Walmart

[Sparky]

i don't understand how people can hold such an allegiance for this store?

[holli'smommy]

I have worked for Wal-Mart. I worked there for two years and finally one day I just got up and walked out. They do not care how they're employees are treated by their customers as long as we can sell something. I have been physically assulted, verbally abused and even was threatened with a lawsuit by angry customers because I caouldn't give them exactly what they wanted. The only thing Wal-Mart did was gave these customers 10 percent off. If I had worked at any other store, the people would have been thrown out. The diffrence is is that at Wal-Mart the employees DO NOT have the right to refuse service to any one. They have to service everyone, including the people that other stores had refused service to.

[synesthesia]

Hnn
I'd just rather shop at a good thrift store. At least there you can often get something really good for cheap instead of something cheap that isn't that good...

[critterlover]

Thanks for the recommendations, I will definately see the Corporation and read Nickel and Dimed.

OK, dumb question, but why is it good to support local stores? If I shop at a local store, I will make the local store owner rich. I live in a big city so it's not like I am related to any store owners. If I shop at Walmart, I will make Walmart shareholders rich. My next door neighbors are Walmart shareholders so I guess I'm making them rich if I shop at Walmart.

I haven't got such great stores in my area, Sparky. I really want to buy 2nd hand toys from 'locally-run' stores and have been to a lot, but the prices for moderatly used stuff are almost the same as if I buy the stuff new. Plus the store-owners don't seem to care either way whether I go there. They won't give me a refund if I'm not happy with my purchase. Why bother?

Synesthesia, you obviously have better thrift stores in your area than I do in mine. I went looking for a used lawnmower, couldn't find it. Then went looking for a used shovel. Found some very old rusty shovels for almost the same price as I could buy one new. Then looked at other tools: rusty wrenches for $2 each, give me a break. I went to a lot of thrift stores and got the impression that the owners of the thrift stores didn't care whether they sold anything or not. I ended up getting all my stuff at Home Depot, Walmart, and Sears.

[charliesmommy]

I agree with you, critterlover, in that it is hard to support some thrift or second-hand stores. Generally, I just try to stay away from Wal-Mart and a few others. I do shop at Target, because I know that they treat their employees better than Wal-Mart does. It's hard to support locally owned stores, especially if the prices are better, but keep trying. We have a few around here that I love, but they are mostly mom and pop grocery stores and hardware stores. But if you do have a few hours some weekend to peruse a thrift shop (especially those that support charity), you'll often find some great things that are so cheap. Usually, though, when you need a specific item (such as a tool), it's easiest to go to a place where you know they'll have it.

[fawnmarie]

I hate Walmart on several levels, not the least of which is that it's the only store where I can afford to buy everything I need - not just most of - but ALL of it.

And I hate the place and the grip it has.

Fawn

[All4Cavies]

The Truth About Wal-Mart..

I can firsthand ASSURE you Wal-Mart is not a very nice place. Wal-Mart gives its employees benefits in which premiums continue to rise and care decreases. Why? Well, because they have a deal w/ local hospitals so that the insurance goes under a different name and when you're paying increased premiums for less care out of your paycheck every month, it goes straight back to Wal-Mart. Why? Because Wal-Mart IS their OWN insurance company. They even turn profit off of their employees.

Ever been injured at Wal-Mart? They have a group of individuals from a company they hired to call you and basically threaten you into not filing suit even when you could WIN a case. In most cases, they will bully you out of taking action. They take down everything you were wearing the day of the accident to attempt to make it your own fault. (I.E. if you had flip flops on and you slipped on a wet floor and broke your back, it's your fault and they will fight you tooth to nail over that)

It was posted earlier on this board that WalMart stores begin w/ low prices and as they gradually push out local businesses, these prices continue to rise and that this is actually a plan of Wal-Mart's. EXTREMELY true statement.

The earlier argument concerning unions.. all I can do is laugh at that statement, because any person in a management and sometimes even lower positions that even MENTIONS unions or is affiliated w/ one in any way will be fired. It's illegal for them to fire you for this, but they nit pick and find the tiniest reasons to fire you for, never telling you it's because of unions.

