Walmart Controversy

[tater03]

So I haven't seen anything on here yet about this topic? So I thought I would throw it out there. Do you guys think that this company is bad for America?
I personally don't understand the things that are said about the pay being to low because I know that they pay more than the fast food places. Now I am not to sure on the insurance stuff.
I will say that when they said that they there stuff was american made I thought that was a bunch of crap.
So what do you all think about this?

 

[FourBear]

My aunt works at Walmart, and in few words has told me of her discontent. Some districts have some pretty backward practices. Whenever a proposal comes up for a new one to be built near me, the town it might be built in almost always objects.

Which reminds me...has anyone seen the episode of Family Guy that pretty much mocks Walmart?

 

[framed]

WalMart is a force in America plain and simple. They're so large that pretty much regardless of what they do they'll offend millions. I have to give them credit for building the largest non-unionized company on the planet though. Considering unionization was designed to pit management against employees its quite the statement that they've been able to get as large as they have without it. Sure there are better paying jobs out there, but not many with the same expertise requirements.

With regards to the current charges, I'd be really surprised if WalMart had an actual policy of discriminating against women, but they are large enough to be the target of such a suit regardless of their intentions. Also given their size, it would be surprising that some manager somewhere in some random place wasn't discriminatory at some point. Not that it should let them off the hook, but once you hit a critical mass of people you have a statistical lowest-common-denominator that you have to contend with, regardless of your policy.

I like WalMart. They're a fantastically efficient company that specializes in delivering everyone the cheapest goods possible. Most of the people who are against the company are anti-globalization/anti-foreigner types who think they deserve a wage without having to compete for it with the rest of the world.

 

[Furious George]

I disagree with the fact that Wal-Mart [and many other companies] utilize essentially slave labor to deliver such low prices. That's capitalism for ya', I guess. Sacrifice someone's well-being to save a few bucks on your everyday amenities.

 

[dong]

I like WalMart. They're a fantastically efficient company that specializes in delivering everyone the cheapest goods possible. Most of the people who are against the company are anti-globalization/anti-foreigner types who think they deserve a wage without having to compete for it with the rest of the world.

This reminds me of a slightly separate but rather significant question- what do you think of the competition in the job market? I know that's a fantastically vague question as it would vary all over the place (as I see it perceptions are obviously mostly affected by supply and demand), but would the applications etc. system be fairly consistent?

 

[mtatum4496]

Actually, Wal-Mart was a client of mine back in the early nineties, when Sam Walton was still alive. At that time, you were talking about a company that offered wages that were competitive with similar retail chains, had health packages for employees that worked at least 32 hours a week, and promoted from within. The rules against employees taking gratuities were so strict that I could not even buy any of my contacts lunch.

Any time a business gets to the size Wal-Mart has become, there are plenty of detractors, and often there is something to be upset about. Personally, I do not think the Company has the same level of intergrity that it had way back when, but I don't see it as the monster many make it out to be.

 

[tater03]

You are right that when a Walmart is built that alot of people are againest it. We just had one built. And alot of the people in the communinty were up in arms. I know that our local Giant Eagle asked their employees not to shop there. What is kind of funny though is that some of these people that were so againest it in our community I have seen in the store shopping. Me, I am sorry but I basically go wherever I can get the best deal for my money. Whether it be the Dollar store or Walmart.

 

[mtatum4496]

LOL yeah, I remember some folks being very vocal about the last Wal-Mart to be built in my city. And yes, some of those same folks are now regular shoppers at the new super center.

I don't make it a point to shop at Wal-Mart. The fact is that I can often do just as well elsewhere. At the same time, if I can't find what I need at another store in my neighborhood, I will see what Wally World can do for me.

 

[mamab]

I think Wal-Mart has gone down hill since Sam Walton died. I think he generally cared about his employees and things were totally different than they are now. He tried to do a good thing by providing products at a decent price. Now, it seems Wal-Mart is just out to undercut everyone else, thus removing the competition. And, when they get you in the store with their "great" savings, they stop carrying those products and prices start sneaking up. I would much rather shop elsewhere, but there aren't that many places that can still compete.

 

[tater03]

I don't know I know that I have compared the prices on some of the products and I will say that they have been the cheapest so far. Personally if they were to raise them I would go elsewhere. Sad to say I need to go wherever the prices are the cheapest.

 

[mtatum4496]

Tater, you are not alone in that. Many of us need to get the most out of our income. However, I have found that in some cases, other brands that I can pick up at such places as Fred's, Dollar General, and other discount retailers like these two will do the job just as well. And a bonus is that when I shop at Fred's or any of the Dollar General's in my area, I always get a smile, a greeting, and folks who help me find things without acting as if I am an imposition.

 

[tater03]

I will agree with you on that one 100% mtatum. I have a dollar store in my area and I have gotten alot of great deals there. I love them especially around the holidays. They have alot of good stuff for alot less money.

 

[hoosierhunter]

When the wife worked at Walmart several years ago, she was often told she could not go home if there was no one to cover her shift. In addition, she did not always get her breaks. On the plus side, they offered her the option to purchase stock in the company at a regular basis. Her insurance plan was decent, but she worked full time. All workplaces have their plusses and of course places where improvement is needed.

That said, a lack of purchasing American made items upsets me. In addition, I know that a lot of the WalMarts have had problems with following the code requirements for building in certain areas. A WalMart that went in the next city over made rounds with the council because they kept neglecting their watershed responsibilities.

I don't shop at Walmart. I can't stand its size, actually. I prefer to make several trips to get exactly what I want from exactly who I need to get it from. Walmart doesn't always carry everything I want.

 

[luvcamerasnic]

Actually, Wal-Mart was a client of mine back in the early nineties, when Sam Walton was still alive. At that time, you were talking about a company that offered wages that were competitive with similar retail chains, had health packages for employees that worked at least 32 hours a week, and promoted from within. The rules against employees taking gratuities were so strict that I could not even buy any of my contacts lunch.

Any time a business gets to the size Wal-Mart has become, there are plenty of detractors, and often there is something to be upset about. Personally, I do not think the Company has the same level of intergrity that it had way back when, but I don't see it as the monster many make it out to be.

Well, Sam had the values that founded the company, but he is gone. So the company is going to grow in such a way that it is looking for the bottom line. However, I practically live at WalMart and if I chose to work there, I don't see why that's such a big deal. In my area, their wages are competitive with other stores, like Kohl's and the grocery stores.

 

[Guaner]

My brother was an Assistant Manager for Wal-Mart for many years and could not find a way to be promoted. He had gone through their management training and exceeded all of their requirements for promotion. Yet, he would still be passed up by others of different race.

I can't speak for him as I wasn't there but I know it was a great frustration for him. He told me lots of stories that really made me doubt the integrity of the company.

I don't like to shop at Wal-Mart anyway due to the massive amounts of people there - not to mention the lack of clerks at checkout time.