NOT Made in America: Top 10 Ways Walmart Destroys US Manufacturing Jobs

The following is a shortened version of a blog post and list featured @ Demos.org entitled 'NOT Made in Amercia: Top 10 Ways Walmart Destroys US Manufacturing Jobs'.

But first here are a few Fun-Facts concerning how Walmart  policies consistently increase their employees reliance on government assistance.

• 80% of Walmart employees receive SNAP (Food Stamps)
• Walmart employees rely on $2.66 billion in government assistance every year which averages out to about $420,00 per store.
• Walmart retail employees, in many states, are the top recipients for Medicaide

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"The six Walmart heirs have an income that is equal to the total income of the bottom 30% of the American people, yet they pay minimum wage and hold people to part-time 'less than 35 hours' with no benefits... "

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OK, so here it is.

The Top 10 Ways Walmart Destroys US Manufacturing Jobs!

 

   1. Buying billions of goods that were NOT made in America.

       -- The vast majority of merchandise Walmart sells in the U.S. is manufactured abroad.

 

   2. Pushing US companies to move their factories overseas.

       -- Companies that used to manufacture products in the United States, from Levi’s jeans lock maker Master Lock, were pressured to shut their U.S. factories and moved manufacturing abroad to meet Walmart’s demand for low prices.

 

   3. Making it easier for other U.S. retailers to buy from foreign factories.

       -- While researchers find that Walmart still imports disproportionately more goods than other apparel retailers, its innovations accelerated the use of offshore suppliers by its competitors, speeding the loss of American manufacturing jobs.

 

   4. Forcing layoffs among its U.S. suppliers.

       -- Even when Walmart products are made in the United States, manufacturing jobs still get eliminated as suppliers cut costs to meet Walmart’s demands for low prices.

 

   5. Promoting domestic sweatshops.

       -- Even as manufacturing costs increase, Walmart demands that suppliers’ prices go even lower, a dynamic that helped push Kraft Foods to plan the closure of 39 factories and lay off 13,500 workers.

 

   6. Squeezing U.S. manufacturers out of business.

       -- Walmart provided 30 percent of Vlasic Pickles’ overall business and insisted that if the company did not allow Walmart to sell a gallon jar of pickles for the ruinously low price of $2.97, they would stop buying Vlasic’s other products.

 

   7. Discouraging American innovation.

       -- By squeezing its suppliers, Walmart leaves companies without the resources to make new investments in research and development.

 

   8. Driving competitors to squeeze manufacturing.

       -- If discount retailers like Target and Kmart want to remain competitive with Walmart, they must demand similarly low prices from suppliers. As a result, the pressures pushing down costs and propelling the elimination of American manufacturing jobs are magnified.

 

   9. Lobbying for policies that make it easier to move U.S. jobs overseas.

       -- According to the non-profit Center for Responsive Politics, Walmart spent $7.8 million on lobbying in 2011 alone. In fact, Walmart has lobbied to make it easier to push American jobs out of the country for years, playing a key role in in lobbying for NAFTA in the early 1990s.

 

 10. Making growing inequality the accepted norm.

       -- Today the six members of the Walton family who inherited the Walmart fortune enjoy wealth equal to that of the least-wealthy 30 percent of Americans combined.

 

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Check out the full article here :

'NOT Made in Amercia: Top 10 Ways Walmart Destroys US Manufacturing Jobs'

 

*(Reference list includes - CNN, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Walmart Corporation itself)
**The Skook General Store, LLC makes no claim to the truth of any statements contained within this blog post. All information has been taken from the article linked within this blog post.

Tin Litho Noise Makers ca.1950

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These vintage noise makers have various manufacturers. Some of these remain unknown so we will cover a more general base of knowledge on noise makers from the mid 20th century.
 
Tin noisemakers made by Kirchhof, U.S. Metal Toy, J. Chein & Co, T Cohn were perhaps most popular in the 1920s-1940s. These companies often made other tin toys and novelties for other holidays, particularly Christmas and Easter. Earliest noisemakers were constructed entirely out of wood.

The earlier tin noisemakers can be identified because their handles were made of wood. Later tin noisemakers tend to have handles made of plastic. The earlier tin noisemakers also tend to have more vibrant and elaborate graphics. Noisemakers exported to the US were primarily produced in Germany.


Currently on display @ The Skook General Store


Part of the allure of these nostalgic noisemakers has always been that they're cross-collectibles. A tin toy collector may a   lso collect them. A cat collector or holiday collector may be after them, too. Collectors of Black Americana find imagery of the era on some of these, and Judaica as Purim rituals call for noisemakers of all kinds.