If you've been a Wal-Mart employee.... ever try to take a leave of absence for a severe medical reason? It's hard enough to even get the leave of absence so many employees will work while they are desperately injured or ill because they cant afford to lose their jobs. If you do get your leave of absence, if you have not returned by wal-mart's set date, your job will be made available and once you return to work, they will give you whatever position they have available *whether you'd be moving from manager to janitor does not matter*. If in 30 days, no position is available you are terminated. EVEN if you have a doctor's excuse for not being able to return to work. Legal? No, it's not legal, but what average Wal-Mart employee can afford to take a multi-billion dollar corporation to court alone? Not too many.

As for wages, your average Wal-Mart employee actually starts out above minimum wage. In our state minimum wage is $5.15, Wal-Mart starts at $6.50 here. Not a whole lot above minimum wage, but in a small town like mine, people will work for just about anything to put food on the table. The store managers however make a great deal of money.

Ever wonder why the people at Wal-Mart are so nice to you? It is because if Bentonville Arkansas *Wal-Mart's home office* were to get a complaint from you about an employee or an individual store, the employee would be fired and the store that the complaint came from would have a worse average for the quarter. What does a store's average mean in this case? Well there a few different ones, one is for sales, one is for customer service, etc. If the store beats their set mark, the manager gets a HUGE raise, and is BASICALLY paid a commission. The employees get nothing.

There's always that Wal-Mart employee that will tell you where to get a better deal.. you know why? Generally not because they actually like you, but because they realize how bad of a company Wal-Mart actually is and do it out of spite.

Wal-Mart's products coming from sweatshops is a HARSH reality. You wanna complain about people getting paid minimum wage..... how about the ones that actually MAKE the items you're purchasing that get paid about $.10 an hour? Fair? Humane? I think not. These people work for this because it is the only income that they can make in some of their countries, so walmart hops on that bandwagon and takes advantage of poor, starving people and countries.

Wonder why they will take back anything you bring them? Because they being a multi-billion dollar company saves money by cutting their losses on the item because they know you will be impressed by them taking it back and continue to shop there and possibly tell others your story.

Have you ever heard of the glass ceiling theory? Wal-Mart is a large part of this. Many female employees have joined together to file lawsuits because Wal-Mart paid them on average $.75 for every dollar a man makes. Doesn't seem like much, but lets do the math. Let's assume you are female and you and your husband both work at wal-mart in the same position. When you get paid $75.00 he will get paid $100.00, When you get paid $7,500 he will be paid $10,000. Starts to add up quick. Imagine the difference in a year's work. Fair? No, I dont believe. Any woman that would stick up for Wal-Mart ought to be ashamed of herself in my opinion.

Wal-Mart is a manipulative, evil company that unfortunately has monopolized the United States market and it doesnt look like they'll be leaving any time soon.

[fawnmarie]

Yep - that was most of the levels - from the perspective of employees - I have more levels on those as a consumer and community member. Sam's Club is also owned by Walmart.

Right after 9-11, my husband, who was working for Sam's Club at the time, had to leave town for a week or two to get his kid because his ex-wife was in the military and was put on 12-hour shifts, 24/7 alert and couldn't take care of him at that time.

They FIRED him because he didn't show up for work.

Okay - they didn't FIRE him, they took offered him another position, paying $2 less an hour and only 10 hour per week.

Nice folks, eh?

Fawn

[stipma]

Originally Posted by All4Cavies

The Truth About Wal-Mart..

The earlier argument concerning unions.. all I can do is laugh at that statement, because any person in a management and sometimes even lower positions that even MENTIONS unions or is affiliated w/ one in any way will be fired. It's illegal for them to fire you for this, but they nit pick and find the tiniest reasons to fire you for, never telling you it's because of unions.

The Wal-Mart across the river from here in Quebec tried to unionize. They were shut down very quickly.

[All4Cavies]

To further add to what I was saying about Wal-Mart monopolizing the markets. I also live in an extremely small town... we have a walmart, a grocery store and a dollar store. The closest store other than this is about an hour away ... now lets face it, I cant be driving an hour every time I need something I cant get at one of these 2 other stores. I have no choice but to buy from Wal-Mart. I know A LOT of other people in this same situation. Wal-Mart has put quite a few of the local stores we used to have into the ground.

[Ketus15]

Originally Posted by Katie

Please name one store that starts you out at $20/hr.

Just FYI: Ralph's (Grocery Store) starts cashiers at $18 an hour. But San Diego is a strange, strange market. Definately not a national standard, or even average.

And as far as Walmart not paying its employees enough: Often Walmarts open up shop in places that have very few jobs available to begin with. Minimum wage is always better than unemployeed.

