"You Get What You Asked For"
by Gerri Gibney on 08/23/13
“You Get What You
Asked For”
The
other day I was asked “are you still writing your blog?” And, last night I got the same question. The “guilts” started to take over, but not
too much, since after all it is summer.
But, after reading about a recently passed bill in the District of
Columbia in July, I realized it’s time to get back to business.
The
bill I am referring to is called “Large Retailer Accountability Act of 2013”
which requires big retailers such as Wal-Mart to pay starting wages that would
be 50% higher than the District’s minimum wage, and to provide health care. Yes, you read the last sentence
correctly. There is now a law in DC that
tells a private corporation how much they must pay their employees.
I
decided to read the law myself, just to make sure I was getting the correct
information, and it is true. Here’s a
short recap of the bill; (1) The Council of DC’s policy is to promote living
wage jobs, (2) Some large retailers pay low wages and don’t provide health care. By adopting living wage standards, the
District can ensure that economic development better meets the community’s need
for family-supporting jobs. (3)
Responsible retailers face growing pressure to cut back when their competitors
are permitted to pay low wages and no benefits.
Result could be increased costs to the District when businesses that
provide health care are replaced by those who do not and instead rely on city
health clinics, public hospitals, and publicly funded programs such as
Medicaid. (4) It is appropriate to set a
standard for larger businesses in the retail industry because (A) large retailers
are better able to afford the cost of paying a living wage than many other kind
of employees (B) a number of large retailers in the region are already paying a
living wage, evidence that it is feasible for employers in this industry to
create good jobs while still operating profitability (C) large retailers
generally are less likely than other kinds of businesses to respond to such
regulation by closing or reducing employment because the retail industry is
more location-dependent, and (D) in other cities, the enactment of living wage
laws has had no negative impact on retail employment and development. (5) In order to safeguard the public health,
safety, welfare and prosperity of all Washingtonians, the District must
establish a code of conduct for responsible retailers in our community ensuring
that large retailers pay their workers a living wage and provide affordable
health benefits.
As
I am typing this law, I can feel my heart pounding and my total frustration and
anger rising. Is it possible that such a
bill could be put forward in the United States of America? Do any of the eight people (8-to-5 vote) who
voted to pass this bill have any concept about economics, free enterprise,
capitalism, or liberty? Do they know
anything about our system of government?
I know the answer to my question; they don’t.
I
looked at other cities that have passed various “living wage laws,” there are
about 125 municipalities, including Hudson County and Jersey City, New Jersey
in this mix. You won’t be surprised to
learn that many of the cities that have such laws are in the State of California. As a matter of fact, San Francisco was named and
touted by the DC Council as one of the successful cities who had a living wage
law on the books. San Francisco’s law
includes a proviso for health care, and if the employer does not pay health
care they are required to pay $1.25 per hour into the city’s public health care
system! We all know where California is
headed, and is there any wonder why?
By
the way, since November 1998 the City of Detroit, that shining example of good,
decent, prosperous government has had such a law on their books.
Going
back to the DC Bill, look at number 4 (C) which speaks of large retailers less
likely to close or reduce their work force since they are “location-dependent.” Just love that phrase “location-dependent,”
since it reminds me of another phrase that I have used many times; “don’t let
the door hit you in the ass on the way out.”
If this is what the District of Columbia wants, so be it. And, please, gently close the door.
Wal-Mart
has announced it will not build another three proposed stores in the District,
and if they have any sense they will close the existing ones. How many jobs will that mean to the District? After all, “You Get What You Asked For.”
Gerri
Gibney
August
23, 2013