WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by velvetchs
........... I think too many people expect too much out of this company, they are a business; there are in it to make money.
In this day and age it seems that is no longer acceptable. Why should people have to work? Why doesn't the government just hand them everything they want?
So far on this thread we have a documentary bashing Wal Mart, and first and second hand reports of the great benefits employees get. Tough to see which group I'm gonna believe...

 

[watson3]

The proof is in the pudding

 

[ruaround]

Originally Posted by watson3
The proof is in the pudding
how can you have any pudding if you dont eat your meat???
thats one thing i WILL NOT buy from Wal -Mart... air sealed kryovacced leather...

 

[watson3]

Originally Posted by ruaround
thats one thing i WILL NOT buy from Wal -Mart... air sealed kryovacced leather...

Agreed..Thats what the locals are for

 

[velvetchs]

thats one thing i WILL NOT buy from Wal -Mart... air sealed kryovacced leather...

 

[garnet13aj]

For whoever asked, the documentary was made in 2005.

 

[fatcats]

they may pay their managers nicley but the bottom workers ie. stockers, chaisers, truck unloaders, janitors, get cheated.
Everyone knows that wal mart is anti union and if anyone does join they are fired
They dont allow their employes to work more than 40 hours becuse then they have to give them real health insurence and pay over time
Plus this women discrimintaion charge. Women are paied 5 to 8.5% less then men at the same level
And 2/3 of the workers are women but only 1/3 of the upper managment are women
Oh and they force their suppliers to take back what ever doesnt sell
Plus they kill fish in their aquarium death camps

 

[garnet13aj]

Also, I didn't mention this earlier, but the movie talks about how the government gives subsidies to walmart to build roads toward their store. This money is being given to an incredibley rich company to help them get started instead of building schools. Walmarts drive smaller stores out of business so there aren't other options. They pollute the envirnment and ignore complaints about it. They treat their laborers in foreign countries like dogs (depends on each country for what they get away w/). They spy on their workers to make sure they aren't trying to form unions and issue out propaganda discouraging unions. Also, people get attacked in their parking lots all the time, yet they refuse to put security outside. Once they installed cameras and told people they had cameras to protect them...but they didn't actually have someone watching them, hmm, that makes me feel real safe.
On another topic, I'd love to hear what people think of the documentary. If you think it's all crap, would you mind sitting through it and telling me what you think afterwards? There are parts of the movie that I'm willing to critize (cheesy, akward romance sceen in particular) but the first hand accounts and hard facts are hard to deny.

 

[garnet13aj]

They dont allow their employes to work more than 40 hours becuse then they have to give them real health insurence and pay over time
Also, they consider full time to be 27 hours a week, so they don't have to give you hours after that, and I doubt most people can feed theirselves or their families on 27 X $7=189 a week. Even if they are paid more than that per hours, 27hrs a week is nothing when most people consider 40hrs a week to be about average for full time.
And just to clarify, that doesn't mean people only work that much, but it's interesting to think about and for some it is true.

 

[fishy.....]

Almost sounds like these poor people are being forced to work at this so called "slave camp" named Walmart...
Why do 100's of people generally apply for a couple of positions that are available when one comes to town?
If someone does not like how there employer treats them then all they have to do is quit.
I for one am not a Walmart hater and think that they can generally bring jobs to areas that need them.
And yes I have worked for Walmart over the course of two summers while I was younger.
As for the mom and pop stores being run out of business...
You honestly do not think that other department stores do the same thing? Unless you are in a small town mom and pop stores are a thing of the past with or without a Walmart nearby.

 

[1journeyman]

Right?
My example seemed to be overlooked so I'll post it again. I know a young guy whose first job is Wal Mart. He is a part time employee. He got a $1400 bonus check for the store's performance.
How many retail stores do that?
As for the anti-union thing, good for them....

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by garnet13aj
Also, I didn't mention this earlier, but the movie talks about how the government gives subsidies to walmart to build roads toward their store. ....
Probably due to the amount of traffic the store generates... how is that a bad thing?

 

[garnet13aj]

As for the mom and pop stores being run out of business...
You honestly do not think that other department stores do the same thing?
I hate it when people try to use this logic. Just because other companies do it doesn't make it okay, it just means other companies also do it.

 

[xdave]

Here's a little retail secret the Walmart disguises and pure hometown friendliness; do you know what the main purpose of the Walmart greeter is? Theft prevention! People who have been spoken to by a store employee are 10 times less likely to steal. It goes even higher if the employee is older than the customer. Ever seen a Walmart greeter younger than you?

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by xDave
Here's a little retail secret the Walmart disguises and pure hometown friendliness; do you know what the main purpose of the Walmart greeter is? Theft prevention! People who have been spoken to by a store employee are 10 times less likely to steal. It goes even higher if the employee is older than the customer. Ever seen a Walmart greeter younger than you?
I worked retail long enough to know what the person at the door was supposed to do. Sure beats the guy at Best Buy leaning on the podium saying "let me see your receipt" though.

 

[garnet13aj]

Quote:
Originally Posted by garnet13aj
Also, I didn't mention this earlier, but the movie talks about how the government gives subsidies to walmart to build roads toward their store. ....
Probably due to the amount of traffic the store generates... how is that a bad thing?
It's bad because that store is being given special priveledges that aren't being given to other store, and much more importantly why should walmart be given money that should be given to schools so that we can have a better educated society.
My example seemed to be overlooked so I'll post it again. I know a young guy whose first job is Wal Mart. He is a part time employee. He got a $1400 bonus check for the store's performance.
This is an isolated incident, that is why it was overlooked. If you can pull up some information that says that even 10% of the average worker there gets this bonus then it is something to consider.

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by garnet13aj
This is an isolated incident, that is why it was overlooked. If you can pull up some information that says that even 10% of the average worker there gets this bonus then it is something to consider.
Everyone in the store who worked there x amount of days got a bonus...

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by garnet13aj
It's bad because that store is being given special priveledges that aren't being given to other store.....
That's incorrect. Companies get tax breaks and benefits all the time to intice them to move into a community.

 

[fishy.....]

Not to mention that Walmart will match $ for $ how much stock you purchase in the company if you work there. I made quite a bit doing this for a summer, holding on to it for 4 years and selling it.

 

[watson3]

Originally Posted by garnet13aj
It's bad because that store is being given special priveledges that aren't being given to other store, and much more importantly why should walmart be given money that should be given to schools so that we can have a better educated society.
This is an isolated incident, that is why it was overlooked. If you can pull up some information that says that even 10% of the average worker there gets this bonus then it is something to consider.

1..What other store pumps that much cash back into the economy
2..100 percent of employees are given stock options..