A Wal-Mart Worker's perspective...

[Solon]

I have seen the threads on Wallyworld and the poll I thought was funny, but many things are missing on those, the personal perspective of someone who worked there. I worked at Wallyworld for two years, from 1997-1999 at four different stores (Sent to two for renovations, one for a special clearance tent I ran, and my Home store). I got sick of the place and moved on to better things, I am not the part of any lawsuit, as of yet, and I almost went into the management training program but I didn't want to have the lobotomy done. :)

I just wanted to clear up a few misconceptions about Wal-Mart and also to show a few facts about how they operate domestically. I can tell you a shit load of information simply because no confidentiality was ever signed by me. I have done inventory, ordered items, as well as pricing during most of my time there, even though I was a grunt. I worked mostly in Lawn and Garden, though I did move on to Sporting Goods, it was fun calling the FBI every day for the instant background check, hell one time I was told to keep a guy in the store cause he had a warrant out for his arrest and the police were on the way, talk about stupid, and scary(you try to keep a straight face when told that and having the guy fill out forms while as far as you know he was a murderer or something, never did find out though).

Pay: This is something that has been touched upon by many people and it is very important to understand the situation. OK, starting pay at Wallyworld for me was $6.01 dollars an hour, hired full time. At the time I thought it was good money, till I realized that Target and Kmart payed as much as $2 dollars more, young and stupid is what I was. 2 years later my pay was at $6.76 an hour, and the only reason for that raise was because, at my store, they started hiring cashiers at 7 dollars an hour, part time, and us full timers were getting so pissed we threatened to walk out, so management decided to give all of us a 50 cent raise to shut us up, the cashiers still got paid more, but we did shut up after that. Oh, BTW, not every full timer got a pay raise, most of the females didn't, but most floor associates were guys, I would imagine they are a part of the suit now.

Hours: OK, now that I touched upon pay, let me get to scheduling and hours. Like I said, I was hired full time, and to be honest, Wal-Mart actually gave me 40 hours a week, at least for a while, because they were so short staffed. Our schedule was also not regular, even if you specified that you couldn't work certain hours, for school and so forth. I would be scheduled from 3pm to midnight one night and scheduled to come back in at 7am to 4pm the next day(BTW: this is a violation of the law, you are to be given a minimum of 8 hours between shifts at same job). Also, even though full time, I would be scheduled 15 hours one week and 36 hours the next, it was messed up. Another bad habit of Wal-Mart is the shorting of hours on your paycheck, it was pretty regular, and I complained loudly about it, and they would "correct" it on the next paycheck, only to short me on the next one after that, it was aggravating. This includes forgetting to put my OT on there, or forgetting to put time and a half on my OT pay.

Training and Anti-Union, Always: I saw a video during my training and orientation about how Unions steal dues for themselves and don't benefit you, along with a shit load of other lies. To be honest, the video was so virulent that I took it as a joke, Unions were so evil, to them at least, that the video couldn't be taken seriously. But a lot of the workers around me ate up that shit and are actually afraid of Unions, this I never understood. I guess reading Upton Sinclair was forbidden at Wallyworld, not to mention the almost cult like veneration that some workers have for the company, that just creeps me out. Give me a W! Give me an A! Give me a L! a squiggly. Give me a M! Give me an A! Give me a R! Give me a T! What's that spell? WAL*MART, WAL*MART! That fucking chant still gives me the willies. :puke:

Violation of Federal, State, and Local laws and regulations, with impunity: OK, a couple of things I want to cover in this little section. All the items I'm about to say are in violation of most Federal, State and Local laws on the books, FYI. First, of the 4 Wal-Marts I was in, they locked us up in two of them for renovations, this includes chaining the fire doors, this is a systematic problem, because in the other stores, which are 24 hour stores, they lock or block off the fire doors to those as well, at least in the back "Warehouse". I already covered the hours and OT violations up above. Next up is price fixing, OK, Wal-Mart undercuts all competition in many items to drive them out, this is ILLEGAL, just for your info. Wal-Mart will happily operate stores at a loss until the competition is driven out, then they will gradually markup up most of the items so that the store can profit. The thing to remember is that Wal-Mart can afford to, last year they made more money than the largest 5 Manufacturers worldwide.

Other Negative effects: OK, one thing that I thought to mention is the many Wal-Marts do not own the property or lot that surrounds them, this saves on property taxes and they don't have to spend money to maintain the parking lot. The one in my area, that was my home store, the lot looks like shit, and the area around it is trashy. This is typical, the only store in the entire city that owns it lot is the newest one, and they have a HUGE sign up to advertise on the highway. They built outside of city limits to avoid most property taxes.

