Walmart CEO Doug McMillon: We'll Do Away With Minimum Wage Pay In New Year

[babylonsister]

This is progress!


http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2014/12/10/walmart-ceo-doug-mcmillon-well-do-away-with-minimum-wage-pay-in-new-year/


Walmart CEO Doug McMillon: We'll Do Away With Minimum Wage Pay In New Year



Back in October, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon announced future plans to boost the lowest of wages at the big box giant so that no worker is paid the federally mandated minimum of $7.25 an hour.

In an interview on Wednesday morning, he appeared to have set himself a deadline of early 2015 for this salary hike.

“We’re going to make changes in a few months that will create a situation where no Walmart associate in the United States makes federal minimum wage,” McMillon told ‘CBS CBS -1.7% This Morning’ co-host Charlie Rose in a rare, fairly wide-ranging sit-down discussion. “We’ll be ahead of that with our starting wage.”

snip//

This year, workers took part in sit-ins during the days leading up to the annual sales bonanza, with the United Food and Commercial Workers union helping them organize. A two-hour sit-in at a Los Angeles area Walmart resulted in 23 arrests when the striking workers moved out into the streets and blocked traffic.

Doug McMillon’s appearance on ‘CBS This Morning’ on Wednesday coincided with a senior personnel announcement at the retail chain — an unusual move right in the middle of the all-important holiday shopping season.

Walmart announced longtime employee Judith McKenna’s promotion to the role of COO, making her responsible for the company’s 1.3 million workers in the U.S. Her predecessor Gisel Ruiz has been appointed head of the company’s international HR division.

[daleanime]

1. Wage...

and hours?


Given their history, I think a wait and see policy would be best.

[closeupready]

4. "Given their history, ... wait and see" - +1000. While

I like this in theory, we should know better than to take them at their word, IMO.

[okaawhatever]

38. I think they're trying to keep the workers from unionizing. The unions have been very active with

Wal-Mart workers, black Friday protests, sit-ins, etc. I think Wal-Mart sees the writing on the wall and is trying to avoid unionization. I also think Wal-Mart figures the minimum wage will go up and they are just ahead of the curve.

I believe the Republicans will start passing a bunch of good and popular legislation after they take office so they can get credit for it. I think a minimum wage hike will be a part of that. I also think the Republicans tanked the immigration bill so they could pass something themselves and get credit for it with the immigrant community. That is why Obama went big on the executive order. Just my two cents.

[djean111]

2. I have to admit that when I first read the headline, I thought that Walmart was

set to have the GOP Congress repeal the federal minimum wage altogether, so that it could pay even less.

[moondust]

6. Same here.

Figured the new Congress had found a way to bypass the veto or something.

[Sherman A1]

18. That was my take as well

nothing would surprise me with this charming corporation.

[etherealtruth]

22. That was my first thought , as well

[Initech]

25. I really wonder why their employees haven't risen up against them yet.

What their CEO is proposing is downright criminal.

[jmowreader]

39. Actually, what he's proposing is at least ostensibly honorable

He's talking about increasing the pay of all his minimum-wage workers so they make more than $7.25/hour.

Hopefully he doesn't raise them to $7.50/hour.

[d_r]

36. me too nt

[WorseBeforeBetter]

37. Same here. And I had to really brace myself...

when opening the actual thread.

[smirkymonkey]

42. That's what I thought. I was prepared to be outraged.

Still, not entirely sure I trust this guy.

[Wellstone ruled]

3. Going to be interesting.

Are they going to eliminate posting the mandated Labor Department Employee info on wages and hours? If so this is their payback for all the money they gave to the Rethugs.

[rug]

5. $7.26 x 29 hours.

[Posteritatis]

12. Yep.

Or something similarly slippery, like putting their staff on a laughable salary and demanding enough extra time that they're effectively below that.

[hollysmom]

7. gee, I interpreted it as

the republicans will get rid of minimum wage in the new year, so they don't even have to pay that anymore.

[HockeyMom]

8. That is what I thought also

Many of them are on the record saying this.

[randome]

35. Stupid headline, isn't it?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Don't ever underestimate the long-term effects of a good night's sleep.[/center][/font][hr]

[Thinkingabout]

9. This is a good move by a large company hiring many workers in the US. Perhaps more

companies will follow suit. Maybe the comparison of Walmart to Costco has enlightened Walmart to compete against Costco and see there are less employee problems if they are paid a better wage. It would cut the continuous training and turnover with happier employees. A lot of good people works for Walmart, lots of single mothers just trying to put food on the table for their children, they are not lazy but prefer to work. I am happy for the employees.

[Posteritatis]

13. If they don't balance it out by screwing staff elsewhere, I'll be genuinely thrilled

They don't have a great track record for earning trust in that department, though.