Disclaimer: This is soley my opinion, and every neighborhood and town is different. I'm sure some Wal-Marts are built in areas with great employment opportunities. I'm am also sure that none of the Wal-Marts require their employees to continue working there. That's one of the many beauties of the U.S.A., "At-Will" employment!

[Sparky]

i, as an anti-walmart person, don't want anyone to justify why they *do* shop there, i just want you to acknowledge how bad the store is, and spread the words, so that smaller grocery stores etc. stand a chance should they ever arise

[Ketus15]

Wal-Mart does not put Mom and Pop stores out of business. Those who stop shopping at local stores put them out of business.

Does anyone know of a Wal-Mart in a large metro area? I live in San Diego, and although the city is huge, the Wal-Marts are stragetically placed in the lowest income, cheapest rent areas. I think this is a pattern of the company, to place stores where the local residents have the fewest choices possible.

What's also strange about our specific market is that the smaller 'local' stores are also big chains: Henry's Marketplace, Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's. These are simply large health food corporations in the guise of local businesses.

I was raised in the Mid-West, and I was shocked and appalled at the Grocer's Union Strike. (I believe someone else on this post mentioned this also). Our three major stores were on strike. And very few people cared that they were crossing a picket line. No wonder unions are failing. How terrible would it feel for your neighbor to look you in your eye, and cross your picket line? That person might as well say: "I don't care about your job or how you make a living, I don't want to be inconviencied." I did not cross a picket line for the entire 4 months of the strike.

What happened when a union could make a place like Wal-Mart really sweat?

[critterlover]

Quite the eye-opener, All4Cavies. I've even printed out your post for my husband to read. I guess our love-affair with Walmart is over.

[Access]

What about the wall-mart just off Poway and Community (next to Hobby Central and some other stores). I know what it used to be, but I wouldn't exactly call Poway a 'low income / cheap rent' area anymore.

In Quebec, once the employees unionized, wall-mart corporate shut down the store claiming it was not profitable. wall-mart corporate claims that their margins are 'so thin' and their business 'so competive' that they can't afford to pay their workers any more.

And unions (locally, at least) are failing partly because they no longer stand for the common worker. These days they are only helping out the well-connected, at least when it comes to the entry-type positions. If a union really stood for the common person, common people would rally behind it and it could make wall-mart sweat.

Originally Posted by Ketus15

Does anyone know of a Wal-Mart in a large metro area? I live in San Diego, and although the city is huge, the Wal-Marts are stragetically placed in the lowest income, cheapest rent areas. I think this is a pattern of the company, to place stores where the local residents have the fewest choices possible.

What's also strange about our specific market is that the smaller 'local' stores are also big chains: Henry's Marketplace, Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's. These are simply large health food corporations in the guise of local businesses.

I was raised in the Mid-West, and I was shocked and appalled at the Grocer's Union Strike. (I believe someone else on this post mentioned this also). Our three major stores were on strike. And very few people cared that they were crossing a picket line. No wonder unions are failing. How terrible would it feel for your neighbor to look you in your eye, and cross your picket line? That person might as well say: "I don't care about your job or how you make a living, I don't want to be inconviencied." I did not cross a picket line for the entire 4 months of the strike.

What happened when a union could make a place like Wal-Mart really sweat?

[fawnmarie]

I live in Tampa, and most of our Walmarts are in good, middle-class neighborhoods.

The stores are rather clean and well-stocked, and they keep things so cheap that they run the neighborhood places out of business because they cannot compete with the prices. The employees are paid better than minimum, usually, though Wal-Mart/Sam's has a policy against overtime. Most of the workers are only scheduled for 36 hours per week.

NONE of the grocery store people here in Tampa are hired for big money. Most of the grocery chains hire part-time teenagers and retirees at low cost, except for the department managers.

Corporations like Walmart and large grocery stores hire lots of kids and retirees and pay them less than a living wage, and keep them at part time so they don't have to give them benefits or overtime.

The one thing I do need to give to Walmart as far as employees is that their stock option plan is excellent.

Fawn

[Access]

Originally Posted by fawnmarie

The stores are rather clean and well-stocked, and they keep things so cheap that they run the neighborhood places out of business because they cannot compete with the prices.

And once they've run all the neighborhood places out of business, then they raise the prices above what the neighborhood places were originally selling at.