Also, due to illegal business practices, they have driven out all but one major competitor, Target. Kmart is gone, as is our local department store. Prices at Wal-Mart in my area have been creeping up ever since then. I remember doing markups on many items while doing mark downs on items that our specialty competitors, such as Home Depot, sell. People don't really realize how much profit Wal-Mart makes when it strong arms competitors and manufacturers, those cheap aluminum lawn chairs that Wal-Mart sells for 20 dollars actually cost the store 2 to buy, wholesale. I should know I marked them up from 17.98 to 19.98 back in the day. Many items at Wal-Mart have markups(percentage difference wholesale vs. retail price) of anywhere as low as 50% to as high as 2000%. Talk about outrageous, and more expensive than the competition many times.

I cannot say much about Supercenters, because there are none in the area, the nearest is about 50 miles away. We have 3 decent local union grocery stores to go to, and they are just big enough to compete with Wal-Mart a little too much in groceries that is. Though I will say that if Wal-Mart was really determined, and could get the cities around here to let them build one, they could most likely drive those stores out of business. This isn't a small town I live in, but the Wal-Mart effect is felt throughout the area. Local manufacturers have laid off the entire workforce to sell there items to Wal-Mart, and now hire temp workers who make Wal-Mart wages. Our standard of living hasn't decreased much in our immediate area, but many other areas closer to Wal-Mart are suffering tremendously.

Another thing I wanted to mention is that when you spend money at Wal-Mart, it is sent to Bentonville, AR and taken out of your local area. This is economically bad no matter how you spin it. I boycott Wal-Mart for many reasons, but the worst is the fact that they are quickly setting the standard for ALL businesses. This isn't a free market, this is a predatory monopoly that will, in a generation, be the ONLY place to shop, probably worldwide. Look at who they buy out if you don't believe me. Take what I say for a grain of salt if you wish, I know much more than I'm telling here, but I do know that this isn't the American Way, and that is the truth.

EDITED the state for Bentonville, me=dumbass :dunce:

[ArkDem]

1. I'm not certain but I think Bentonville is in Arkansas.

[Solon]

3. Doh!!!! My bad, I really need to lookup the state 2 letter terms....

ITS supposed to be AR not Alaska, I'm a dumbass :dunce:

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Thanks

I listened one night to a manager from Wallymart in Cali on the Bernie Ward show. Trust me I was going WOW! This was an amazing thing to hear, for he was saying things that were more than just flooring me.

By the way, I suspect that sooner or later they will also face a worker revolt, for sooner or later (and that has happened in many areas) workers will not be able to buy the crap at the store they work at.

Hence why wally mart are Cheap Labor Conservatives

I also think what they truly fear is an organized labor force... and if this nut can be cracked...

[Solon]

4. Hell, when I worked there...

I couldn't afford most of the shit they sold, it was hand me downs or goodwill for me, and most other workers there too.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. now you think we can crack the how to organize them

workers?

I was talking to one local worker and she was spining the usual cheap labor conserv line... I started working on her... but I don't know if this can work, or what it will take for these workers to realize that if they organized nation wide and VOTED for union... there is nothing legally that wally mart can do.. but it has to do nationwide and all at the same time... and wally mart cannot afford to fire all these people... for many reasons

[Solon]

11. I actually touched on that in my story...

If Wal-Mart is good at anything, it is the propoganda they use so workers can turn against there own interests. Many of the workers there hate unions and many of them think that by owning half a share of stock in the store is going to make them rich. There are many workers that hate Wal-Mart but have no better options availuable, so many of them are stuck, simply because of the economy sucking right now. To organize, you need to educate first, and then maybe Wal-Mart can be driven to its knees.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Walmart learned from those before her

I knwo they are good, since this lady repeats the talking points like a drone... and not like I can give her a copy of Union, why you need one...

Still right now have been talking around it, and how her interests are not protected., Hell she is even swallowing the SS issue... though my talking in terms of cheap labor conservatives and dismantliing of Social Security has had her go HMMMM... so maybe there is hope still

[Solon]

14. One thing I will say...

Make sure that you educate her as much as possible, tell her about the real class stuggle in this country, but be careful of terms, I noticed that many in the US do not pay attention to anything about class. They are class blind I would guess, most do not believe they have betters, monetary or otherwise, that have radically different interests than they themselves. Talk about how stupid managers are or something along those lines, tell her they are cheats and liars and maybe you will get through.