There's the person who's planning that authentic era party who wants her guests to have everything as it was. Decorators want them. Jewelry-makers and other artists are re-purposing the noisemakers, too. Who have I missed?

Books on the subject tend to be a good way to educate yourself about the history, craft and what may be available that you could be looking for. On- and offline retailers and auctions will give you up-to-the-minute ideas of the value of items. Small differences in condition can make something worth more or less. Spotting a reproduction or repair may take a very trained eye.

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..:: Noise on New Year's Eve ::..

This information has been excerpted from History of New Year's Eve. Some fun facts about New Years celebrations and custom from around the world. To learn more click the above link and enjoy!

 

Currently on display @ The Skook General Store

"Using noise to welcome in a new year goes back to ancient times when it was felt that noise scared off evil spirits. Imagine what our ancestors would have thought about all the high-tech speakers, amplifiers and such today? To them, the world would be pretty pure with all this noise! :) But very few of us link New Years with evil spirits (spirits that you drink perhaps but not any other kind), they still feel noisemakers are a must for New Year's parties.

 

"In Denmark, they smash in the new year by banging on the doors of their friends' homes and throwing pieces of broken pottery against the sides of the houses. Now if everyone is out doing this, then well...hey is anyone home to even notice?

 

"In Japan, dancers go from house to house at Oshogatsu making strange noises and rattling and pounding bamboo sticks and banging on drums. In many parts of the US, firecrackers are set off at midnight to mark the new year. This is also the main celebration in Viet Nam, Hawaii and South America."

 

L. Arta Canvas Steamer Trunk ca.1890-1920

This trunk made by L. Arata is the style called a canvas covered "steamer trunk". You may think that all old trunks are steamer trunks, but originally only these short flat styles were called that by the trunk makers. Now people have applied that name to nearly any old trunk. 

 This style was made from the early 1880's until the 1920's, but there are a couple clues as to the age of this trunk. The latches on this trunk were patented in 1882 but used for about 30 years by many trunk makers across the United States. The lock on the trunk is brass and has the name Corbet Cabinet Lock Co., New Britain Conn stamped on it. CCL (Corbin Cabinet Lock) was founded in 1882 in New Britain CT. The company spent 121 years there before moving to its current location in Wheeling, Illinois in 2003.

This agrees with the idea that the trunk was most likely made in the 1890's until about 1910.  The trunk originally had a tray inside that hinged on those two pieces inside the back of the trunk, in order to hold it up out of the way when getting to the items in the bottom.  This is a very common style, made by many trunk companies during that time.

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 ..:: L. Arta Canvas Steamer Trunk ::..

Circa 1890-1920
 

"The fact that the label has been pasted over with a newer version, because the company moved from Chestnut St. to another address, tells me that the trunk was made sometime after the business listing I found from 1889 shown below."

     - Marvin Miller @ ThisOldTrunk.com 

 

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Here is a little about the L. Arta company and it's history regarding this Canvas Steamer Trunk. A big thanks to Marvin Miller from ThisOldTrunk.com for the great information on this amazing piece of .

From an 1889 Philadelphia Business Listing:

Old Established Trunk Stand, No. 612 Chestnut 
Street.— Mr. L. Arata, of No. 612 Chestnut Street, is at the 
head of an old established business concern, and is en- 
gaged in manufacturing a substantial, elegant and handy 
line o! traveling trunks, bags, satchels, etc. The history of this 
house stretches back to the year 1832, when the enterprise was 
founded by Messrs. Hiekey & Toll. On the death of Mr. Hickey 
the business passed into the hands of Mr. Benjamin Andrews, who 
continued it until his death in 1879, when he was succeeded by Mr. 
L. Arata, who has fully sustained the high reputation the house 
has long borne for producing and handling first-class goods, 
rigidly adhering to liberal and honorable business methods, and 
promptly executing all orders. Mr. Arata brings to bear in the 
management of the "Old Trunk Stand," as this house is popularly 
called, a wide range of practical experience, he being an expert 
trunk maker. Born in sunny Italy, he has resided in Philadelphia 
since 1850, and he has become known as one of the most popular 
and successful business men in his line in the city. He occupies 
commodious premises, the salesroom being 30x100 feet in dimen-
sions, and here trunks, valises and bags are arranged in charming 
variety, and are offered at prices which commend them to all who 
seek genuine, reliable, substantial, neat goods at reasonable prices 
The trade, which is of a retail character, extends throughout the 
city and vicinity, and is yearly showing an increase in the volume 
of trade. Mr. Arata gives special attention to the repairing of 
trunks. He has built up an excellent reputation for fair and 
square, dealing, and his patronage is drawn from the best classes 
of the community.