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Did you read the study Swagger and I linked for you? I presume not, it wasn't paid for by the unions. And the hair salon, golf shop, framers and so on I mentioned aren't "doing something for Wal-Mart". They are the small businesses owned locally that you are so concerned about.
So now your objection is from the environmentalist viewpoint?
Wal-Mart is a business. They are going to operate within the law to maximize their profits as much as possible. Which benefits the MILLIONS of people who own Wal-Mart stock, including their own employees. They have taken steps to be more environmentally responsible, more steps than many other retailers. Just having the most efficient distribution system ever designed is an environmentally-friendly measure. Greatday is right, though, Wal-Mart is a business. The problems people have with Wal-Mart that are based an emotional, sympathetic appeals don't carry much weight. The US is a capitalist economy, businesses are about profits. Wal-Mart isn't going to pay higher wages than the retail industry standards in any given region. Sure, going from $8/hour to $10 might seem like a drop in the bucket, but raising wages 25% across the board would devastate any company. And Wal-Mart isn't privately held, it has to answer to its stockholders. Negligent actions like failing to contain labor costs could become an SEC issue. Attacking Wal-Mart is only doing what the unions and their anti-Wal-Mart campaigns want you to do. 90% of the attacks are attacking Wal-Mart for perceived shortcomings of the retail industry. Wal-Mart needs to do lots of things better. But it shouldn't be answerable for the shortcomings of that entire economic sector. It's a single employer being singled out for the actions of hundreds, even thousands, of other employers. Don't you think to yourself why blame Wal-Mart for all of this, what about the other retailers? Don't you think to yourself, where is all the money coming from that pays for these studies critical of Wal-Mart, who's paying for the people whose careers are spent in anti-Wal-Mart activism? There's actually an anti-Wal-Mart industry, people who are employed full-time in researching and "discovering" all the bad things about Wal-Mart. Doesn't that make you wonder about the agenda?
Don't we have a right to know the BAD THINGS about Wal Mart so that we may decide whether or not we want to shop there? If you want to shop there that's fine, but don't fault a person for wanting businesses to practice more ethically. Oh wait I forgot, if a person wants to make a difference that makes them a crazy leftist liberal wimp.
Im sorry you have so little compassion for those who cannot get a better job at the time. In this economy how can people guarantee that they wont have to take a job at Wal Mart? Wal Mart can afford to pay it's employees more. Do you think 8$ is too much? I guess that would be too much for a lowly cashier.
This is a lame argument - don't try to act like all of a sudden because of the economy people who were making 100K+ last year are now reduced to working at Wal-mart. Yes, I'm sure some people may have chosen that route to avoid unemployment but I doubt will see the registers being run by former CEOS or bankers. First off, Wal-mart is unlikely to hire someone with that much experience and salary history under their belts because they know that person is only there until something better pops up - hence "overqualified."
I worked at Wal-mart as a cashier back in 2002 when I was in college; I was making $8.27 back then.Most of my coworkers were either elderly people (the door greeters) or other young people. A lot of them women were single mothers but a good chunk of them still lived at home. A lot of people worked 2 jobs. It was clear to see that there were some who were working there temporarily, (i.e the college crowd), or to supplement their income (the social security or second job crowd) and others who were working there because they weren't qualified to do anything else. Every once in awhile someone would come in to try to get promoted from within on the college program but that was rare.
Nobody was at Wal-mart trying to pay a mortgage on a 500K+ house or car notes on a BMW.
A lot of places can afford to pay their employees more - Disney is probably one of the lowest paying companies in the world for their park employees. You shouldn't be using the current status of our economy to try to prove a perceived point; it's kinda disrespectful to those who are really struggling right now.
Did you read the study Swagger and I linked for you? I presume not, it wasn't paid for by the unions. And the hair salon, golf shop, framers and so on I mentioned aren't "doing something for Wal-Mart". They are the small businesses owned locally that you are so concerned about.