[Booster]

57. I read that the employees in a Walmart in Canada voted and

became unionized. If just one Walmart would do the same here, it would start a landslide and ruin their little game of cheating their employees. I belonged to a union for 25 years; when I joined the union my pay went up by triple. For the life of me I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to join a union. Dumbshits.

[ikojo]

74. Wal-Mart isn't the only reason their workers hate

unions. We receive VERY little education about unions in our high school "history" classes. Sure we hear about Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockefeller but what does the average or below average high school student know of Samuel Gompers or the IWW?

Most non union and even some union workers will say unions have outlived their usefulness. Americans have been well propagandized to see unions as their enemy.

That is to our detriment. Sure unions need reformed to listen to their members but that can't happen if the members don't feel vested in the union.

[meppie-meppie not]

16. I believe the Wal-Mart workers in Quebec, Canada have unionized nt

[Solon]

17. That's what? A little over a hundred people or so?

Out of the Hundreds of thousands that Wal-Mart employs on this continent alone? We still have a long way to go, and I would bet they are going to close that store sometime soon, you can bet on that.

[meppie-meppie not]

27. yes I know it's a paltry number but it's a start and um, from what I've

been able to gather you may not be far off in your prediction of the stores longevity or rather, demise.

[newyawker99]

34. Hi meppie-meppie not!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[meppie-meppie not]

53. TY so much and cheers mate! :-) nt

[The Flaming Red Head]

65. I did inventory for them and it was all crap anyway

I couldn't get over the amount of SHIT that they sell on a daily basis. They watched us like hawks, but there were very few things that I would actually want that they sell. They may as well deduct the money from everybody's paychecks and ship the stuff directly to the landfill because most of their inventory is destined to be garbage.

[jackster]

80. and my bf's uncle

has become a millionaire many times over importing crap - guess who's his biggest customer?

not that he'd let any of that stuff in HIS house but wtf - sell it to people who don't know enough to understand the harm they're doing!

[jackster]

79. read somewhere ...

that the turnover rate is near 50%!

[Florida_Geek]

5. Good rant

and I shop at Target and never Wally Mart.

[politicaholic]

6. Nice post. Walmart is unamerican by its desire to destroy small towns.

I have only bought one item at a Walmart in my lifetime and that was out of duress because there was nothing else w/ in 25 miles.

[murray hill farm]

8. Thanks for posting this perspective!

The small city that i lived in Florida..sounds a lot like what you describe...kmart and home depot were both driven out by walmart..and a good number of small grocery stores as well..and other small businesses..once that was accomplished, walmart built a super store..and they sell everything..so, small book stores in the area gave it up, hardwares folded..and many other small stores and businesses. That is my feeling..that in time, walmart will be the only store.

[underpants]

9. A very unique perspective

a 75 cent raise in two years? Good god.

[Solon]

32. You want to know something...

before working at Wal-Mart, I was mostly Libertarian in outlook. Working there pushed me to Socialism, talk about a conversion!

[noamnety]

10. heh

I know of group of kids that are right this minute at a Wal-mart putting anti-walmart fliers in the pockets of clothes on their racks. :)

[flygal]

41. Oh I love that!

Buy those kids a Coke for me! :toast:

[napi21]

13. I know everything you said is true. I know several former mgrs..

who left WM, even though the mgrs make a decent buck. They are forced to demand things from their employees that are illegal, unethical, and just plain wrong.

There are lots of law suits against them right now, and more are filed each day. The American Public is becoming aware of the ethics of this Company, and they are turning against them. More and more often, I hear about cities and towns who refuse to let WM build in thier area. A local town near me did that just last month.

WM is running scared right now. Did you hear the news that they are putting together a large ad campaign to try to tell the American people how nice they are?

I sure tell everyone I know, and anyone else who will listen, about the nasty tricks of this company, and that I won't shop there! I've convinced quite a few people, and I know they in turn tell people they know.

I think youre right about a future employee revolt. A little encouragement from the public, and those abused folks will just walk!

[Solon]

15. Yep, heard about that campaign, no surprise there...

Yes, Wal-Mart may lose a few battles, but I fear they are winning the war, what needs to happen is for us to elect a government that will stomp on them with both feet.

[napi21]

22. You can't stomp on them via the gov't.

I worked for a company who was one of their suppliers. You would be shocked at what they get away with! The presteige of being a WM supplier is sooo great, companies will do almost anything to get there and STAY THERE! Along with demanding unreasonably low prices when you are a new supplier, they demand that you reduce each new PO price by at least 10%. If you don't comply, they say BYE! They don't abide by lead times, delivery schedules, or anything else.

