WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price

[beth]

Excellent point UKCATS. And therein you see the source "bad publicity" against Walmart.
Believe it or not, Walmart is not my favorite place to shop, but with some things, its hard to pass up their prices that are more expensive in other stores. I actually prefer Kmart, and it is too bad that Walmart is bumping them out of a great deal of business. Walmart's grocery store, though it is obviously convenient and cheap, has nothing on a traditional grocery in terms of quality and variety.
My point here has been that Walmart has opened up some doors in employing people who are low/not skilled and in selling a huge variety of things to low-income or fixed price customers. There are two sides to the picture here.
A word to the wise. Any "pro or anti" "documentary" you see is always suspect. Someone behind the camera of those "documentaries" has an agenda. I'm not saying to disbelieve, but take it with a grain of salt and if you are really impressed with it, then do a little research to see who actually made and sponsored the documentary. Are any of the people behind the camera suspect, or someone you are impressed with? Documentaries are more than what you see on the TV screen. Someone makes them, and someone sponsors them.

 

[ukcats]

Originally Posted by Beth
A word to the wise. Any "pro or anti" "documentary" you see is always suspect. Someone behind the camera of those "documentaries" has an agenda.

Exactly! How many millions of people do they employ? I don't care what company you work at, your going to have an instance of violating SOMEONE's rights somewhere. And the more people you have the more violations there are.
All it takes is one to make a story and a few to make a 30 film about. Its real simple! WM is getting too large in my opinion BUT the publicity they get is sometimes not warrented.
Although I still hate them! lol

 

[martyna]

I didnt read through this entire thread, even the name wal-mart leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
First off, their health insurance (atleast here in NY) is a JOKE. For the basic plan the prices are through the roof (if i remember correctly it was about 3x the amount that I pay through my new employeer, which is a company of only 50, compared to walmart) and that was for a single plan. I know a single mother of 2 there where almost 1/2 of her paycheck goes to pay health insurance.
Then if you ever get hurt on the job, good luck. My finacee twisted her knee when maintance left a bunch of soapy water on the floor without ANY signs or anything around it. This was over 2 years ago, and wal-mart still has not paid any legal bills (they MADE her go to the hospital- company policy)
I tore something in my shoulder trying to move a heavy pallet. Why would I try to do this you say? Because they didnt want to take the time to train any of the unloading associates to authorize them to use the power equipment needed for this.
I went through MONTHS of physical therapy, shitty doctors they were sending me to, and it once took a period of 7 months just to get the OK to have a MRI. I will say they did pay all my bills, up untill my last one, so now I have a collection agency coming after me for a $1200 medical bill that wal-mart is responsible for. I call corporate and what do they say? "oh, we dont seem to have any record of you ever working at wal-mart, we'll call ya back if we discover anything". Needless to say I had to get a lawer to try to get this all straightened out.
And I was TOLD I had to work off the clock to finish my job ONCE. I walked out the door

 

[1journeyman]

Ok, maybe I'm naive, or maybe Texas employers are different.
I'm interested in hearing from folks; Do retail companies normally give health care and other benefits to part time employees?

 

[michaeltx]

I'm interested in hearing from folks; Do retail companies normally give health care and other benefits to part time employees?
no 99.9% of all companies require to work atleast 32 hours which is considered full time employment before they will invest in your health so to speak.
I completely understand where everyone is coming from on all the points so far.
I live in Arkansas and have lived in Texas and Indiania so keep that in mind. The stores that I have seen in the 3 states that I have lived are completely different. most of the stores here in arkansas are small and cramp. and lack a variety of items that the other states do. Now when you go through rurral arkansas you will see a walmart and absolutely NOTHING else in that area. Why you ask. well walmart when they find out that a town has been appraoched to sell or lease property to kmart or target for instance They threaten the town of pulling out of that area. The town That I grew up in has a Walmart supercenter and plans of building a second store and 2 distribution centers in the town. It would devastate the town if wal-mart pulled out of this area. Will they do this ABSOLUTELY They did in one area the town was dependant on the money wal-mart brought in but was exploreing other avenues including the other 2 chains. Walmart closed there stores in essence crippling that area. This goes on over and over and over again everywhere they go into. I have no problem with a company makeing money but there is a point of making money and distroying an areas economy by threats and bad buisness practices, To me if a chain like walmart wasnt so concerned about this and worryied about there employees and there well being instead of building another store it would be much better off.
Here in Arkansas they will build another store real close to where they have the old store and are very selective on what gets built there. example. Walmart in Searcy has built 2 stores the first now houses a post office, a gym, and a 1$ and 5$ store. The next has a hastings, a tractor supply, and biglots. and then the new store is visable from there. Most of these building stand empty for several years before they are re-leased to another company that is not in competition of walmart. The one in jacksonville arkansas has been empty for about 5-6 years now. and thats just 2 towns they are just to concerned about building another building instead of taking care of the employees.
IMO
MIke

 

[ruaround]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
I'm interested in hearing from folks; Do retail companies normally give health care and other benefits to part time employees?
the grocery chain i worked for did until 4 years ago... they changed their benefits program, and it was more beneficial for me to opt out...
when i had first started for that company (i was in high school) i worked 21 to 32 hours a week... it cost me .17 cents a week... just before the change in benies i was paying $30 a week... if i chose one of the new programs it would have cost me $45 a week and a $1500 deductable... or i could choose the $500 deductable and pay $60 a week...

