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Walmart is the largest single employer in the U.S.

In Europe?



"The NHS employs more than 1.3 million staff making it the largest single employer in Europe."

The Department of Health

Interesting

Several points. Firstly The NHS is the National Health service in the UK. Europe is a large continent off the coast of Britain. Due to that proximity The UK is seen as part of Europe although it is not actually europe.

Secondly we have a monopolies and mergers commission which would act to prevent any one retailer gaining too big a share of the market by acquiring competitors.

Walmart, or asda as it is here, faces extremely stiff competition and doesn't have the market dominance it achieved in the states. It is not the biggest emoployer in the retail industry because it is not the biggest retailer. In europe it also faces fierce competition and hasn't been terribly successful most european countries would take action to prevent anticompetitive behaviour. Walnmart behaves because it has to.

Look around walmarts shelves. While all the stuiff is cheap it has also played a significant part in destroying American manufacturing by importing rather than sourcing from home manufacturers. Similarly it has helped screw american farmers to the floor so many are left with no choice but to dance to the supermarkets tune.

Walmart is arguably a baleful influence on society. The NHS cherished institution currently under attack by right wing nutters that think everything should be privatised whereas most rational people think making profit out of people's misery is obscene and access to medical care is a right not a privilege.

I shop at sainsbury's or morrisons, having worked for asda I hate the place.

Cheap stuff on Walmart's shelves? Samsung, Hewlett Packard, Toshiba, Cannon, just to name a few are hardly cheaply made products.

The Chinese Army is the world's largest employer followed by the Indian Rail Service and the NHS.

Lon;1376963 wrote: Walmart is the largest single employer in the U.S.

In Europe?



"The NHS employs more than 1.3 million staff making it the largest single employer in Europe."

The Department of Health

InterestingWhat's interesting about it, Lon?

Lon;1376992 wrote: Cheap stuff on Walmart's shelves? Samsung, Hewlett Packard, Toshiba, Cannon, just to name a few are hardly cheaply made products.

The Chinese Army is the world's largest employer followed by the Indian Rail Service and the NHS.


I said it was cheap I didn't say cheaply made implying poor quality. More to the point where is it made very little in the US I bet even the japanese brands you mention are probably not made in japan any more.

Don't be fooled by the retail price the mark up on electrical goods is 400-500% that's why they can sell at half price and still make money on it. Some clothing is several hundred % - do you really think a pair of adidas or nike shoes costs anything like what they retail for to make?

The only ones who have benefited have been the shareholders, the customers too in the short term but they have lost high end manufacturing jobs along the way. Walmart may be the biggest employer but with the best will in the world high level engineering and manufacturing jobs they are not.

America spends six times more on it's military than china does, how does the number it employs stand with walmart?

I'm not quite sure what your point is. The fact that our largest single employer is the NHS is not something we see as a problem. On teother hand that walmart is yours is not a good thing imo. How did they gain such a monopoly? Can you think of anything better to spend tax revenue on than the health of a nation's people? Any politician that tries to destroy the NHS will not last long.

Ahso!;1377016 wrote: What's interesting about it, Lon?


Despite the fact that a government entity is a Employer I was not thinking of them as such when I read the article. In addition, I found the size of the employment to be interesting. I tend to find many things interesting.:wah:

gmc;1377018 wrote: I said it was cheap I didn't say cheaply made implying poor quality. More to the point where is it made very little in the US I bet even the japanese brands you mention are probably not made in japan any more.

Don't be fooled by the retail price the mark up on electrical goods is 400-500% that's why they can sell at half price and still make money on it. Some clothing is several hundred % - do you really think a pair of adidas or nike shoes costs anything like what they retail for to make?

The only ones who have benefited have been the shareholders, the customers too in the short term but they have lost high end manufacturing jobs along the way. Walmart may be the biggest employer but with the best will in the world high level engineering and manufacturing jobs they are not.

America spends six times more on it's military than china does, how does the number it employs stand with walmart?

I'm not quite sure what your point is. The fact that our largest single employer is the NHS is not something we see as a problem. On teother hand that walmart is yours is not a good thing imo. How did they gain such a monopoly? Can you think of anything better to spend tax revenue on than the health of a nation's people? Any politician that tries to destroy the NHS will not last long.