Government can't fix any of that!!!

As I see it, the only thing that can change the strangle hold this Co. has on the world, is for it's customers to go away! The customers have the power. The suppliers don't, the gov't doesn't. As long as they hold the purse strings, and it's a damn big purse, there are only two places that can hurt them. Their customers, and their employees. If those two groups get together, WM will either dramatically change of it will be history!

[Solon]

24. Oh, I agree...

However, not to belittle all efforts, which I think are good and need to continue, is to use the government as intended, including new regulations to protect domestic manufacturers (fuck the WTO and IMF) and to also make them use the one power they haven't used in a long time against many abusers like Wal-Mart, revoking the Charters, a death penalty for any corporation.

[napi21]

26. On what grounds could you revoke their Charter?

I'm all for it, if it's possible, but I'd bet it's not been done in a long time because it's not an easy thing to do.

[Solon]

28. Actually the AGs of many states have the power to do it...

without trial or appeal. Corporations, unfortunatley, have been gaining power for a long time, in the guise of rights for an artificial organization as an individual person. Illegal business practices, anti-trust laws, and many others could be applied to this case by itself. However, it is not so much hard to do, but politically, right now, it is impossible to do. It would be hard to convince any government official that the violator of a law should be given the ultimate punishment, but it doesn't need to be this way, if only we elect people with balls it could happen.

[Quakerfriend]

18. Thank you Solon!

I've always wanted to hear an insiders perspective!

BTW, I'm proud to say that I've never been in a W......$#@%$!
My hubbie had to stop in an emergency and I refused to go in!!

[Solon]

20. No problem...

Though I wouldn't term myself an "insider" sounds too mysterious or something, I was just a floor associate who happened to know computers enough to do some extra stuff for no raise. It fucking sucked, big time, I know very little about the corporate stucture or how what the CEO and assholes in charge actually say when they give these assinine orders. Just my experiences, well most of them.

[China_cat]

19. In one of the northern states about 5 years ago,

Illinois, I think, WalMart had a number of illegals working. When they talked to a union organizer, the store called INS and they all got deported.

[Solon]

21. Oh yes, I heard about that...

That is one thing that I forgot to mention, if Wal-Marts gets even a whiff that you talked to a union, on your own time or not, they fire you, the usual excuse is "insubordination", and there "open door" policy is a joke.

[JanMichael]

23. But they're cheeeep!!! And I like them chips at a discount!

They're the only place I can shop near where I live, the only place where I can buy stuff I really neeed, like a pocket fishermen, or another cheap piece of electronics.

=====================================================================

I thought I'd just throw that in because it seems like the regular WalMart lovers have missed your thread:-)

[Solon]

25. Thanks....

Hey Wal-Mart lovers, just remember, you only benefit from the low prices by supporting illegal practices, if Wal-Mart actually had to comply with the law as it is, then those low prices go bye bye!

[kk897]

43. I was interviewing a product designer yesterday for an article

He owns a firm here in the Rustbelt that designs appliances and whatnot for companies all over the world.

He made some very interesting points about Wal-Mart. He said that within about ten years all American manufacturing will be sent to China or other places in Asia for the cheap labor.

Wal-Mart must have "low prices" so they force American companies who want to actually sell large numbers of products to take manufacturing operations to China, and then Wal-Mart distributes the Chinese-made merchandise. Blue collar workers have already lost or will soon lose their jobs to China, so the only products they can afford anymore are the "cheap" Chinese products available at Wal-Mart. And every cheap Chinese product they buy only reinforces Wal-Mart's practice of distributing cheap Chinese products, starting the whole cycle over again.

Essentially, every product a poor person buys at Wal-Mart keeps them poor.

Of course, once all those blue collar workers are completely out of jobs and American manufacturing is non-existent, there will be few people left who can afford to buy *any* products. America's economy will be in the toilet, so therefore will be the world's economy.

My husband said that's why other countries won't ever let America go down the tubes. It's in their own best interest to keep America a nation of consumers.

[hfojvt]

48. And we surely appreciate the mocking contempt

of the Wal-mart bashers. Upper middle class intelligensia with so little respect for the working class idiots who are trying to save time and money.
Appreciate the post Solon, but I would also say that I think the same time you were working at Wal-mart that I was a part-time janitor at a bar seven days a week for $5.5 an hour. The only way I got a raise was by getting a job at the auto parts factory where the work quickly beat the hell out of me. So I am still not sure if Wal-mart is all that.

