Why dont americans unionize jobs such as wal-mart and mcdonald's?

Question

Those companies make millions of dollars a year. Im sure they could afford to pay their workers 20 dollars an hour if they wanted to.

Answer 1

Because they mostly hire people who either don't care (high school kids and etc) or people who are really down and out and need the money. Those that really need the money usually have kids and whatever hassles that go with taking care of them. Those with children probably don't have the time and/or energy to organize such a group.

Answer 2

The bottom line is that Unions are not healthy for employees. You have to pay union dues, and there are some prettyy lame regulations with unions. Such as, only people in certain positions may perform certain tasks. It really is ludicrous to have a union. Yes you may make more per hour, but it goes straight to your dues. What is the point???? The benefits packages in retail are pretty good these days, without unions. Unions are quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Answer 3

Those companies have owners, usually in the 1000's(if you own a share of Wal Mart stock you are an owner) Each of those owners are entitled to a share of the profits. They are putting their money at risk to buy into that company and should expect a reasonable return for their investment.

Now looking at Wal Mart, they have approximately 300,000 employees worldwide. For every $3 per hour on average increase in pay across the board you are costing $1million dollars per hour($3 plus employee cost and benefits). How much of those millions of dollars in profits can a company eat up at a million an hour? Even at an average of $1 per hour increase it would cost them $1.8 million a day based on an average of 6 hour work days.

If a company can afford to pay employees $20 per hour and the job is worth $20 per hour they will pay $20 per hour. Why should McDonald's pay someone $20/hr to man the grill when there are several people apply for that job every day?

Answer 4

It's not up to "Americans" to unionize the companies, it's the companies' decision. Wal-mart has severely crushed any move towards unionization. I mean severely.

There's a reason Wal-mart is the biggest retailer in the world. They don't have unions, they don't pay benefits to any but their small minority of top management, they don't hire full-time workers so they never have to pay overtime, they pay lousy wages.

They move into neighborhoods and destroy local businesses so they have no competition.

Profit, profit, profit.

Answer 5

Because the employees must vote to unionize. And for place like Wal-Mart, if the employees threaten to unionize. WM closes the store, showing their power to every other WM employee.

Answer 6

Yes, they can pay $20/hours, but your hamburger will cost you $5. Remember, companies exist for one reason alone...to make money!..

Answer 7

because if they unionized they would have to change their human resources practices, or end up in court which would cost them their marketing edge.

Answer 8

That's how they got so big, it's not "fair", but there ya go.

Answer 9

they want the money for themself and they don't about there people. MONEY, MONEY AND MORE MONEY

Answer 10

Obviously, they don't want to!