I recall when Papa John's CEO said that to implement the Affordable Care Act he'd have to charge .11 to .15 cents more for each pizza. Now I am not the smartest guy in the world but I thought to myself, "well that seems like a small sum of money." Then Digby at Hullabaloo, who is in fact smart, said it better. Something like:
Wait a minute, you are telling me for .15 cents more for each pizza you can provide your workers what they do not have now, health care, well I am all in. Calling in a order for a pizza.
For most of my professional life (20+ years) I've made more money then most. Some lean times but most times made a lot of money. Now my business is getting to the point I might hit the 1 percent soon. Heck as I have talked about here before when my parents pass away I will become like the .1 percent. More money than I can spend in a lifetime, unless I buy a few Bugatti Veyrons :).
Now don't get me wrong. My mom taught me to pinch pennies. I clip coupons. Go to five stores to find the best price on a product. Haggle. Being frugal is not a bad thing.
But she also taught me that I should be willing to pay a fair price for a quality product.
This is going to be the topic of my mini-rant below the fold.
If I walk into a chain store, and I am a marketing guy, and there is a sign on the door that says something like:
Our prices have increased by 7.5%. By doing this we are giving all our employees a living wage of at least $12.50/hour. Health care. And for those that have worked here a year plus a basic retirement plan.
Take a guess where I will shop .....
When I go into Walmart (yes I do shop there from time to time) and I ask where something is located I don't like to think that person might need government assistance to eat. How does this not make everybody sick to their stomach?
I don't know how ANYBODY can say somebody working a 40 hour week shouldn't make a wage where they can live. Eat. Get by.
For me this just isn't acceptable. I just don't get it.
How as an employer can you live with yourself?
Look I am not thinking somebody with a GED ought to have a BMW and a $200,000 house if they are a clerk at 7/11.
But they also shouldn't have to apply for government aid to eat. They should have health care provided by their employer. Well a lot of things.
From everything I read just a few percentage points here or there in prices and we can do this. I mean back to the start. .11 cents a pizza to provide health care for all your employees. Are you so darn greedy you want that .11 cents in your pocket? Wait I guess I know the ansewer to that question and that is what is so darn sad.