[JanMichael]

49. "Upper middle class intelligensia?" Really?

How the hell do you know that pray tell? Omniscience? A BA and income under 50k a year is hardly Upper middle class intelligensia. If I don't work I don't eat, is that "Working Class"?

I've had crap jobs and by the looks of it my current gig might well get axed in the future by the fascist assholes who run this pitiful excuse for a "nation".

But the fact is WalMart hurts those that it purports to help with "low prices, always".

It isn't mocking on my part, but frusteration that we're all seemingly unaware that we feed the beast which will ultimately enslave us.

It's sad.

[hfojvt]

51. Just a lucky guess

Qunitiles for 2001, family income - 17,970, 33,314, 53,000, 83,500. If we call the botttom quintile lower class, the three middle quintiles lower-middle, middle-middle, and upper-middle, while the top quintile is upper class. It would appear that you are only $3,000 or so away from the upper-middle class, unless you have a spouse with a job.
If the intelligensia part offends you, then I withdraw that.
See, I would say that I have a pretty good job, except for the fact that my immediate boss is kinda loony, and I make under $25,000 a year.
Not that it was totally egregious, but your post was mocking of both Wal-mart defenders and Wal-mart shoppers. I see too much of that in Wal-mart detractors.
I think we are already enslaved by the capitalist system, especially as social programs and regulations are destroyed. Wal-mart is not Haliburton or Citi-bank.

[JanMichael]

70. WalMart is indeed as big a player as "the Bank".

Hand in hand they go enslaving all in unison.

And I know the quintiles as well as the complete break-down, most of my threads are about income inequality and the like.

"I think we are already enslaved by the capitalist system, especially as social programs and regulations are destroyed."

Bingo. You might be surprised but the "almost upper-class" DU'er that you're conversing with is, shhhhhh, a, yes it's true....Socialist.

[Solon]

58. I didn't tell you about that, did I?

I tried for a second job after I moved out of my parent's house and in with 2 of my buddies. 1 of them worked at Wal-Mart with me, his brother worked at Taco Hell. No, I was hired part time as a busser at a restaurant while working at Wal-Mart. I told them a full 2 weeks, put it in writing and all, that I couldn't work 3 nights a week after 5pm. That same week I started that job, Wal-Mart didn't change my schedule a bit, they continued to schedule me to conflicting schedules with my other job. I told them repeatedly not to do it, and the open door policy is a fucking joke to begin with. When they put me down as a "no call, no show" the first time, they basically said I had to choose, it was fucking sick. I lasted a total of one week at the second job, and instead had to go to day labor on my days off so that I could have a second job at all, and even then, about half the time, day labor didn't have anything availuable. All three of us, my roomates and me, went to day labor on our various days off as much as possible, but even then, it was a pain in the ass to pay the bills.

[hfojvt]

59. I did not mean that I was working two jobs

Although I was in a sense. I had my own new and used bookstore which never made any money, although on about $15,000 in sales there was enough profit to pay for the building payments and utilities and I lived in the basement. In May of 1996 I started at the bar, maybe 30 hours a week, seven days a week for $5.5 an hour. My wages stayed the same until Sep of 1997 I finally decided that I needed more money and applied to the auto parts factory where they paid $7.15 an hour. I gave the bar eight days notice and worked the three jobs for a week. At the end of the week, the bar owner discovered that he could not find anyone to do what I did for what he paid me and he offered me $7.15 an hour if I would stay.
Anyway, I am just saying that your Wal-mart job was better than my bar job in terms of wages, benefits, time-off and opportunities for advancement.

[Solon]

60. That's debatable...

First off, I have never heard of a bar job that didn't include tips, I should know, I had a few friends who bartended for a living and made easily twice or three times as much as I made in the same period of time. We couldn't afford the "benefits" Wal-Mart offered, even if they were actually worth it. They were laughable, and still are as a matter of fact. As far as Opportunity for advancement, ha ha ha. I think I could write a book on that. Also, on the time off part, try working Christmas Season at Wal-Mart sometime and you will see what it means to sleep in the back on pallets inbetween 16 hour or more shifts.

