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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>You may be on to something, <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Arnold</st1:place></st1:City>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Perhaps what <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City> needs is another minimum-wage,
no-career, sub-standard health insurance program, part-time unemployment sump
like Wal-Mart.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Maybe when you finally complete your
studies (if you ever do) at UI, you can hustle grocery carts at Wal-Mart. If
not, remind me to buy a pencil from you, ok?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Tom Hansen<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>Moscow</span></font></st1:City><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></span></font></st1:place><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:navy'>“If you are interested in keeping working conditions poor and
inhuman in <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Honduras</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region>,
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
you should buy as many American products as possible. If foreigners do
not get our money, they cannot improve working conditions for the poor in those
countries.”<br>
<br>
- Donovan J. Arnold (November 22, 2005) </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Donovan Arnold<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Friday, November 25, 2005
2:57 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> vision2020@moscow.com<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Vision2020] The CO-OP
Sells Stuff From China/Wal-Mart Salary</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> As Tom Hansin's article points out, Wal-mart employees are making
$7.50-$8.50 an hour.<br>
<br>
So my question is, how much should a worker that needs no experience in life or
work get paid at a job that has little or no responsibility?<br>
<br>
$9 or $10 an hour? $15, 20? Let us put this in perspective shall we?<br>
<br>
A senior at UI with 3 years of research experience can only make a maximum of
$8.15 an hour. A Certified Nurses Assistant at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Gritman</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Hospital</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
makes $8 an hour. A Certified Nurse Assistant at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Aspen</st1:place></st1:City>, who has the lives of other people in
there hands makes $6.50 an hour starting out. A student worker at the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Student</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Union</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Building</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
makes $6.25 an hour. A person who cares for a person with server behavioral
disabilities makes $7 and hour. <br>
<br>
So for an unskilled, uneducated, inexperienced worker at Wal-Mart to be pulling
$7.50+ an hour, that is better than most people that have some skills and
training. And MOST th! e jobs I have worked in this area do not pay medical
unless you work full-time for at least 6 months. Which you would imagine is
less than 1/2 the workforce of most businesses.<br>
<br>
Wal-Mart pays the prevailing wage of an area. It is not going to pay a stock
boy $12 and hour in area where most unskilled jobs only pay $7 or less, it
isn't gonna happen. The minimum wage in this state is $5.15 an hours, so $7.50
an hour is about 50% higher then state law. People might think that many people
do not make $5.15 or less than $6 an hour, but they do, if you go into places
like Southeastern Idaho, that is what they pay, $6 an hour, and rent is about
$350 a month.<br>
<br>
The Grocery store comparison is crock I am afraid. First of all, a cashier to
become unionized and get the pay of $10 or more has to have years of experience
before they qualify, many 1000s of hours working for the same company doing
boring, laborious work. Second, when they get the $10+ an hour they cut! your
hours down to first about 15 a week and slowly they get up to about 30 as other
union members retire or move to another union store. So $12 an hour is very little
if you only work 25 hours a week. Third, Wal-Mart is not a grocery store, it is
a retail store.<br>
<br>
If Wal-Mart did not pay prevailing wages they would not be able to keep their
stores and factories full or employees.<br>
<br>
In terms of not being able to support a family of four people on a Wal-Mart
salary, that has got to be a joke. No, in this country, it is not possible to
raise three children on most salaries. If someone is trying to have a family,
they need to get an education and a skilled job, or be willing to work 60 hours
a week like many other people in the country and world do. <br>
<br>
Another question to ask yourself is; Why is it OK for the CO-OP to sell stuff
from China, Bolivia, and other third world countries but just horrible and
awful when Wal-Mart does it? It just doesn! 't follow, I am hoping maybe <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">Joan Opyr</st1:PersonName> or Bill London can explain this to us. I
like both stores very much. However, I think the rules should apply equally to
everybody. <br>
<br>
Take Care,<br>
<br>
Donovan J <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Arnold</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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