Wal-Mart Really Is Evil
Having recently watched the film “WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price” by Robert Greenwald, I’ve been in a state of despair for days. Wal-Mart really is an evil empire.
They’re not only aggressively non-union, they’re aggressively non-living wage — the average employee is paid minimum wage and is strongly discouraged from holding a full time position. Poor labor practices such as these make it hard or impossible for many employees to afford the health care benefits “provided” to them by their own corporation. And so these employees instead turn to public assistance, which places a burden on taxpayers and allows Wal-Mart the privilege of selling their products at the stated “low prices”.
But there is no such thing as Wal-Mart’s low prices! Not only are we effectively paying Wal-Mart employees’ health benefits, we are also paying, with our tax money, huge developer subsidies to Wal-Mart. The corporation has received $1.008 Billion of taxpayers money for these subsidies. Still think they have the cheapest wares in town?
Maybe all this could be forgiven if the Walton family and its Wal-Mart Corporation were stalwart members of the communities in which they set up shop, or if they actually were pro-American, and provided Americans with desperately needed jobs by buying and selling American made goods. But they aren’t and they don’t. The Waltons (Helen, Alice, John, Rob, and Jim) — collectively worth $90 billion, with giant federal tax cuts like a $91,500 per HOUR in 2004 raining down on them — have given less than 1% of their wealth to charity, and imported $18 billion from China in 2004. I have vowed never to set foot in a Wal-Mart store again.
I made that vow thinking I could seamlessly switch over to Target, another “big box” retailer. But after doing some research I’ve found that Target is just as bad as Wal-Mart. This makes me so sad because I love Target. Loved it. Like many Americans, I’ve been wooed into loving them. Coaxed by images and New Yorker ads. But like Wal-Mart, they are staunchly anti-union. They pay minimum wage to employees whose benefits packages are often harder to qualify for and less comprehensive than ones offered by Wal-Mart. Target gets most of its garments from low wage developing countries. Like most big retailers. Little surprise there. The difference is that Target is a leader in the industry, and could afford to insist on fair wages for their workers in the U.S. and in developing companies.
But there are giant Corporations who act more responsibly. And that’s why I’ve just become a card-carrying member of Costco. I never thought I would do such a thing — I have no obvious need for giant jars of mayonnaise. But when I read about their labor practices I felt I wanted to support them for acting responsibly, and I mean for my tiny $50 membership fee to encourage unions and living wages ($16 per hour!, which is double what Wal-mart and Target pay). I especially want my support to let Costco shareholders know that I appreciate them providing affordable health care coverage to their employees. Costco employees pay 5 to 8% of premiums, while Wal-Mart employees pay 34%. 82% of Costco employees are covered by company health insurance compared to Wal-Marts 48%. These are facts I can’t overlook.
I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do with the 5LB block of cheese sitting in my fridge, but I do know that I am feeling not deep despair but some small hope.
Wal-Mart really is evil: http://tinyurl.com/a53qmm (Grove Project) #ilm
Wow, I had no idea about Target.
In the past year, we’ve switched to Costco from Sam’s partially because I’ve been so impressed with Jim Sinegal, CEO of Costco. Just Google him and pick any of the articles. We should all be so lucky as to work for someone like him.
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@evilgrrl this is old news. saw the film years ago but glad u plug it
http://tinyurl.com/a53qmm
Thanks for the info. I can’t stand Wal-Mart… We joined Costco recently and I figure it is saving us money, but in a surprising way. When we buy in bulk, we make less trips to the store and spend less overall.
So, if we don’t run out of coffee, milk, veggies, cheese… we don’t even have to go to the grocery store 2-3 times per week and are less likely to buy stuff we don’t need. It has really made a difference.
Among my favorite things at Costco are the giant box of organic spinach, the beautiful little green beans all stacked in order, delicious Asian pears, big bags of frozen shrimp, and snack food for my children, (who eat like NFL players… ) frozen potstickers and Bagel Bites.
The downside… it’s not local food and the organic food is limited… and no help with our gluten-free issue. Also, when you only need 3-4 items, it sucks to spend $100.
But, after reading your article, at least it feels good, and I may go apply for a job there!
