Vince says:

Its about time there is a “big” player that actually cares about his employees. All the employees of Costco’s competitors for the most part are happy, but they won’t be when they read this :)

Andrew says:

For me, it’s just another reason to shop there. Bravo for them, although I wonder how long it’ll last.

mad macks says:

mr Sinegal is definitely a rare breed. i say vote him for president (yes, of America). and wall street represents all that is wrong with big corporations: outsource to foreign countries; downsize; layoff; cut benefits, wages, etc, do whatever you have to do to increase your own profits and to hell with the average joe (and the american economy) who suffers.

it’s true though, sadly, i wonder/doubt if the next ceo will run things the way mr. Sinegal did. most higher ups seem to think that the higher ups should be earning 200, 300 times more than the grunts and something is wrong if they don’t

Jason says:

Wish I had a costco local to me… ;(

Harvey says:

Sams and Costco are literally across the street from each other where I live. I’ve been a member of both and - if you removed the sings - I couldn’t tell them apart.

But after reading about Costco’s attitude towards thier employees a year ago, I decided to become a Costco member.

I still can’t tell them apart. Same products. Same medicore service levels. Same long lines.

But at least I can’t vote with my $$$ how employees should be treated.

George says:

A corporation’s main objective is to create wealth for its shareholders not to simply be beholden to some idiosyncratic idealogy. I (an average joe college student) am an investor and my main concern is for the companies in which I invest to turn a profit and increase my financial standing. It hurts noone for any corporation to make money, in fact its helps everyone by increasing the overall wealth available to run our economy. It is more moral for a corp. to do everything within its power to spur growth within the company and to create more jobs and wealth than it is for a company to dish out more benefits and other moronic programs that should be the responsibility of the employee (take the glittering success of U.S. auto manufacturers examples). If one does not like the manner in which a company treats its employees, one is not required to work there.
Walmart is massively succesful and is the largest employer in the world. If in fact they are so terrible, then why do over 1.7 million people choose to work there? Walmart has revitalized crumbling areas and brought jobs to blighted regions. How many Costcos do you see in Compton or downtown Detroit? Costco may treat its employees to a greater number of benefits but they do not help people in the same manner that Walmart does; by giving jobs to those that have lost hope in order for them to regain their dignity and provide for their families. I say hooray for Walmart and their “greedy” business model. More wealth for all!

Andrew says:

Yeah, yeah, I read Ayn Rand in high school too. And she has a ton of good points. The problem is the real world, which she repeatedly refused to acknowledge; she set her moral compass in an unrealistic, “objective” world which was anything but.

For example, the idea that “If one does not like the manner in which a company treats its employees, one is not required to work there” makes perfect sense on paper. In the real world, however, people need to eat, to have a roof over their heads, to see the doctor. Not everyone gets the choice to work someplace or not, except of course, on paper.

The best thing for the country as a whole is to have more and better educated citizens, who develop new products, launch new companies, hire more people, pay more taxes. But that logic only works when you think long-term and realistically, which is something Rand never did.

George says:

Rand did think long term but she was not the basis for my argument. History shows that when governments (and to a smaller extent busineses) become overly concerned with matters that are not of their concern economies slow and in many cases crumble. Take present day Europe for example. Unemployment hovers at nearly 1/3. Is this because company benefits and the business environment are harsh or uninviting? To the contrary. It is because the incentive to succeed has been taken away by oppressive tax rates and the overall environment that developed as a result of the modern European welfare state.
The state of affairs in Europe was caused by well meaning politicians placing extremely burdensome regulations on corporations (minimum wage, health care, tax rates, zoning regulations, hiring/firing policies, etc.). With these regulations in place companies lost ground and could hire fewer people. The incentive to create new businesses was lost because tax rates were raised dramatically to make up for lost revenue needed to fund social welfare programs. Not to mention the fact that entreprenuers need not create any longer because they could simply get on the govt. dole. Thusly, the economy slowed even more and tah-dah, today’s socialist wonderland-Europe.
I can see the difference between a private company choosing to act in a manner that soothes the social conscience and governmental mandate. I feel though, that the tone of the page so far is that all businesses should take heed of what Costco is doing and become more like them or that these policies should be federally mandated. This is very scary to me and should be to all thinking people for freedom is the engine of our economy and choice is the fuel.
Oh yeah, by the way. People choosing where to work makes perfect sence on paper, on the bathroom wall, and especially in the real world. No one has ever been forced to work at Wal-Mart or any other company. If one does not want to work somewhere there is not one thing stopping them from looking elsewhere or starting their own business. I’ve done it simply by saving my money and taking risk. The SBA, banks, family, churches, and countless non-profits are always willing to give out loans to start new businesses. No one in this country is bound by their current position. We are the most upwardly mobile society on the planet. If more people were optimistic and just tried to do right and do well at everything in their lives there would be no stopping them or our economy.