[hfojvt]

77. My only tips

were the quarters I picked up off the floor. I did mention that I was the janitor at the bar. I only averaged maybe $3 a week in "tips". A huge part of "benefits" for me is paid holidays, paid vacations and sick leave, and pensions. I am not sure how much of that Wal-mart offered, but at the bar, there was nothing.
By time off, I am talking about a five day week versus a seven day week which I worked. I have worked twelve hour shifts and even twelve hour night shifts, and I can tell you that I prefer that to a seven day work week. As a teen-ager I worked in a box office from nine until after midnight and then back to work at nine the next day. This was during one week of the State Fair, but I did not sleep on the midway since I was a local. So I can see pushing myself for a brief time for alot of extra money. In my bar job every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I was up at two in the morning to get the bar cleaned before it opened in the morning. I really used to hate Fridays.
Your response to opportunity for advancement is not very detailed, but Wal-mart has department heads, assistant managers and so on as well as perhaps easier jobs or jobs with more responsibility which can be used to get a better job somewhere else. At the bar there was none of that. (and it seems to me that management jobs suck when they put you on a salary and expect you to work a 70 hour week)
The bar had its advantages though, like air conditioning, working alone, and having a five CD player to use. In many ways it was better than the satellite dish factory where my base pay was only $5.4 (with a piece rate I sometimes made $7 and others (mostly welders and fast checkers) were making $9-12).
Anyway, there are lots of shitty jobs in this country. When I worked at the bar, I used to read the "help wanted" ads and thank God I had a job. I do not think demonizing Wal-mart is accurate or even helpful, although I would gladly goto a Costco if one was nearby. What we need is a bigger and stronger NLRB (national labor relations board) and a higher minimum wage - things we will never get until more working people vote and vote for the Dems, and thanks to Diebold and Zell, maybe not even then.

[Nobody]

66. How hard would it have been

for them to schedule you when you could be there? Did it seem like they caused your schedules to conflict deliberately to force you to quit or get fired from your second job?


I'm no stranger to asshole managers and idiotic company policy. Read on.

I used to work phone tech support and our call center got the lousiest hours and had to do all the weekends and all the holidays and mandatory overtime to the tune of 60 hrs a week some weeks. There was one guy who had a second job and the call center had to exempt him from the OT due to conflicts. The manager didn't like this, so when the company that he was working for as his second job went under, she came over to him while he was on the phone with a customer and gleefully told him that now that he had no conflicts, he was working that Saturday and wold be expected to stay at least an hour late every day starting that day. He couldn't argue with her because he was on the phone with a customer. He hadn't told his employer about the place going under because he wanted to have at least one weekend to himself before he told the boss.

That manager was of the "How Dare You Have A Life" variety.

[cubram]

52. Don't go

You can buy anything on line these days. There is no reason to go to WalMart.

[PA Democrat]

29. Thanks for your insight Solon

My younger brother worked very briefly for a Sam's Club. He quit within a month because he said they worked people like dogs. And this is a guy who is no stranger to hard work, so it must have been bad.

[bobweaver]

30. But then where will I get all my useless plastic trinkets made in China?

[bobweaver]

31. The answer is to cut off Wal-Mart's money, by everyone not shopping there.

[idlisambar]

33. very interesting and not surprising

Thanks for the post, always good to hear first hand accounts. :hi:

[pattyloutwo]

35. Interesting. Thanks. eom

[donheld]

36. Thanks for your first hand incite

I'm glad you are out of that place now.

[hollowdweller]

37. Great testimony! I'm 44 and have only been in Wal Mart 3 times

I'd rather pay more and not support Wal Mart, which I think is 666.

[Bunny]

38. The thing that astounds me the most is locking the emergency

exits. It's really shocking that there hasn't been some massive fire with casualties. Remember that chicken plant in the South (NC?) that had their fire doors locked? The place caught on fire and a lot of people died? I believe the head people at that company went to jail for that.

[durablend]

39. Wal-Mart bigwigs go to jail?

Surely you MUST be joking! If anything they'd pass the blame off onto the individual store manager to take the fall. You'll never see a Walton-spawn behind bars under this adminstration.

[Karenina]

40. Kick!

:kick:

[flygal]

61. This happened to my friend

she was inside when the fire alarm went off and they locked everyone in the customer service center for over an hour - it was middle of the night. They said it was to protect people but it seems like they were preventing theft.

We tried to tell her she needs to report it but she's not the type. I think that's what a lot of wal mart shoppers feel - they don't mind putting up with the horribly long waits in line, the crappy service, and the dirty stores because they've been made to feel they are only worth that. Why else would people wear those blue vests - as opposed to Target where you dress more like fellow shoppers!

[Solon]

62. That's one thing I liked about L+G...

We had these crappy "Garden Center" T-Shirts we wore, but at least we could wear blue jeans and occasionally "forgot" our T-Shirts. It was nice to be mistaken for customers occasionally while going back on break or lunch.