Any more word about Whole Foods coming to Wilm? Then the plot thickens…
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On a list of the world’s richest people, the Walton family comes in three times in a tie for 26th. Christy Walton and Family, Jim Walton, and S. Robson Walton each have hoarded $19.2 billion. I’m all for making money, but how much does one person need? How much does one family need? And at what cost?
I stopped going to Sam’s and Wal-Mart years ago because they suck. And every dime spent there adds to the Walton fortune. I’ve never been a big fan of Target either.
Costco rules.
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Amy,
Thank you for giving me a shopping list for my next trip to Costco:
organic spinach
green beans
Asian pears
potstickers
…some friends have also suggested the big bag o’ broccoli and the juicy grapefruits
I’m so excited!
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“Any more word about Whole Foods coming to Wilm? Then the plot thickens…”
How? You want to talk about high dollar food? Basically, The Fresh Market is a scaled back version of Whole Foods…go there for great meats/cheeses/desserts/seafood/coffee/wine at upscale prices…
What Wilmington needs is a Trader Joes. Healthy store brand items at cheap prices. How can you beat 2 buck chuck?
Leave the Whole Foods to the RTP deep pockets and send TJ’s an email voting for
a Trader Joes in the Port City!
NC Trader Joes locations:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=l&hl=en&q=1820+E+Arbor+Dr&ie=UTF8&ll=35.227672,-80.81543&om=1&msa=0&msid=113004048650495608919.00000112105492dc68ab2&z=8
Trader Joes site (location request):
http://www.traderjoes.com/location_requests_form.aspx
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I have never been to Trader Joe’s… I am curious. Does TJ have fresh produce? Anything local? Does TJ have a hot bar/salad bar? People are just gaga for this place, it seems like a cult. But I am a foodie… so I am intrigued.
Whole Foods is a great place to stop for lunch, when we’re traveling down I-40, it beats fast food. In Wilmington, I really recommend Lovey’s salad/hot bar. They make a tremendous effort there to have healthy, fresh food in variety and abundance.
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Oh boy, ob boy Trader Joes has good food and Whole Foods does too…It’s about time they came to Wilmington!! I try to not shop at WalMart, ever, as I do not support their evil ways- no health benefits for workers, aggressively non-union, aggressively non-living wage—THAT’S JUST AWFUL!! Bring on the other businesses ASAP, pleeeeease!
Jill
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Entirely agree about Wal*Mart – and won’t shop there. Sorry to hear that Target is so similar as I really like their stores – darn it. Already knew Costco was better and they are great for large quantities of frozen chicken etc that can go in the freezer and feed the family for weeks.
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[...] 350 new PCJs in Asia (?!); local competitors, such as the now-closed Folks Cafe, describe arrogant, Walmart-like territory [...]
Im doing an essay on Wal Mart and let me tell you; they are hands down the skum of all skum! I have read of managers locking doors after hours and enslving their employees until the manager feels the job is done. Sam Walton built and Empire off off the poor and it makes me sick. Just google Wal-Mart and a lot more comes up negative than postive. A LOT MORE
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Another reason I like Costco – http://tinyurl.com/a53qmm Wonder if they can sustain double Walmart.
You think walmart in the U.S. is bad? Ever wonder what the average factory worker of walmart makes a day? NEARLY THREE DOLLARS A DAY!!!!!!! THEY ALSO WORK 14 HOUR SHIFTS EVERYDAY OF EVERY WEEK!!!!! Sure there low prices of $20 a sweatshirt are good, BUT THEY ONLY SPENT 18 CENTS TO MAKE IT!!!!! Now its up to you decide whether there low prices are worth the abuse.
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i work for sams club and what yall are talking about is a bunch of bull. my club has donated over 1 mill back to the local community, but no one even brings that up, We donate to the childrens miricale network but again doesnt get brought up . Just because they wouldnt hire you they are evil. they buy a lot of stuff from over seas yes its cheaper that way. lents see am i going to go to a mom and pop shop to get a hammer for 5 bucks or am i going to walmart (where mom and pop got it) and pay 2.50 for it humm lents see
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Ian Reply:
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:33 am
A hammer’s a tough one, James. They’re cheaper at Walmart. Though I’ve broken cheap hammers.
