10 Companies Paying Americans the Least

[Overstreet]

The way I understood it the story is unclear whether the store or the associates themselves were running the collection. It appears it was not corporate running the collection. The photo taking employee didn't say she talked to anyone in management or another employee for that matter to find out what was going on.
She just got disgruntled and went to the union organizer.


Does this mean that I'm supposed to get angry that my company isn't doing more when someone makes a collection for a sick coworker, a wedding, a death, etc? 

[TheCat]

I tend to think that this generation is lazier than the last, which was lazier than the one before it and so on and so on.

I tend to think the way you think is lazy. Please explain how this generation is lazier than the last?

It easy to point fingers at Corporate America and overall corporate greed because people in those positions make it so easy. It is America's version of royalty.

You know what happened to royalty, right? It didn't last for very good reasons. Maybe the not so lazy generations of the past were actually being lazy when they demanded representation and a democratization of power. If only they would have looked at the generation before them and worked harder for royalty. Is this your logic?

As for having to be "trapped" in a job that is intended as a stepping stone, that is purely because they lack the ambition to move forward.

Oh, I didn't know you were into economic planning, very communist of you. I wasn't aware that some jobs had been designated "stepping stones." Do you know where those decisions are made? I'd like to maybe participate.

Also, please tell me when ambition or a lack became the new litmus test for paying for a job. I thought it was hard work and honest living. Guess not, now the people at their "stepping stone" jobs lack ambition and their lack of pay is justified. 

You know, picking on the "poor" is not new but it is way easier than thinking. 

There are options for them, but it calls for hard work. It calls for long hours, studying for a job you want, sacrificing time at the bar on weekends and missing a few date nights. The primary reason, in my opinion, that they are/feel "stuck" in those dead end jobs is because they choose to have free time with family, friends or themselves instead of going after what they want.

I mean, what idiots would choose to spend time with family and friends. At least, I'm sure, we'll end up blaming these imaginary people for the breakdown of the family unit when they follow your sage advice.

In light of the recent article about the Thanksgiving food drive you'd think these "thems" are trying to live in a utopia. Do they actually expect Walmart to pay for labor? Do they actually expect to buy food? Please, let them eat cake. There is plenty of that.

Do me a another favor? Can you please describe who "them" is to you?

Those jobs, at the regular across the board minimum wage levels provided for my degrees, taught me how to be humble, how to deal with all sorts of people and how to take responsibility for your choices right or wrong. I think the real cause of the shift hasn't been corporations or mom and pop stores or whom is/was in the White House. I think it has more to do with our upbringing.

Your minimum wage jobs paid for your degrees? Then you really have no idea what it means to work hard because that sounds like a dream.

What's wrong with the other people in minimum level jobs? Apparently, they haven't learned humility? Or, is it that they don't have ambition? Or, is it that they don't know right from wrong? Doesn't matter, "they're" "lazy!"

This generation that has been entering the workforce is the first one that got participation trophies in pop warner football, that had parents who bought "things" because they didn't want their children to struggle like they had to. I grew up watching my dad work at the township road department and cutting lawns at night while my mom drove a school bus and hocked cheap jewelry at a kiosk in our mall. But all of their kids were raised and they too for multiple jobs until we achieved the level we wanted.

Stupid parents, telling their kids they matter and that they are important whether they fail or succeed. What kind of parent would not wrap up a child's self worth only on their accomplishments. As we know, that makes for great people.

All joking aside, I think stories of people "making it" are usually pretty amazing but I think you make a grave mistake when you project your situations in life and assume they are the same for everyone. If everyone had the same circumstances as you then you would have all of the answers and we would not have any problems.

[Brian Siebenschuh]

this year has been the first year I haven't worked two or three jobs since graduating high school in 1999

Ah, the good ol' days, when the American dream could be attained by working three jobs :-)

[JayBird]

Well it was just my opinions, which not everyone has to agree with. Interesting responses though, I have learned a little and I thank you all for that.

[TheCat]

Well it was just my opinions, which not everyone has to agree with. Interesting responses though, I have learned a little and I thank you all for that.

way to diffuse. 

