Thousands apply for jobs at new Wal-Mart (25K apply for 325 jobs)

[deacon]

Eighteen months after the Chicago City Council torpedoed a South Side Wal-Mart, 24,500 Chicagoans applied for 325 jobs at a Wal-Mart opening Friday in south suburban Evergreen Park, one block outside the city limits.


http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-walmart26.html


Great economy huh?

[PBass]

1. Guess they haven't been paying attention?

Dumbya says the economy is booming.

[Ouabache]

4. Right -don't they know if they get re-training that they will be eligible

to apply for jobs where there are only 1,000-4,000 applicants? <sarcasm>

[barb162]

7. Unemployment is booming, that's for sure

[Born Free]

12. sounds a bit like PR to me

or perhaps just BS, I bet all the locals are now thankink Wal-Mart that wondeful place where everybody wants to work

[bluestateguy]

2. Haven't shopped there for 3 years

My boycott is as strong as ever, and it will continue.

[Critters2]

39. It's 5 years for me

with no end in sight. And yet, I seem to have everything I need, most of it purchased from locally-owned "downtown" stores.

[Jamison]

3. Wow.

I just wish we knew the REAL unemployment percentage out there. I guess 35% wouldn't look good to the administration though.:sarcasm:

[Ouabache]

5. Yeah but blivet* is protecting those masses of unemployed from terra

don't cha know?

[phusion]

6. Those people have choices...

They could work somewhere else, you know...Why go to Wal-Mart if they are so bad to employees!?

:sarcasm:

[rodeodance]

10. maybe they have no other choices.

[phusion]

21. guess you didn't see my sarcasm?? :) n/t

[Lorien]

8. They'll get 325 jobs-but how many OTHER Americans will lose theirs to

another Wal-Mart?

[Blue_Tires]

41. thank you, Lorien, for nailing it....

[rodeodance]

9. that is a lot of people applying for these positons. whow.

[napi21]

11. Is unemployment in that area THAT bad?

That's the only reason I can think of for having that many applicants.

[Bhaisahab]

13. 25 k applicants for 325 jobs

that's reminiscent of the situation in the 1980s in India, when hordes of unemployed, over-qualified people would jostle for a few measly clerical jobs in the govt. its a tough situation. i sympathize with the job seekers.

[Critters2]

40. I think things are better in India now

thanks to American outsourcing

[William Bloode]

14. The last time i heard of stuff like this happening was when....

Daddy Boosh was prez. Stories like this were very common during his term. Like father like son lol!

[fishwax]

30. the similarities are remarkable

i too remember similar stories from poppy's reign ...

[William Bloode]

31. Yeah i remember lots of horror stories from then.

You had all kinds of articles on how people would line up for blocks just for a few jobs. T.V. shows had stories featuring once middle class families now homeless( i remember a very particular one done on Save by the Bell). Many many right ups and whisperings about how the next generation would have to make due with less, and how the up coming gen was the 1st that would live below the level of their parents. It's all looking like that again. :cry:

My very 1st thought when * originally ran for prez was there was no way in hell people would vote for GWB seeing how much of a screw up his father was. Oh well i guess i was wrong, but then again Gore was the one who actually won. It just never should have been that close.

[chat_noir]

15. Wonder how many military recruiters were there (nt)

[0007]

16. How long before the beggars come out of the woodwork?

The economy is doing poorly under this administration.

I wonder how many of those twenty five thousand applicants voted for junior?

[Chimpeach]

17. Boycott Wal-Mart

[SujiwanKenobee]

18. Gosh! This shows how important Walmart is to the local economy! /sarc

[1932]

19. The US has 38 sq ft of retail space for each person. Rest of world:1 to 8.

In 1977, the US had only 4 sq ft per person.

We have subsidized retail space way out of logical proportion. One day, this is all going to crash down.

Communities do this, because sales tax is one of the last places local government can get revenue, once they've subsidized manufacturers and other businesses to the point that they pay no state and local taxes.

Retail jobs and retail business is one of the least productive forms of economic activity in a community. Giving people more places to shop doesn't create very much wealth. Upstream, most of what they sell wasn't manufactured in the US (which is where you actually create a lot of economic value; working to create something IS valuable) and downstream, the impact on local economies isn't great since retail work isn't very lucrative and often you end up on state assistance with only enough money left over to buy the essentials and not enough to reinvest in your community.