But what if your wife was in Sam’s Club and couldn’t resist a little framed print of Mom and Pop’s Olde Time Hardware Store for the bathroom? They undoubtedly sell stuff like that there as well. The “value” of this thing would be in its depiction of a simpler, happier time, an honest time, and the implied identification of that time and those values with the owner of the print, your wife.
People buy truckloads of “country kitchen” dreck like this, and if you ask them they’ll say the scenes portrayed in them are beautiful, cherishable. But the real effect of buying a print of Mom and Pop’s Olde Time Hardware Store that’s manufactured in China and sold at Sam’s Club is to destroy the idyllic scene it portrays, and to take away the opportunity to run little, actual hardware stores with potted plants and baby chicks for sale.
Cheap isn’t the only criterion for “value”, is what I’m saying. And where aesthetic judgments are also present, cheap can be totally corrosive.
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James: You want cheap? You should check out the Yard Sales in Pine Valley on Saturdays! You want cheaper? Do some investigating into the Walton’s business practices.
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James Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Dont be mad caues Sam’s busines made it big. looks like he made the right choices to me. If the smaller business want to compete with walmart and sams then they need to take a few pages out of his handbook. Dont blame walmart for other countries having sweat shops they dont control the world.
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Ian Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 7:36 am
You’ve got a point there, James. Some people say that Walmart is the tail wagging the dog — that it’s actually *creating* the conditions that make sweatshops viable, both on the supply and demand side, bullying manufacturers and wholesalers and washing its hands of the effects of this.
Others (like you) think that this system pre-dates any particular, single mega-retailer — that it’s more of an “invisible hand” for which no one is actually responsible, and about which nothing can be done (without surrending our 52″ plasma TVs back to their makers!)
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Something I’ve been thinking about lately is our monthly cost of living and the relative cost of things like food compared to rent, a mortgage or the cost of owning a vehicle. When I look at my budget it’s dominated by things I cannot do without.
Elizabeth Warren did some research comparing costs in 1970 v. 2000. The results were interesting. For instance, on average and in real terms food costs less today than it did then. Earnings for men have not improved. Housing is up 75%. Cars are cheaper but we need more (or believe we need more) of them per family. The take-away seemed to be that we have less control over how we spend our money (you can’t cut back on the house and car). So in a way saving a couple of bucks on a hammer is nice in absolute terms but the savings as a percentage of cash output is likely to be low.
There are families that are struggling and these costs are a larger portion of their output and I do not fault them for shopping the cheapest possible deal (although keeping value in mind is still important). But for those of us who have some financial room to negotiate perhaps we should be making smarter choices.
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I contest everything you say here, and I have academic support from the only economic theory that predicted the last three or four recessions/depressions when the mainstream economics profession laughed in ignorance. Listen to this seminar, or at least the specific lecture that I link to.
The link for the appropriate Seminar is:
http://mises.org/media.aspx?action=category&ID=88
But the particular lecture that addresses this subject is found at this link:
http://mises.org/multimedia/mp3/DiLorenzo/DiLorenzo-8.mp3
Questions to think about while you listen:
What better options do the workers at Wal-mart have?
Is the minimum wage law truly a beneficial one? If so, why do we not have a minimum wage of 100, or perhaps 1,000 dollars an hour?
If Wal-mart did not acquire its goods and labor from abroad, where those things are cheaper, what would happen to the workers and traders in those foreign countries?
If Wal-mart went strictly “buy American,” and paid more than the international free market dictates as the proper price, what would happen to Wal-mart’s prices?
If Wal-mart’s prices rise, what effect would that have on the poor that shop there?
I beg of you to read the book, Economics in One Lesson, available to read online at:
http://jim.com/econ/
Lastly, if you have a problem with private corporations getting subsidies from the government, then you’re probably my kind of crowd. Let’s get together at http://www.CampaignForLiberty.com
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David Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
That better options? Well, if they’re still working there, probably not many. Are you familiar with the idea of efficiency wages? Probably, if you’re citing economic theories.
Market-clearing wages are the minimum one can pay to be sure of having all of one’s job openings filled, at least most of the time. This will often be quite low, as there are generally a number of people who are willing to accept a dismal rate of pay, because it’s better than nothing. This is especially the case where unskilled labour is concerned.