[Nobody]

42. You've given me an idea

A book discussion group, starting with Upton Sinclair. If anyone here still works for Wal Mart, maybe they can start one.

In honor of Douglas Adams and his book "HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy" Arthur Dent wakes up to find his house about to be bulldozed. He's told that the plans were kept in the basement of a building no one has access to and that it was announced that this was going to happen (in passing and not widely disseminated). Later, the earth gets blown away and the humans can't protest because the plans were on public display near Alpha Centauri.

This is how Wal Mart works. My community is getting one and we don't want one. The first most of the activists heard of it was after the deed was done to allow them to take over a defunct shopping mall. We put up a protest and were severely stomped on by being told essentially what Arthur Dent was told.

I intend to make a bunch of "Know Your Rights" flyers and your story makes good fodder, particularly the illegal practices about scheduling and locking emergency doors.

Unions can do similar before the propaganda starts.

Wal Mart damages the local economy and we the taxpaying citizens foot the bill in the form of paying their operating costs. They don't have to own the land or pay to construct. They don't have to pay their people enough to afford to live. We pick up the tab in the form of food stamps and subsidized housing. I remember one person on another thread who seemed to think that there are people who deserve to make less than a living wage despite the cost to society. Never mind that a person's time itself has value.

[annonymous]

44. I haven't bought anything at Wal-Mart for two years.

I avoid Wal-Mart for the reasons you list. I live in an urban area and have many places to shop. My in-laws who live in small town and rural areas have very few places to shop other than Wal-Mart.

[Clark2008]

45. You should write a tell-all book

See if you can't round up some of the other former employees you worked with the help you.

This could be a big seller!

Of course, it won't be sold in Wal-Mart. :crazy:

[Contrary1]

46. I live in Indianapolis...

about 6 miles from me they are putting the finishing touches
on a new Walmart Supercenter. About 3 months ago, they
announced plans to build another new store. This one will be
about about 5 miles away on the very same street as the new
supercenter.

I refuse to step foot into one of these places. Most
people think Walmart only puts the smaller "Mom and Pop"
stores out of business who can't compete. Not true. It
hurts us all. As surrounding businesses struggle to compete,
they have to let workers go. When that no longer covers the
difference, they need to raise their own prices. It's a
vicious circle.

And, we are not just talking department and grocery stores that
suffer. Gas stations, pharmacies, video rental stores, hardware
stores, optometrists, jewelry stores, are just a few examples.

I am posting a link to an article I found several months ago
regarding this company. If you ever wondered how Wally World
can afford to sell so much cheaper than other stores, this will
explain it. When you begin to understand just how predatory this
bunch is, it becomes easier to spend a little more to patronize
their competitors.

And it doesn't even address their use of eminent domain, to force
people to sell their homes at less than market value...that's
another story.

Long article, but I'm sure you will agree...worth the read.

The Wal-Mart You Don't Know
http://fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

[Ms. Clio]

47. What about health insurance and other benefits?

I am discussing this with someone in another thread.

Can most hourly workers afford the health insurance? What other benefits does Wal-Mart offer?

As far as you know, does Wal-Mart have any special hiring policies that encourage the employment of battered women with criminal histories, or disabled people, or people unable to get jobs elsewhere?

[leanin_green]

54. The benefits? Insurance sucks!

I worked at the local distribution center @10.91 hr. My health insurance for my wife and I cost me around $250 a month. It's catastrophic insurance and doesn't help much with Doctor visits and such. Half-way decent prescription plan, hell, any plan is better than nothing. They have a profit sharing plan after you've been there for 5 years. Getting time off is a bitch. They treat you like your in high school or something. You can call in sick, but, it counts against you. It's like earning demerits or something. I loaded semi-trailers and the repetitive motion injuries to the hands and wrist cause a lot of problems. Solon is right about trying to get your hours. They start you out with all sorts of hours which makes you feel like you've got a good job. Then, slowly, the hours fall off and I averaged anywhere from 28 to 36 hours a week. Factor in the cost of insurance and other "benefits" and you can see how little you end up with. I finally got a job with the local college that is state run for a salary of $19,411 a year and I don't pay for my benefits, except dental, and I have a 401K that they contribute to. When I crunched the numbers, I was only making about $1,000 more a year at Wallyworld. Needless to say, I'm with the college.

[Ms. Clio]

55. Thanks very much for the info!

Glad to hear that you found a better job!

[okieinpain]

50. thank you. very informative. what do you guys think of target. I

wish we had a costco in the area.

