American consumers are largely tired of businesses groveling to political correctness and social justice campaigns to appease liberal customers, instead wanting them to prioritize their workers through higher wages and better benefits.
A national survey of consumers by PLUS Communications and GS Strategy Group reveals how Americans want businesses to put their workers’ interests ahead of maximizing profits and promoting social justice.
Overall, more than 8-in-10 consumers said “political correctness has gone too far” and that “today, everybody is offended by the smallest thing.” Less than 13.5 percent of consumers disagreed with those statements.
Likewise, more than 72 percent of consumers said the most important issues for businesses to address are ensuring American workers receive a competitive wage and benefits, making sure Americans have the skills needed for the workforce, making the “American dream” easier to achieve, and creating retirement security for older Americans.
Only about 11 percent of consumers said the most important issues for businesses to address are promoting racial, gender, and gay equality, and protecting human rights across the globe.
Though consumers overwhelmingly say businesses’ biggest priority is to its workers, 56.2 percent said the business community is most interested in maximizing their profits for shareholders. Less than 10 percent said the business community is most interested in supporting their community and less than seven percent said businesses are most interested in making sure their workers are paid fairly.
When it comes to fair compensation and benefits, 47.2 percent of consumers said a living wage is most important for American workers while nearly 20 percent said good health benefits are most important.
By a wide majority, consumers said business executives should not be adapting their companies to kowtow to political correctness. More than 65 percent of consumers said, “There is no way for American businesses to make everyone happy. They need to run their businesses in a way that appeals to the broadest swath of Americans.”
Less than 23 percent of consumers said, “American businesses should adapt their business models and products to avoid offending certain consumers.”
The survey’s findings come as businesses and corporations have taken on the role of promoting social justice movements and left-wing agendas despite questionable business practices for America’s working and middle class.
Nike has been the most high-profile case of “woke capitalism” over the last few years. In 2018, the multinational corporation launched a social justice campaign with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who infamously kneeled during the Star Spangled Banner.
Since the 1990s, though, Nike has had a documented history of laying off thousands of American workers and outsourcing their jobs to Indonesia, Honduras, Vietnam, and China — where workers are often paid slave wages in horrific working conditions. Indonesia and Vietnam, specifically, have become unofficial headquarters for Nike, where workers often earn about $82 a month in some regions of the country.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.
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