Efficiency wages are higher than market-clearing wages, and they are called efficiency wages because they tend to improve overall performance, and are often capable of saving a company money in the mid to long term.
Morale tends to be a bit higher, and that helps productivity a bit. Workers have less incentive to seek out a second job, which would leave them tired all the time and drop their effectiveness, and market-clearing jobs are almost always available, so that if one is fired from one for slacking, one loses relatively little. Getting fired from a job that pays efficiency wages is a greater loss, as it is harder to find a replacement that will pay as well.
I’m not saying that Wal-Mart is evil. I’m saying they’re shortsighted.
If they were, say, to demand a certain minimum standard for the pay and treatment of the overseas companies that supply them, then they would pay slightly more for their goods(although, given that transportation is likely the lion’s share of what they pay for much of what they sell, this is unlikely to harm them much), but they would accelerate economic growth in the regions from which they buy. This in turn might increase the region’s economic capacity, potentially raise the area’s overall levels of education, and could potentially score them a more efficient source for their goods.
As an aside, I am very much opposed to private corporations getting large subsidies from governments. The occasional loan or minor tax break to encourage the formation of small companies, that’s fine. But by the time a company goes multi-natoinal, the training wheels should be off.
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James Reply:
July 26th, 2009 at 10:38 am
And what right do we have to tell other companies how to operate. If we can get products at a lower cost then i say do it. It is up to the other countries to regulate their companies wages, treatment of workers.
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Serje Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:18 am
Every penny we spend with any company tells them how to operate. A thumbs up with a purchase or a thumbs down by giving money to a competitor. We all have the right, and most people do it ignorantly.
Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, says we are in a reverse Fordian time. Henry Ford stated that he aimed to pay his employees enough so that they could afford to buy his cars. Today, Wal-Mart pays so little that its employees can only afford to shop at Wal-Mart.
That’s sick.
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James Reply:
July 26th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
if they pay so little then why do so many people work for them, if they think they are not getting paid enough the they will go some where else.
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David Reply:
July 27th, 2009 at 10:37 am
James, I see the common sense effort you’re making here… but I think your replies drastically oversimplify what is in actuality a vast and complex web that begins with ’cause and effect.’ After that, socio-cultural class divisions and perceptions of self-worth and value come into play for both Walmart shoppers and employees. These divisions and perceptions, however unfortunate, are strongly secured with the American psyche whether people wish to see them or not and extend far beyond the borders of the U.S.–politically, economically, ethnically,religiously, etc…
The reasons for why Walmart employees don’t seek jobs with more pay can’t possibly be addressed with a question as simple as the one you pose. It’s not that simple.
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James Reply:
July 27th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Yes it is that simple!!! if your job didnt pay you enough you would seek out someone who would. That simple! How much should a high school kid make? There are laws that say the least amount of money we can pay employees. Dont get pissy with walmart or other retail stores for following the law.
I worked at Wal-Mart. Boring and tedious do not even approach the job description. The job was vile and viperish. I hated it with all my heart.
My nightmare is to wake up and find myself still working there. A job where the wages are lousy. Where the people are mean and miserable. Where the managers scream at me for no reason. And where the opportunity for advancement doesn’t exist at all.
It is not a career job. There is absolutely no chance to get ahead or to improve in it. It’s kind of job that high-school graduates work for a few weeks before going off to University. Not an occupation designed for life-long employment.
Also, every Wal-Mart is virtually the same. Pretty much every last one. The same boring design. The same weird interiors. The same horrible people.
I felt desolate working in the one I was employed in. It was bland and devoid of feeling. Every Wal-Mart I have entered has this same unrestful atmosphere about it. If evil can be felt, I guess it feels like this. Like the heavy cloying air over Saudi Arabia when I visited there. Heavy without the promise of hope.
Am I making too much of this? You tell me. I talked to one lady who worked at my town’s Wal-Mart for an amazing seven years. (They’ve fired most of the people who used to work there.) This lady said working at Wal-Mart has changed her as a person. She looks at people very differently now. She hates them. The constant shouting of her bosses has torn her nerves apart.