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Ok, maybe I'm naive, or maybe Texas employers are different.
I'm interested in hearing from folks; Do retail companies normally give health care and other benefits to part time employees?
I worked in a grocery store for 8 years. The employees that recieved any benefits of any kind (this incudes sick time, vacation time, as well as medical) were the people that worked 40hrs/wk for a year or more. In this policy you had to work 40 hrs every week to be eligible. Meaning that if an employee had to drop to 38hrs for a month they would loose their benefits. They carefully controled the hours people worked by simply not allowing anyone to work over 39hrs/wk. That way the only people they had to supply with benefits and paid time were the managers on salary. The family benefits package cost $89/wk (I hear it is well over $100 now) whether you have 1 child or 10. Not everyone took the benefits because of the high cost. Why does this store do this? Because they can and still do. It is not illegal, they do offer benefits to their employees. Not many people actually take them, but they are offered. This saves the company money by not having to actually give the benefits and paid time. And as stated before, if the employees don't like it they are free to seek employment elsewhere.

 

[stdreb27]

I've seen that a couple times in some of our econ classes. And the falicy with the argument is that they take an isolated situation of people genuinely hurt by the situation, then cast it in a light to lead you to believe that this is the norm not an exception.
Secondly it is your fault that walmart is the way it is.
Companies that have focused on customer service like radioshack and such are falling by the wayside. Do you know how many times I"ve given people info then heard oh well I've already bought it at walmart just needed the info.

 

[chickenlady]

The only thing that I have to say is that walmart is not that bad, my father drives truck for them as well as hundreds of other employes. And they love there job my dad gets paid very well for what he does. He also gets employe discounts at every store, including an extra bonus for christmas. Wal-Mart employes do not get paid that low anyway.
I think that would you people are forgetting is the fact that you can't believe what the stupid news tells you. I don't think that those people care what they talk about they just want to make a headline. There is a quote that I like to live by and is as follows "Believe nothing that you hear and only half of what you see".
With a company as big as walmart what do you think is going to happen, you think that everyone is going to be happy. Probably somebody got urine tested and fired. Just give somebody the excuse to sue and they will. Why do you think that insurance is so high. I am sure before too long that Target will have something like this happen to them just wait and see.

 

[stdreb27]

For all you Walmart haters out there. Lets have a little case study. Of an heavily unionized industry that has been the cookie cutter of what a "good" company where they really take care of there employees. Here we have health benifits, retirement, paid holidays, everything the unions have asked for and wanted. A perfect liberal utopia of dependant workers. A haven.
It is called FORD AND GM.
And they are laying off people by the truckload. Loosing money hand over fist. The Government is having to bail them out. Your idelic company that pays a living wage for mopping the floors and stocking the cereal doesn't work because it is impossible to support. And it is effecting whole cities and states. As cold and hard as capitalism is. It works, if you want to work. So yeah hate on your walmart. A company that your budget shopping has created. But last I saw benton was looking pretty good. And detroit needed a flack jacket.

 

[watson3]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Do retail companies normally give health care and other benefits to part time employees?
Negative..They do not legally have to either..Why would they?

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by watson3
Negative..They do not legally have to either..Why would they?
That's what I'm curious about. So, in essence, are people upset with Wal Mart because of their huge roster of part time employees?
It seems to me like people want to punish Wal Mart for their success. Wal Mart seems to be a great job for High School and college students, as well as the elderly (whom seem to get hired here much more frequently than anywhere else). For those folks in between that age range I feel a job is better than no job...

 

[bayside]

this whole thread makes me think of a great Kyle Cease joke.
some of you have to know of it, if not i suggest you find it, he is a great comedian.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
That's what I'm curious about. So, in essence, are people upset with Wal Mart because of their huge roster of part time employees?
It seems to me like people want to punish Wal Mart for their success. Wal Mart seems to be a great job for High School and college students, as well as the elderly (whom seem to get hired here much more frequently than anywhere else). For those folks in between that age range I feel a job is better than no job...
I agree Journey.
No one forces anyone to work or shop at Wal Mart. Why are they so huge? Because their policies work for them. Why do they have so much spotlight? Because they are so huge. They must be doing something right IMO to be such a success. Does everyone agree with their policies? No. No one is being forced to agree. Many people must enjoy Wal Mart for them to do the business that they do and employ the amount of people they employ. Again, it is business. Not to sound harsh, but what they are doing works for them. If people don't like it, then don't shop or work there.