Thousands Line Up For $6.75 An Hour
By George Anderson
Wal-Mart’s new Supercenter in Glendale, Ariz. opens today. The real story here, however, is not the opening but what happened prior to the store being ready for shoppers.
According to a report by the Arizona Republic, more than 8,000 people applied for the 525 available positions at the store. This large number of applicants for jobs, many paying
$6.75 an hour to start, spurred the Republic to ask, “What’s really happening in our economy?”
Michael Ettlinger, director of economic analysis and the research network for the Economic Policy Institute said, “When people are begging for low-paying jobs, that’s not a good
sign.”
He added, “Arizona is one of these states where people have acted like the job situation isn’t too bad. But it’s really not such a cheery story.”
David Hakhamian, the manager of the Glendale Supercenter, has another perspective. “I think people are really tired of just having a job,” he said. “They are looking for a career.
I don’t think any of my people have to worry about waking up and not having a job. Our company is growing.”
Moderator’s Comment: What do you think is really happening in the U.S. economy?
The swarm of applicants for jobs at Wal-Mart is not simply confined to Glendale, Ariz. Just yesterday, in the RetailWire Headlines section, we ran a link,
Hundreds Seek Jobs At Wal-Mart
DC, to a story in the Palm Beach Post that reported on the heavy response to job openings at the retailer’s new distribution center in Florida. –
George
Anderson – Moderator