I am not pro or con on Walmart nor critical re:NHS and the number it employs. I just merely found the article about the NHS quite interesting. I must have hit a nerve with this post.

Lon;1377022 wrote: I am not pro or con on Walmart nor critical re:NHS and the number it employs. I just merely found the article about the NHS quite interesting. I must have hit a nerve with this post.


Not really just wasn't sure what you were getting at. Some of your countrymen seem to find the NHS a bizarre concept from them I would assume it was in some way having a dig. In your case i just wandered what if you had a point to make. Probably if you looked at at the numbers employed in the healthcare sector in the states the % employed in it will be much the same or even higher.

The market dominance of a few big retailers is an occasional cause for concern here. If they sourced more manufacture from europe or the UK it would probably benefit our economy and them in the long run. I know they are private companies but a decsion not to stock British made TV's or clothing for instance means someone lost their job.

Marks & Spencers used to make a big deal of always buying British made but started buying cheaper (not necessarily poorer quality) stuff from abroad to increase profits and caused so much damage to the brand - previously seen as slightly expensive but excellent value - the business almost collapsed. Tends to happen when you let accountants who just look at the bottom line without understanding run things. They've gone back to their roots, their food is expensive but seen as good quality so people buy it. Our supermarkets have to indicate country of origin on all products so now they make play of produce of uk, people do select. There was a massive boycott of GM foods so now they all carry organic ranges, slightly more expensive but the demand is there. Asda/walmart is at the bottom end in terms of perception about quality, value for money is a subjective term.

I think it's noteworthy that in America the largest employer is a company that aides in the distribution of consumer goods that are mostly disposable and arguably worthless, while in Europe the largest employer aides in the consumption of wellness and community. Speaks volumes in regards to cultural differences, and perhaps morality.

Lon;1377021 wrote: Despite the fact that a government entity is a Employer I was not thinking of them as such when I read the article. In addition, I found the size of the employment to be interesting. I tend to find many things interesting.:wah:


The NHS is only the second largest employer in the world - the largest is the Indian State Railway.

(WARNING - my stats may now be out of date, I've not checked this in the past year or so)

Bryn Mawr;1377119 wrote: The NHS is only the second largest employer in the world - the largest is the Indian State Railway.

(WARNING - my stats may now be out of date, I've not checked this in the past year or so)


I believe the Chinese Army is the largest---------from what I have searched.

Lon;1377122 wrote: I believe the Chinese Army is the largest---------from what I have searched.


OK, I had not considered the military but I can easily believe it.

gmc;1377068 wrote: Not really just wasn't sure what you were getting at. Some of your countrymen seem to find the NHS a bizarre concept from them I would assume it was in some way having a dig. In your case i just wandered what if you had a point to make. Probably if you looked at at the numbers employed in the healthcare sector in the states the % employed in it will be much the same or even higher.

The market dominance of a few big retailers is an occasional cause for concern here. If they sourced more manufacture from europe or the UK it would probably benefit our economy and them in the long run. I know they are private companies but a decsion not to stock British made TV's or clothing for instance means someone lost their job.

Marks & Spencers used to make a big deal of always buying British made but started buying cheaper (not necessarily poorer quality) stuff from abroad to increase profits and caused so much damage to the brand - previously seen as slightly expensive but excellent value - the business almost collapsed. Tends to happen when you let accountants who just look at the bottom line without understanding run things. They've gone back to their roots, their food is expensive but seen as good quality so people buy it. Our supermarkets have to indicate country of origin on all products so now they make play of produce of uk, people do select. There was a massive boycott of GM foods so now they all carry organic ranges, slightly more expensive but the demand is there. Asda/walmart is at the bottom end in terms of perception about quality, value for money is a subjective term.


Aw bless your cotton socks...LOL!! I am one of Lon's countrymen AND I work for the NHS. Proudly I might add to both accounts. I think Wal-Mart has it's place in economics both in America and here. ASDA employs alot of people here too. While it cant claim to please everybody, neither can the NHS. But both go along way in enabling the people working for them to pay for their food and homes. ASDA still has some of the lowest petrol prices going. And THAT goes a REALLY long way in getting me to work!