[Thinkingabout]

16. It will benefit Walmart if they raise the wages of their employees, this is a given.

They will probably get higher profits, something like many here have been saying for along time. In fact, those higher wages will probably return to Walmart with more products bought by their employees and they do shop at Walmart.

[Posteritatis]

26. Yeah. As I said, if it actually is a straight wage boost I'll be cheerfully in favor of it

I'm just a little short on faith in Walmart generally.

I would really like to be pleasantly surprised with this.

[babylonsister]

21. Thanks for your thoughtful post. It seems we have

a lot of people with crystal balls around here who are already disappointed. I know why, don't have any respect for WalMart, but you're right. Maybe they saw the writing on the wall between Costco, strikes, employees needing food stamps, etc. They'd be better off treating their employees with respect.

I'm hoping for the best; at least it will be better.

[SummerSnow]

10. They'll raise it to $8.25 an hour then put everyone on part time hours.

[mstinamotorcity2]

11. Seeing is

believing. I wouldn't trust anyone who puts a food donation bin, in-store, for its employees.

[Thinkingabout]

17. This was done by the employees, should Walmart be ashamed it is happening, yes.

So if it is the employees putting in the food bank, do you trust them?

[mstinamotorcity2]

20. Maybe you are mistaken, Walmart

did it first. It was done at a Walmart in Canton, Ohio. Here's a link http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/walmart-employees-place-food-donation-bins-doorstep-alice-waltons-25-million-condo

[Thinkingabout]

27. I know about this, and it says walmart-employees place food donation at alice walton 25

million condo.

[mstinamotorcity2]

31. They did it

to the head cheese.

[Politicalboi]

14. It's too bad the rules aren't

If you own or run a multi billion dollar company that none of your employees should be eligible for government assistance because they make too much money. Starting wages should be $15.00 an hour.

[TheKentuckian]

19. They will go up a little to cut some steam out of demands for a higher minimum wage and get

some of their employees just north of being eligible for government benefits probably making them worse off but they likely figure 8.50 or 9 bucks can help them on both those fronts but mostly to try to stave off 10 and 15.

[maxrandb]

23. So when workers organize and demand just compensation

they get results?

Thank God we elected a bunch of folks to lead our country who are so supportive of workers rights to organize.

[Terra Alta]

24. this is good news

But I have to wonder what it means for long-term employees. Walmart gives most hourly employees a raise (usually 40 cents) every year during their annual evaluation. I've been with Walmart for about 10 years and have gotten a raise every year. I make pretty good for my position but there are still times when I struggle. Some of my co-workers have been with the company for far longer than I have and are still on EBT and other forms of government assistance. Wondering if this will affect us in any way. I'm glad Walmart is doing this but they should pay all their associates well enough so that none of them has to be supported by the government.

[babylonsister]

28. It's an acknowledgement that

they're behind the times and need to catch up, treat people with respect and pay them a living wage. I wish all the employees well, and will be watching for updates which I will share.

[napi21]

29. Saying no worker will make minimum wage doesn't really say anything!

$8.00 is higher than min, but still not a "living wage". I want to hear about longer term employees and wha THEY can expect from WM. Whatever they pay, it needs to be enough to get their employees off food stamps and be a fair wage for a fair day's work. If their excuse is that some workers aren't worth paying more, I say then they aren't worth keeping either.

[delrem]

30. Don't expect "progress" from the likes of Walmart.

However, it's a sign that Walmart is running scared of the very vocal progressive movement to raise minimum wages, to secure worker benefits, and to fight the .01%.

Good going, US left-wing activists, for having an impact and proving it. Now stand your ground and keep moving forward on a winning tack!

A $0.25 cent raise above minimum wage is small price to pay, to turn off the pressure demanding a raise of the minimum wage to a minimum standard of living and provisions that workers have the kind of work-place security that even the weakest unions were fighting for, and getting, back before the right-wing revolution destroyed it all.

Even w.r.t. industries where unions are strong, a non-union mega-boss can eclipse union organizers by offering a token more than standard union wage, in return for zero job security, zero benefits of any kind, and best of all, accepting zero power vs arbitrary impositions decided on in the board room. Unfortunately the tactic works.

[Scuba]

32. "Now that we own Congress outright ... "

[RiverLover]

33. Protesting CAN bring about positive change.

Great news....so weird to say that about Walmart.

Thanks for sharing!!

[Gman]

34. This is something companies do to thwart a union organizing campaign

The union is having the wanted effect.

[CK_John]

40. They might switch to all commission jobs, probably a base of $2 an hour plus an incentive part. IMO.

I don't trust them to change their stripes.

[Quantess]

41. Wouldn't they rather abolish the minimum wage?

I am rather skeptical. They seem to want a race to the bottom, always, as their philosophy.

[eShirl]

43. They've discovered prison labor, I take it?