Bernie Sanders: New Walmart paid leave policy not 'good enough'

[David__77]

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) says Walmart's new paid leave sick policy is not "enough," as he keeps pressure on the retailer over its employment practices.

"Walmart’s decision to provide 48 hours of paid sick leave to some of its employees is a small step forward, but not nearly good enough," the senator said in a statement on Monday.

"Walmart, which is owned by the wealthiest family in America, is not a poor company. If Walmart can afford $20 billion for stock buybacks to enrich wealthy shareholders, it can afford to raise the pay of all its workers to a living wage. Walmart can and must pay all of its workers at least $15 an hour with good benefits."

...

Introduced by Sanders and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) the legislation would require a $15 dollar minimum wage, allow up to 7 days of sick leave, and limit the possible pay for Walmart CEO and other top staff in relation to those who are paid the least.

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/428413-sanders-on-new-walmart-paid-leave-policy-not-nearly-good-enough

[Demsrule86]

1. Most companies don't have paid leave. Starbucks doesn't for their forced to be part-time workers...

why not go after them? Or perhaps companies that pay nothing. Not impressed.

[Recursion]

2. Eh, Wal-Mart's the biggest employer in 30 states

It's going to catch more heat just by virtue of its size. And, hey, it's working: they've moved their entire workforce to $11/hour as a wage floor. Keep the pressure on.

[Demsrule86]

10. They make $12.00 to start here...so does Home Deport...but Starbucks starts their people at

$9.00 an hour.

[Sherman A1]

3. Agreed

It is a start and just barely a start.

[redstatebluegirl]

4. Bernie is just looking for more publicity.

I loved him at first, but now I think he is just a publicity whore.

[Apollyonus]

5. +1,000,000

Just release a statement to grab headlines while such statement has ZERO effect in reality.

Walmart is happy (because they don't care), Bernie is happy because he gets to see his name in the news and Bernie's supporters are happy because they think he is actually doing something besides renaming post offices.

Win-Win-Win all the way around.

[redstatebluegirl]

6. Yep, Wallmart the company that killed mainstreet.

[Apollyonus]

9. It is a common theme

but main street was a failed business model -- high overhead, high customer acquisition costs and low capitalization.

Walmart made things more convenient and at lower prices --- classic free enterprise.

[redstatebluegirl]

11. Sorry you are delusional.

This model worked for years until Walmart started buying stuff from China at a price no American company paying living wages could match. You are so wrong here.

[disillusioned73]

13. Ppl defending walmart..

@ DU - I've officially..... seen it all

I am in the upside down...

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. Now would be a good time

for Bernie to lead by sponsoring a federal law to make Wal-Mart treat its employees fairly. Shaming one specific company doesn't always work.

[dlk]

8. This is Exactly Why Unions Are So Critical for Workers

Corporations are never going to give their employees a "good deal" out of the goodness of their hearts. It takes tough negotiating from unions to ensure the best results for the most employees. Too many Americans have become naively ignorant in this regard. As we have seen, the decline in wages and benefits and has coincided with the decline in unions and union membership. Until that changes, gains for employees will remain spotty, at best.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. While they're at it, require that full time employees close to 40 hours

The AVERAGE full time employee at Walmart only gets scheduled 34 hours per week and only half of Walmart employees are full time. The US retail industry as a whole has 2/3 full time employees. Of the Walmart employees who are part time, 2/3 would prefer to be full time.

The Walton heirs, those genetic lottery winners, still control 51% of all Walmart stock, so they could make things better for their employees. They just don't.

[QC]

14. Why does he hate the Job Creators???

He must be jealous!!!