Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) has threatened to kill plans to open some stores there, and with it the chance for the creation of hundreds of jobs in a region that desperately needs them. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the unemployment rate in the District of Columbia at 8.3% as of May.
Be careful what you wish for.
In a breathless press release, poorly regarded PR firm BerlinRosen wrote:
Wanted to make sure you had the latest on Walmart’s expansion plans for DC. Walmart has said publicly that it would start its DC workers at $13/hour, but is now threatening to cancel plans for three of its planned stores in the city because of a bill requiring they pay $12.50, which the DC City Council is expected to vote on today — calling into question the company’s claim that the average wage for a full-time hourly Walmart associate is $12.57. Glassdoor.com puts the average wage much lower at $8.84 per hour.
Since Walmart compensation varies wildly from city to city, the analysis of Glassdoor data is the work of dimwits who want to turn data to their own advantage.
BerlinRosen added:
Please let me know if you’d like to connect with local community leaders for comment.
Clearly BerlinRosen is the “go-to firm” for clients in need. It describes it mission this way:
The BerlinRosen team has nearly five decades of combined experience working on political and public affairs campaigns, and we’re driven by the campaign manager’s ethos: think big, act fast and win every day.
What it will help win as the mouthpiece of those who advocate pay above the minimum wage in D.C. is the departure of a new, large employer.
If Walmart does pull out of Washington, there will be plenty of jobs for people who have very limited skills. They are mostly at places like McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD), where $12.50 is likely very high as a starting salary.
Editors note: 24/7 Wall St. has written a large number of negative pieces about Walmart since it began its editorial operations in 2006.
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