[Mr_Spock]

56. Thanks for the informative post

I'm no fan of WalMart and haven't been in one for a year now and never will go into one again...

[anarchy1999]

63. Thank you for standing up and speaking out. Get more active and get

off DU. Go and spread your message loud and wide.

[Snotcicles]

64. bump n/t

[G_j]

67. thank you

great post, thanks much!
As one who fought almost full time for two years against the construction of an extra large supercenter on the banks of our local river, I am aware of how ruthless and predatory they are.
Once someone tries to confront WM. they begin to understand.

So are we shoppers or citizens first?
Boycott Walmart!

[mike_c]

68. excellent post....

I live in a community that rejected a Wal-Mart by voter referendum a few years ago-- WM wanted to open a store on a tract that needed rezoning and the referendum was about the zoning change. The community was deeply divided, however, with many WM proponents making the argument that opponents were letting their "ideals" block poorer people's access to "affordable goods." More people need to understand that making those goods "affordable" is part of the process that keeps workers poor, and that the effect spreads through the broader economy like ripples in a pond. Wal-Mart is a big part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Wal-Mart stands for the absolute worst aspects of corporate capitalism. It embodies the principle that the short-term benefits of "cheating"-- taking advantage of every opportunity to squeeze additional profit from communities regardless of the cost to those communities-- justify any business practice, no matter how egregious.

[BeFree]

69. No surprise

My thoughts after reading this thread...

Wal Mart is like a poison spread throughout the land. It is a slow killing poison that through volume causes the people a great dis-ease.

Question: Do ya really want people to turn against WalMart? Tell the freeps that Walmart was the backing behind Clinton. That Walmart financed and supported Clinton's rise to power. (Don't know if that's true or not, but both are from Arkansas, and both came to power at the same time) I tried this on a puke the other day, and got his interest.

While I used to shop there quite often, I avoid the place now, just like I avoid other poisons. Handled with care, any poison can be controlled, and made to benefit the user, so whenever I pull in the parking lot, I do so with great foresight and awareness, and only buy only what I need, and get the hell out as fast as I can.

[amazona]

71. they think tyson supported clinton's rise to power

THe wingnuts believe that chicken plants put Clinton in power. Haven't noticed any of them giving up fried chicken over it. But I've heard plenty of jokes about Tyson's private airport (I think in Springdale) and that sort of thing.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[ikojo]

75. Hillary served on the board of Wal-Mart

at one time.

[proud2BlibKansan]

72. My friend's son worked for WalMart

He started as a cashier and then was working in Lawn and Garden. One busy Sunday, they called him out of the L&G dept, even though he was the only one there that day, to work a cash register. The next day, they called him at home and fired him because someone stole a lawn mower while he was working the cash register. Here's the stupid part - they caught the thief on tape, got his tag number and had him arrested and got the mower back. And it wasn't in the L&G dept, but on the sidewalk in front of the store. But my friend's teenage son got fired anyway.

I hate these stories because my first job was at KMart. I worked there all thru high school and college. They couldn't have treated me any better. It was a great company to work for. I don't know what it is like today, but I have nothing but good memories of working at a discount store.

[amazona]

73. that is unfair

The lawn and garden dept. at my WalMart never has enough employees. One time the cashier started crying. They just plain need to hire more people to prevent these situations from occurring. You can't cashier and help people find stuff on the shelves and load their cars and be the security guard too!

I hope your friend's son got a better job.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[proud2BlibKansan]

81. Actually,

my friend contacted an attorney and her son didn't get his job back, but he did get a nice little severance package from Wally World.

[Change has come]

76. Kick for a great thread

:kick:

[jackster]

78. Thanks so much for this...

WalMart recently opened in my little rural No Fla town and I thought the population was gonna pop a cork they were so excited. I left the s**hole a long time ago, but my parents (Dems) and sisters & families (REthugs) are there - and I tried so hard to explain to my family that this WAS NOT A GOOD THING! All they can see is the low prices and the mcjobs it creates!

They need jobs there - but don't seem to get it that low wage retail jobs aren't going to help them one bit! The unemployment in my county is always near the highest so this is a big issue. My mother is a pretty solid Dem but just not well educated on some issues. Anything that brings jobs is okay with her - even the coal burning power plant that is being planned! She even supported allowing some of the coastal land to be used as a bombing missile range thinking it would bring in jobs - I tried to expain to her that the only jobs would be low wage gate guards at the entrance to the sites!

And since the local rethugs control practically everything in the county, many Dems were HAPPY to get the WalMart cuz they WANT to drive those rethugs outa business.