Wal-Mart often forces her to work through her coffee breaks. They force her to work overtime without pay. Her kids tried to work for Wal-Mart. The manager personally fired each one of them within the same month. She hates her managers, but is afraid to speak up. People get fired so easily at Wal-Mart, it’s almost funny.
My own experience pretty much mirrors her own. Only I didn’t last nearly so long. My own employment with Wal-Mart lasted only two months. I am glad to say that it didn’t make me hate people. But I was well on the road to doing so.
I was a rather difficult employee, happy to say. I gave them trouble before I went. Interesting, they will not give me a reference. I’m grateful for that. But weirdly, they won’t give anyone a reference. Even the good workers. It’s their policy. And quite a handycap, too. If i gave the best 7 years of my life to Wal-Mart, I’d expect some acknowledgement for that.
Just another way they abuse the workers.
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Just out of curiosity, Joe, which MalWart did you work at? I mean, in what city?
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Note they use an outside firm to represent them against persons they have fired for misconduct. They won’t show up at the Appeals Tribunal hearing if they know their case won’t pass muster. They must realize if it gets hire up in the process they will be facing a real judge who can order back pay and front pay ect.
The District Home Office doesn’t except the Appeals Tribunal Decision in favor of the fire worker instead they only repeat their side of the story and refuse to re-instate the employee. It’s obvious they are ignoring the fact that their termination of the employee could be considered unlawful under the title Wrongful Discharge or Wrongful Termination.
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Once your terminated winning an appeal means nothing to the District Home Office.
I do not know for sure if the main office in Bentinville would investigate and fire the rogue Walmart managers from the District Home Office down to the store where the wrongful terminations took place
I found the following data on the web an supposedly it was verified by matching name and address reguired in political contributions and a pettition against some group. I’ll have to also check an old telemarketing Disc to see if the data is on there as well. Supposedly this is the CEO matched against several lists!
To find the websites with this data type in your browser: 16 Pinnacle Dr Rogers AR
You should get: Michael Duke 16 Pinnacle Dr Rogers AR on a website.
Using AOL whitepages the data as typed will get you : Name ,Address, and Phone.
This number is a published number from AOL White Pages but it probably has an answering machine.
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Some times I get lucky an visit the right sites which expose info you can’t just find normally.
The data is free but I do not know the laws on copying and pasting certain data like published addresses and phone numbers or if there is a copyright on certain data.
If the verifiable data keeps pointing to one person and the info seems to be accurate it could just be that person!
Too bad the telemarketing discs are no longer in stores because of the Do not call list. They are published addresses and phone numbers an some time they include the fax number. Sometimes the property doesn’t change hands but the phone number changed.
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Hadn’t seen this thread yet. Almost 1 year later…
Here is something I have yet to see discussed. True, there are all the mom and pop places that cannot compete with the new Walmart in town. But, think about the operational costs of a Walmart location. There is a lot of equipment in a Walmart; freezers, refrigerators, tons of HVAC on the roof, plumbing, floor scrubbers, registers, etc… Skilled labor that cannot be outsourced to China.
I work for a company that manufactures a product that Walmart uses at their stores, and we are also a service provider. I cannot get specific, but you would not believe the lengths they will go through to get lower pricing. From straight up bullying and contract bidding manipulation to weird distribution triangles that take advantage of tax loopholes. They have bean counters paid to scrutinize every contract to see how they can squeeze a little more blood out of the turnip. Every time a contract comes around, it’s tougher to figure out how you’re going to do it. There are a lot of US brands that you can find at Walmart too. A couple of NC manufacturers, off the top of my head, are Neese’s in Greensboro and Cott Beverage in Wilson. I know their ilk.
If there is a hell;
it is meeting a manufacturing volume deadline,
it is working overnight, no raise in sight, just to get it done,
it is driving to Georgia, because a store manager has a floor emergency,
it is pushing a shopping cart full of tools through a sea of fatties who won’t move
it is sleepless, monotonous, anxious
IT IS UNITS, that’s all you are to Walmart, UNITS.
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I’ve switched to Costco myself. Walmart is evil. Read this article if still in doubt.
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Misha Reply:
February 26th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
this article http://www.ryumsh.info/the-high-cost-of-low-price-685.html/
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