A subtle blend of politics, sports, and music blended together and seen through the eyes of a young adult.
Really Wal-Mart? UPDATE
When people try to defend the Wal-Mart company, I just shake my head and question how they can do this. The abuses and violations that the company commits on a daily basis is enough to make anyone sick, so why would there be support for it at all (oh yea, I forgot, rich business LIKE exploiting their employees and foreign workers!)? On top of this, there are numerous examples of the specific things that Wal-Mart does to make the company the atrocity that it is. One example would be how they have become one of the hypocritical companies that used to scream "WE ONLY USE AMERICAN MADE PRODUCTS!!!" at you, but then once the 1990's hit, they shipped most of their product-making factory jobs overseas. This devastated whole communities across America, as there were thousands of people who became unemployed because they lost their job to a foreign worker who agreed to work for anywhere from $7-$14 less than them. How dare Wal-Mart claim to be a "Made in America" company when they eventually turn around and ship their factory jobs overseas? "Made in America" means MADE IN AMERICA, and that should just be the way that it is. Also, by shipping the jobs to Asian countries that have poor human rights records, the company is creating a living hell for their workers. Wal-Mart claims that they are creating more jobs and a better life for the workers, but this is simply not true. Proof you ask for? Look no further than the film Wal-Mart: The High Price of Low Cost for proof. Secondly, they treat their American employees like crap. The company only insures 50% of its employees (Nordlinger 2004), but then they literally encourage people in some stores to apply for welfare and Medicaid benefits in order to receive health coverage. How can the biggest company in the world be asking its employees to have taxpayers pay for their health coverage?!?! And, how do you think the prices are able to stay so low? Well, that's simple: they pay people such low wages that they can afford to do that! In 2001, the average wage was $8.13, meaning that a person would make $13,861 a year. That is not nearly enough to live on! They also have been reported to not pay overtime to their employees, and this is just unacceptable. Thirdly, Wal-Mart quite literally doesn't allow unions within its borders. Whenever a group of workers tries to put together a union, Wal-Mart sends a specialized "anti-union team" (what company even has one of these?!?!) to break up the pending agreement. The fact that Wal-Mart doesn't want to be unionized shows how greedy the corporate runners are- they could give two craps about the little guy, the employee who runs their business. So when taking a look at Wal-Mart the next time that you see it, think about what the company is really all about. Maybe you'll come to the same conclusion as me. . . Wal-Mart SUCKS!!
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120 Comments
ajohnson911 - Feb 05, 2010 5:59 PM
Now, Walmart is also a valuable resource for low-income individuals who cannot afford that extra $1.00 or $2.00 for that soda or cd you mentioned in the other article. And, having shopped there many times I would suggest that they hire more "disadvantaged" workers than most other companies. I have heard several reports too that several Walmarts "saved" towns in which manufacturing jobs had left, sinking residents. Additionally, Walmart provides recession-relief with cheaper goods and employing a great number of workers who might have NO job otherwise.
Is it perfect, NO, but nothing is. Find me the "best" company in America and you'll be able to find problems--and compared to gov't run employment (WASTE!!!) I guarantee Walmart is WAY better.
Business is NOT the enemy, kiddo, it's what keeps America solvent!
I appreciate your "hopefulness" but it's a bit misguided.
PoorInRichfield - Feb 05, 2010 6:07 PM
jmark - Feb 05, 2010 6:19 PM
jmark - Feb 05, 2010 6:36 PM
" with roughly 1.3 million US workers and close to 4,000 stores nationwide. None of those 1.3 million workers is represented by a union."
http://www.hrw.org/en/node/10970/section/3
referee33 - Feb 05, 2010 6:38 PM
Don't try Texas, they eliminated the meat cutters there when they tried to organize. Don't go to Quebec either, when the store there voted to unionize, WalMart closed it. Wal Mart's business is keeping Wal Mart executives and China solvent.
Andy_Kristensen - Feb 05, 2010 11:37 PM
To everyone else- My facts have been justified with the help of jmark and referee. so thank you two! and there you have it, AJ- Wal-mart still is not unionized, and the overtime scandals are also continuing to this day. and I'm sorry, but soda and cds aren't items that are essential to life. some other food, however is, and yes, wal-mart does sell that kind of food at lower prices. however, they are able to do this because of the way that they treat MOST of their employees in the US, and the abuses that the Chinese go through. If you think that isn't true either, talk to my friend who is visiting here from China for a year- he'll tell you horrifying stories about the sweatshops for Wal-Mart.
