Well, it is Black Friday again and as you can see, I am not out shopping. I went to friends for Thanksgiving and when I found out they were going to throw out the turkey carcass I asked for it and now I am making gumbo in the crock pot. It may not be strictly authentic but it sure smells good. People don't realize that you can do some really wonderful things with a turkey carcass or they just don't want to bother.
I heard at the coffee shop this morning that the proposed strike by Walmart workers did not go off as planned except in a few areas. I think that they were wise not to do so. Far from teaching Walmart a lesson, what would happen is that Walmart would fire everyone who walked out and then pull out the list of applications and get on the phone: "When can you come in? Right now? You're hired!" And in less than 24 hours the stores would be up and running again.
Back in 1980 the air traffic controllers union tried to do just that. Now air traffic controllers are highly skilled people and there's just not that many of them, unlike Walmart employees who basically work there because they need a job and that's who hired them. They thought that their skill level would protect them. Wrong. President Ronald Reagan fired each and every one of them and had new people up in the control towers that very day without any major disruptions in air travel. And these were unionized, highly skilled people!
Now if that can happen to people who have a skill that is in demand and who are unionized what makes people think that Walmart employees have a chance? They don't! Much as people complain about working conditions at Walmart I am sure that every single store has a backlog of applications.
I used to work for a company that was known for its appalling working conditions. If some of you reading this lived in southwest lower Michigan in the 1980's you would probably know what company I am talking about. That company no longer exists, only because its CEO decided to get involved in some criminal activity. Prior to that it was a thriving business and probably would have remained so. Yes, it had a high turnover, BUT--no matter how bad things were there were always more bodies to take the place of those who left. Even in a booming economy. Management didn't care that there was a high turnover as long as the work got done and it always got done. I've heard all about working conditions at Walmart and while I agree the pay isn't good and it's probably not the best place in the world to work, I can assure you there are far worse places to work. The meatpacking industry, for one.
But no matter how bad any of these places are, I've never once heard of any shutting down for lack of employees. I've not once heard of a sweatshop closing its doors because they couldn't get anyone to apply. Someone will always be willing to take the crap. Some people say you should not shop at Walmart because of the way it treats its workers. I am not defending Walmart. I may very well end up working there myself someday when I "retire" the way things are going! And if so, well, I'll make the best of it.
The best defense against a company such as Walmart is to develop skills so that you do not have to make it your career. Walmart thrives on people who have few choices in life. I know someone in engineering who says that there is a shortage of skilled people who know how to weld or do pipefitting or similar construction tasks. The reason is that these careers, although highly paid, are not thought of as being glamorous by the college-bound set. Instead many students waste their time getting degrees in fields where there isn't much demand and then wonder why they are loaded with debt and can't find a job. These are jobs that can't be outsourced.
I heard at the coffee shop this morning that the proposed strike by Walmart workers did not go off as planned except in a few areas. I think that they were wise not to do so. Far from teaching Walmart a lesson, what would happen is that Walmart would fire everyone who walked out and then pull out the list of applications and get on the phone: "When can you come in? Right now? You're hired!" And in less than 24 hours the stores would be up and running again.
Back in 1980 the air traffic controllers union tried to do just that. Now air traffic controllers are highly skilled people and there's just not that many of them, unlike Walmart employees who basically work there because they need a job and that's who hired them. They thought that their skill level would protect them. Wrong. President Ronald Reagan fired each and every one of them and had new people up in the control towers that very day without any major disruptions in air travel. And these were unionized, highly skilled people!
Now if that can happen to people who have a skill that is in demand and who are unionized what makes people think that Walmart employees have a chance? They don't! Much as people complain about working conditions at Walmart I am sure that every single store has a backlog of applications.
I used to work for a company that was known for its appalling working conditions. If some of you reading this lived in southwest lower Michigan in the 1980's you would probably know what company I am talking about. That company no longer exists, only because its CEO decided to get involved in some criminal activity. Prior to that it was a thriving business and probably would have remained so. Yes, it had a high turnover, BUT--no matter how bad things were there were always more bodies to take the place of those who left. Even in a booming economy. Management didn't care that there was a high turnover as long as the work got done and it always got done. I've heard all about working conditions at Walmart and while I agree the pay isn't good and it's probably not the best place in the world to work, I can assure you there are far worse places to work. The meatpacking industry, for one.
But no matter how bad any of these places are, I've never once heard of any shutting down for lack of employees. I've not once heard of a sweatshop closing its doors because they couldn't get anyone to apply. Someone will always be willing to take the crap. Some people say you should not shop at Walmart because of the way it treats its workers. I am not defending Walmart. I may very well end up working there myself someday when I "retire" the way things are going! And if so, well, I'll make the best of it.
The best defense against a company such as Walmart is to develop skills so that you do not have to make it your career. Walmart thrives on people who have few choices in life. I know someone in engineering who says that there is a shortage of skilled people who know how to weld or do pipefitting or similar construction tasks. The reason is that these careers, although highly paid, are not thought of as being glamorous by the college-bound set. Instead many students waste their time getting degrees in fields where there isn't much demand and then wonder why they are loaded with debt and can't find a job. These are jobs that can't be outsourced.
