paid for by the government MUST be paid at the "prevailing wage" so, a private company hires a backhoe operator for $20 an hour, the next week, they start a prevailing wage job and as a Heavy Equipment operator, the same backhoe operator is now paid $42.50 an hour, for the same amount of work? Oh, and the Davis-Bacon act is outrageously racist. Nothing that blatantly racist could get through congress today, since that is true, wouldn't repealing it bring justice?

Only about 1 in 10 Americans say they personally belong to a labor union

Gee, from the amount of power labor unions wield, you'd think it was nine out of ten...