I have never been to a Wal Mart that was part of a mall. There are 3 in my hometown and they have nothing but an enormous parking lot around them. And the last time I checked Wal Mart has a hair salon in it. Just because in some places where there is this setup some small businesses are benefiting, does not mean that the impact isn't huge somewhere else.
And by the way I did read the article, please dont make assumptions about me, you don't know me.
Don't we have a right to know the BAD THINGS about Wal Mart so that we may decide whether or not we want to shop there? If you want to shop there that's fine, but don't fault a person for wanting businesses to practice more ethically. Oh wait I forgot, if a person wants to make a difference that makes them a crazy leftist liberal wimp.
Of course you have the right to know the BAD THINGS about Wal-Mart. But if you want to know only BAD THINGS about Wal-Mart, and not about other retailers, how is that ethical? If the BAD THINGS about Wal-Mart are true of Target or Home Depot, do you ignore that when you go shopping? How much research have you done on the stores you do patronize? Do you get in-depth studies of the wages and benefits they pay? Do you review their vendors? Do you ask the storeowners to be responsible for the actions of their vendors overseas? Have you paid for any environmental reports on the impact the stores you do patronize have on the environment?
You are exchanging posts with someone who's just about as liberal as they get. I think its wonderful for a person to want to make a difference. I think it's fantastic to be concerned about the impact your choices to make. I also think it's important to examine where you're getting your information from, and whether those information sources have an agenda that colors that information. I want to make my choices, and have my impact directed in ways that reflects my values. I think unions have an important role in the American economy. But I don't agree with them 100%, and the fact is that much of the information that has been spread to the public about Wal-Mart is not balanced, impartial information, but, rather, part of a well-coordinated, well-funded campaign against a major employer whose employees have voted down unions over and over again.
I have never been to a Wal Mart that was part of a mall. There are 3 in my hometown and they have nothing but an enormous parking lot around them. And the last time I checked Wal Mart has a hair salon in it. Just because in some places where there is this setup some small businesses are benefiting, does not mean that the impact isn't huge somewhere else.
And by the way I did read the article, please dont make assumptions about me, you don't know me.
Wal-Marts are anchors for some malls. And they are also anchors for some strip centers which is what I was thinking of when I posted my list. I never said Wal-Mart didn't have an impact. I said that the impact can be both positive and negative. I'm glad you read the article, I only suggested you hadn't because your questions didn't sound as if you had.
Don't we have a right to know the BAD THINGS about Wal Mart so that we may decide whether or not we want to shop there? If you want to shop there that's fine, but don't fault a person for wanting businesses to practice more ethically. Oh wait I forgot, if a person wants to make a difference that makes them a crazy leftist liberal wimp.
WalMart IS and "ethical" business - you assertions to the contrary notwithstanding
Im sure it's good for your business. Is that why you support them so?
They have no impact on my business, other than being able to buy the occasional office supply at a good price.
I defend them because they deserve a defense. They're no better or worse than any other large employer. They're unfairly singled out because they happen to be the largest employer, and the unions aren't happy that they're missing out on the BILLIONS of dollars they'd stand to make if they could get the employees to organize.
Tell us - where's your outrage for Target, Kohls, etc? They're all sitting back, watching all the anti-Wal*Mart BS and laughing - all the way to the bank. They know that they operate much like Wal*Mart, and that people like you are blissfully unaware, or worse, do know but choose to ignore it.
And by the way I did read the article, please dont make assumptions about me, you don't know me.
Interesting, as it's a research paper, not an article, you haven't cited a single line from it and your responses have indicated a complete lack of awareness of any of the information it contains.
Some of the posters here must own lots of Walmart stock...
They are most definitely NOT an "ethical" business... although those that believe uncontrolled GREED is ethical would probably disagree.
Between gender discrimination, discrimination against people with disabilities, selling sweat shop products, a long history of environmental violations, sheesh. Of course there are other companies that are equally bad, but Walmart is the biggest, which is why the focus is on them.
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