[JayBird]

^ Just picking my battles.

[finehoe]

a quick search of my employer, JPMorgan Chase & Co., shows 1,629 current openings in my division and just in the United States, with the lowest paid one offering $52k located in Cincinnati, OH. I think company wide we have something near 4,000 openings. So ... Where are all those people that need a good paying job?

Not everyone is comfortable working for a criminal enterprise.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/10/jpmorgan-chase-13-billion-settlement-justice-department

[fsquid]

You're correct that it is harder now, mostly because college is now a requirement when though it was important 15 years ago it was more of an option.

As for those looking for better jobs: a quick search of my employer, JPMorgan Chase & Co., shows 1,629 current openings in my division and just in the United States, with the lowest paid one offering $52k located in Cincinnati, OH. I think company wide we have something near 4,000 openings. So ... Where are all those people that need a good paying job? Well, for one they do not want to move (I work between two cities so the 1200mi commute can be a pain), maybe they chose to go into a trade, my mechanic friend owns a transmission shop on the southside off Philips hwy has been looking for good mechanic. His others make around $60k yet almost 6 months searching still has an opening.

Or maybe, just maybe, those jobs require you to have ambition and drive to get the job done, not skate through a shift stocking shelves or counting money. The jobs are there if they want them, but nothing worth it in life comes easy.

guess I know where I'm looking tomorrow

[civil42806]

Where I'm at now companies are desperate for workers, a few problems though.  A: have to be able to read and write, that a bigger problem than you would imagine.  B: show up, an even bigger problem.  C: pass a piss test, yet even a bigger problem.  D: LEARN, don't need a college degrees for any of these industries, steel, Oil, shipyards, aviation, but you have to work and learn and start at the bottom, all these jobs have benefits!

[BridgeTroll]

yeah civil... same problems where I am at.  What is the dropout rate just here in Jax?  30%?  What should those folks get paid?  Should someone get paid more because they have 3 kids at 21 than the single 21 year old?  I mean... the so called "living wage" is different for each circumstance right?  As for the Walmart food drives... every place I have EVER worked including the USN has had food drives during the holidays for less fortunate employees.  Blaming Walmart for encouraging this kindness is pretty pathetic and indeed politically oportunistic... sad.

[JayBird]

So those that work in the corporate world need workers, yet those outside of it say there is no jobs. Interesting. If only we had some sort of technology that could link the two.

But in all seriousness, the original point was are these companies any more at fault than smaller ones for lower wages? In my opinion, no. WalMart does have labor issues, but the wage they are paid isn't one of them because many places, small and large, local and national pay the minimum  wage. I have read reports that WalMart forces workers to work extra shifts, skip over workers for favoritism in promotions and bonuses and terminate employment for silly reasons (in my opinion) and those are bad labor issues. But in terms of the article, I think that it is kind of unfair to grade companies as "top 10" that pay the least when there are literally hundreds of thousands of companies that "pay the least".

@fsquid - if you are looking for employment PM me and I'll put your resume in the right hands. Management indiscretions aside, I love my job and it is a good company to work for.

[fsquid]

only problem I've run into working down here is the attitude of working past 5.  People look at you like you are insane if you want them to work past 5 on a weekday.  I've even had someone tell me that we don't pay them after 5, so why should they work?

[finehoe]

People look at you like you are insane if you want them to work past 5 on a weekday.

Yes, we should all devote all of our waking hours to work.

[fsquid]

Didn't say that, said when you ask that they do on occasion they look at you like you are crazy.  I've not had that problem in other locations.

[fsquid]

only problem I've run into working down here is the attitude of working past 5.  People look at you like you are insane if you want them to work past 5 on a weekday.  I've even had someone tell me that we don't pay them after 5, so why should they work?

Yeah, you would get the feeling that the amount of compensation they get isnt enough to make them feel committed to the project.

Weird how that never happens at Apple.

we pay well compared to the average in this market.  Again, haven't had this problem in Charlotte, Richmond, LA, Memphis, or the DC area.