I just read all of this in The Great American Jobs Scam by Greg LeRoy.

[DemonFighterLives]

32. Interesting stuff

I'm no fan of Walmart, but a small town in Northern MN is looking forward to getting one. From talking to one of the locals, the sleepy towns wages were at or around minimum wage. Walmart is offering 9.xx $ an hour and I'm sure some will flock to their doors.

People are shopping crazy. They will come from 30 miles around to shop in the new-fangled box store. I was cautioning the people there the Walmart will shakedown the other mom and pop businesses around there. They are hoping that the rising wage at wally world may wake up the other employers.
I will still try to avoid walmart at all costs.
They are like predators diving down on the unsuspecting rabbits.

[Blue_Tires]

42. good insights n/t

[1932]

43. It's all from Greg LeRoy's book. Ask your local library to buy a copy.

[raccoon]

20. That's an average of 75 applicants per job.

I betcha the underground economy is REALLY booming these days.

[barb162]

24. Amazing, huh? I mean, seeing how they are such great jobs

and all

:sarcasm:

[Xenotime]

22. Wal-Mart pumps many bad things into a community...

They allow murders in parking lots and child abductions in changing rooms and force their workers long hours at low pay for big profits.

[tabasco]

23. The desperation of the American People makes me sad.

This is what we have come to under Bush.

Multitudes of people desperate to get a job with no benefits.

Will there be a revolution or will we be totally subjugated by the robber barons??

How long until working people who support Bush realize the truth?

How long until we take back this Nation from the criminals?

[barb162]

25. "Multitudes of people desperate to get a job with no benefits"

These are lousy low-paying jobs and the whole thing is appalling that they got that number of applicants. Wake-up call time

[KansDem]

29. Used to be these were the kinds of numbers that applied for city jobs...

"Firefighter," for example.

Full-time
Full benefits, including vacation and sick leave, health/dental plans
Union representation
Good salary/wage
Training/education opportunities

Now we see thousands applying for part-time positions with no benefits, no union, low wages and a crappy work environment. And bosses who see them as more of a liability than an asset.

Sign of the times...

[Yavin4]

26. The 325 "Lucky" People Who Get These Jobs Will Be Worse Off Than

the 24,175 that don't get them. Of the latter group, they may qualify for medicaid.

[bikebloke]

27. Probably not good for the 325

I bet the number of applicants will be used to strong arm the "lucky" new hires into accepting lower wages. If they don't like it, then take a hike. Someone more desperate can take their place. Capitalism has run amok.

[pinniped]

28. I seem to recall that tactic being utilized in John Steinbeck's...

"The Grapes of Wrath."

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if these Wally World punks strong arm the 'lucky' newbies.

[sarcasmo]

33. We have a great economy, yuck, yuck, he haw says 43.

[u4ic]

34. They should come to Alberta!

Wal-Mart flexes muscles in Alberta
Last updated Jan 27 2006 11:34 AM MST
CBC News

The simultaneous opening of four Wal-Mart stores in southern Alberta has some long-time local retailers worried about their future in business.

On Thursday, Wal-Mart launched in Airdrie, Drumheller, Taber and Strathmore.

...

Wal-Mart won't be without its challenges, said Groh.

He says Alberta's tight labour market has made it difficult to find and retain employees willing to work for just over minimum wage.

http://www.cbc.ca/edmonton/story/ed_walmart20060127.html

[hatrack]

35. Huh. Imagine that. People don't flock to work for low pay.

Given how easily he's suprised, this guy should be an ECONOMIST.

[u4ic]

37. However, when the oil runs out

those Wal Mart jobs will be looking pretty special...:puke:

[PassingFair]

36. I would LOVE to see pictures!

Next time, anyone hearing about a cattle call for low wage jobs, PLEASE, post it in your
State Forum.
Let's start documenting the 2nd Great Depression.

[Rex]

38. Fox just sucked off Wal-Mart as Adam Smith's love child.

The pros and then more pros and then the kinda con fluff. Fucking fluffers.