Andy_Kristensen - Feb 05, 2010 11:39 PM
ajohnson911 - Feb 06, 2010 9:54 AM
And, Walmart pays soooo much in corporate taxes and also a HUGE share of local property/business taxes that your parents tax rate is probably benefitted by them too.
Now, I may not be right about the unions--I thought that was part of the lawsuit, my mistake-- but please show me claims in which overtime was not paid--that lawsuit was a huge story and they paid BIG bucks!
And, what about it's hiring "disadvantaged" employees, and it offering more jobs than are available elsewhere, or the above min. wage pay, or that prices are cheaper for lower-income individuals--cd and soda were YOUR examples--put anything else in there and it's still a bargain. Plus, are you saying low-income people shouldn't buy soda or cd's and shouldn't want to? I see, those things are for rich, elite, lake country living, spoiled youths who have never struggled or wanted or worked. Your colors are showing and your altruism is tainted by your youthful, elite politics and supported by the liberal, indoctrinating mouthpieces we call public school teachers.
ajohnson911 - Feb 06, 2010 10:19 AM
Now, I also have a part time job with a local sports team too--I didn't join the union; but some jobs held there require it-- it's $75.00 a month. Some "vendors" at these contests (with low attendance figures) do not make enough in the game-time shift (about 4 hours) to cover this cost. Some working in bad sections or selling licorice whips or some crap product don't make it in TWO games!!If you're a student or retired person doing this part-time, you likely work one game for "free" a month to pay those fees. Yea, that's terrific!!! And, guess what. . .the union is always supporting the "bad" employees anyway--the ones accussed of theft, or who are late, or insubordinate.
THIS is the UNION reality!!! So, I might say that being non-union is a benefit. And I'd tell employees to work harder, document their success, highlite their "clean" work record and then get some stones to go into management show them what you are doing for them and ask for a better hourly wage--it's called negotiations. The "bad" workers are costing the company expense and it costs the "good" employees better wages--that's a fact too!!!
ajohnson911 - Feb 06, 2010 10:41 AM
Bought vaccuum at Kohls a year ago. Need new hepa filter. Kohl's doesn't have. Tried local vacuum store in phone book--no soap. Internet would get me one in a 3-4 days for about $12.00. Walmart has it at the store in Pewaukee for $5.50. I'm going to go pick it up right now--along with some TP, dish soap, laundry detergent, and super bowl supplies. Maybe I'll even buy a cd!!!
I'll see you and the hundreds of other smart shoppers there!!!
jhayett - Feb 06, 2010 11:39 AM
Our democrats in Washington do more harm to the poor and our minorities than Wal Mart. That should make everyone sick.
Wal Mart also employees about 1.3 million Americans. Are they also too big to fail?
Christian Democrat - Feb 06, 2010 5:32 PM
http://investors.walmartstores.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=112761&p=irol-reportsannual
sarahsarah - Feb 07, 2010 12:06 AM
It beats starving, anyway.
jhayett - Feb 07, 2010 7:24 AM
Christian Democrat - Feb 07, 2010 1:22 PM
I realize most people (non-accounting, at least) don't want to read a 60 page report, however, to characterize the information as "fluff" is a misnomer, and quite irritating to someone who spends 50+ hours a week analyzing and compiling this information.....
jhayett - Feb 07, 2010 1:38 PM
I spend 30 years analyzing corp balance sheets, etc. I also do that for a living and I look at dozens of publicly traded companies weekly.
Christian Democrat - Feb 07, 2010 1:51 PM
How did I mis-read that? Where did you say "I said most numbers are accurate"?
jhayett - Feb 07, 2010 3:43 PM
As I told Andy, what you gave him is an excellent start but try and get outside access to original research.
jhayett - Feb 07, 2010 3:47 PM
Christian Democrat - Feb 07, 2010 8:04 PM
Where did you say "I said most numbers are accurate"?
Whatever, this is just going to turn into a "liar" argument again... sorry, Andy. Back to your topic.