Hey all, No wonder people can't pay their bills sometimes. It seems, even if you work to pay your bills, sometimes your job takes up your time and DOESN'T pay. What do you say we all start shopping at Target more often? Hehe. Why would Wal-Mart be doing this to people making $8-$9 an hour? Makes me very discouraged to see hard working people left with nothing. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/25/national/25WALM.html?ex=1026020439&ei=1&en=ce36941a3907c35d This is a long link, so be sure the entire link is used to read this terrible story! Yikes. The New York Times website requires FREE registration to read, NO CHARGE of course. Suits Say Wal-Mart Forces Workers to Toil Off the Clock
Back in college, I worked at a Walmart dist. ctr, doing A/P. I had so much trouble getting an ink pen from the mgr, that I had to go to Walmart and buy my own. Not kidding. WalMart has a terrible rep for being cheap when it comes to their employees. And vendors HATE doing business with them, but have to. They tell them right up front that they aren't going to get paid for 90 days from the date they get a "correct invoice." Then after 90 days, they start nickle and diming on the invoice. I know lots of small businesses that won't sell to WalMart for that reason. (NOTE: I shop Target!).
Oh, how awful. I will stop doing business with them. I truly can't stand companies that treat their employees (and their customers) so horribly. So far I am boycotting AT&T, banks that refuse to send my checks back, and Middle Eastern oil companies. One more to the list is no problem. Dani
Doesn't it make you wonder when they "hire" special kids and seniors to do things. Most of the time they aren't getting paid and in the case of the special kids I hear they count it was "work experience". People have a right to be paid, regardless. How many of you know that if you went to two different Walmarts, in two different areas of town that the prices could be DRAMATICALLY different? Walmart isn't cheap in some places, but your lead into the FALSE belief that they are because of their advertising. I did this myself and found substantial differences in somes prices for things that could be found much cheaper elsewhere. I challenge you all to do your own assessment. Walmart has been playing with peoples minds for sometime. We all know stores seem to price things based on the average income in the area where the store is located, but Walmart seems to be in the business of doing it and misrepresenting that it's the lowest price around.
I am sorry, but that fact that you were even thinking this is mind blowing. As dirty as you all say they are being they do not have the mentaly retarded or the seniors working and not getting paid an hourly wage. There is a min wage law, and I am sure they follow it. I am NOT or have never been a WalMart employee or even known anyone who has worked for one, but give me a break. These people get paid just like everyone else I am sure. Sure, they may get a smaller hourly pay, but that is expected due to limitations on what they can do. The way they are jipped on hours is one thing, but to all out suggest that the retarded or seniors are not getting paid at all is silly. We are in America...... No one is being forced to remain an employee. If you are not getting paid from a position as you should be FILE A COMPLAINT and go ELSEWHERE. BTW- Here near my home, Target employs over a hundred boys from the boys school and pays them WAY under min wage, something like 2.00 an hour...Rapist and such hanging out in the store...that is wonderful huh?
as a union rep, i am constantly amazed at how walmart violates the rights of workers. don't be fooled, yes, there are laws, min wage and such, but employers violate them everyday because the average worker doesn't know their rights. Look at the Enron employees.. they certainly were not min. wage folks, but did not know their rights until a union helped them. if you look at the UFCW website, you will find a lot of information on walmart.
I quoted the entire message for a reason: I'm sorry that it's mind blowing to you, but I happen to know a "special" child (16 years old) who works for Walmart as a greeter. It's volunteer time which is counted as work experience. It might be mind blowing to you but that's what happens and that's why people love Walmart so much. I am not a Walmart employee nor have I ever been. We have a program here in SoCal called RSVP (Retired Volunteer Service Patrol). These retired people spend all day helping the community working their butts off. It's just another way to find a way not to pay people. Your under the misconception that people can move jobs if they aren't happy. Maybe your still caught in the DOT.COM world and haven't seen the newspaper lately. There aren't enough jobs to go around. Happy or not, I'm hoping to keep my job at all costs. Target can't pay someone LESS than minimum wage, you either have to pay minimum wage or commission. That's why its called minimum wage. Legally if they are collecting a pay check it has to be for commission or minimum wage, no less no more. UNLESS you are hired as a volunteer employee. Notice I use the word hired. Walmart requires applications and interviews for everyone, employees or not. It's good PR to have seniors and "special" kids around, it gives the public a warm fuzzy feeling. It's just a good show put on and you've fallen for it. You contradict yourself in your email by stating they have to pay minimum wage but then talk at the end of your message by saying they pay kids 2.00 an hour at the target near your house. Sadly that's what minimum wage is supposed to protect against. No self respecting company would ever not pay minimum wage except when the person is hired (notice I use that word again) as a volunteer. Walmart is in the business to look like an honest, decent, law abiding corporate citizen who helps communities. I live in an area of town that could use a bit of the "goodness" they supposedly bring. There's a Walmart and a Sams Club in the same shopping center. A few weeks ago, an apartment burned down near there. Sadly enough all the businesses in the area EXCEPT Walmart and Sams Club gave donations of whatever they could. Including the bowling alley which helped by giving profits for playing one night, which I did. They are corporate crooks. Target does exactly what they say they are going to do. You purchase, they give money back to the school of your choice. Nothing more, Nothing less. Walmart on the other hand uses seniors and special kids to keep you from seing their true colors. They abuse their employees, volunteers and from what I now read, their suppliers and then expect everyone to shop there. I do shop there, but I make it know to my fiance exactly what Walmart stands for and is. I have very little first hand knowledge of their dealings, but the lawsuits and other information being presented and what i've learned from talking to people and listening, all REALLY add up to the same conclusion. The Fleecing of America for profit. Sadly, I must say and not to offend anyone reading... but..... I bet old Sam wished (before he died) that he was back in the slavery days and could get as much labor for free or cheap as possible. It's the same principal, just different presentations of it.
Totally unacceptable. I refuse to patronize a store whose management engages in bullying and abusive treatment of their employees.
Oh, and you ought to hear the stories about how they bully their suppliers -- even the big guys. My friend worked temp once for one of their suppliers (a big, well-known corp) in the Wal-Mart support section, and one of her bosses told her (off the record, of course) that they are told (or at least led to understand) at what prices they can comfortably sell their products to other chains. Don't know if that's true or not I(seems unbelievable to me, since it's so clearly illegal), but that's what she was told.
Walmart moved into our small city about 6 years ago. A friend of mine was given a contract to supply lawn and garden products. Using local business as suppliers was a condition of Walmart getting the tax breaks ( try 0% business taxes ) and proper zoning for their store. After the contract was up ( 3 years ) Walmart told him they would still buy from him, but he must lower the prices by an average of 37% because they could import from China for that reduced price. He told them he could not afford to agree to those terms. They proceeded to change suppliers and still do not have to pay business tax because they offered to renew the contract and my friend could not afford to accept. In the last 2 years many small shops have closed and the prices at Walmart have steadily increased. Why not? They offer great prices driving other companies out of business and then they jack up the prices. Funny though, they make more profit but the staff never see any of it. The local A & W pays more for flipping burgers than an entry level manager get paid at Walmart.
I always hated Walmart and I was never sure why. This surely does give me a great reason to hate them now! I much prefer Target!