Wal-Mart: Workers Shut Up-Get Back to Work
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It’s no wonder Wal-Mart employees have begun to strike, and my first question – what took so long?
Hundreds of Wal-Mart workers at a distribution center in Southern California began walking off the job this week. They say having to work on Thanksgiving Day with very short notice was the final straw. Store workers in several states are planning to walk off of the job on Black Friday, the most popular shopping day of the year. Worker’s unions and independent employees both have been complaining of low wages, little or no benefits and sexual discrimination. There is a federal case against the retail giant currently pending, and the new plaintiffs join more than a million, yep – a million, women who have tried to bring suit against Wal-Mart. In 2011, 1.5 million women employees brought a class-action lawsuit against the giant citing unfair wages, preferential treatment, and lack of promotions for female employees when compared to male counterparts. The judge threw out the case due to the women having positions in the company that were not close enough related.
A documentary released in 2005 poses the question – Does Wal-Mart intentionally pay their employees low wages and cut their hours in such a way that the government has to pick up the tab for health care? The evidence for this seems to be mounting. The message that Wal-Mart seems to be sending to its employees is:
“We’re going to cut your hours just under the minimum required to allow you to have medical benefits. If you want to afford health care, you can work here part time, another place part time, and don’t get paid overtime if you work over 40 hours between the two. Then, use half of your paycheck to pay your own health cost. You can’t afford that? Then, you must be lazy and prefer to live off of the government.”
How long will it take for the various government departments who are supposed to protect employee’s rights to step in? And what is Wal-Mart’s response to all of this?
They filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board on Friday seeking to halt the protests, which is the ultimate, ironic slap in the face to employees and seems to send the message, “Shut up and get back to work.”
Many thanks to Reuters, SFGate, NBC, and others for their research contributions.
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I sympathize with the workers, I really do. I rarely go near a Wal Mart because the places are so damned crowded with “good old boys” and their families. It is like a zoo with all of the screaming and crying kids running everywhere. The workers are like those you meet everywhere, some are nice, some are not, some could care less; its a job. Fortunately, around here there are options including Target and Best Buy, and plenty of local stores.
It is funny but if people, in general, hated Wal Mart, as much as they say they do they should have empty parking lots. But they don’t.
So very true Bill. I had to go to WM last Saturday and was stunned to find the parking lot overflowing. Because I needed pet supplies, and didn’t want to drive to Tallahassee, I went ahead and parked. Inside was chaos, and the reason: Thanksgiving supplies….everywhere.
Mike, I recently saw a photo of a soldier in Afghanistan hunkered down during an attack. The caption read, “Yeah Wal Mart Employees, Tell Me About Working On Thanksgiving!”
Rather Poignant.
Wal-Mart pays pennies and gets a penny’s worth of work from disenchanted employees who are just trying to make ends meet.
I hate Wally World, but live in a place where’s it’s the center of attention. In other words, there’s no place else to go. They aren’t striking either. I will say this is the cleanest story I’ve ever seen, with the most helpful employees as well. I think regional differences can be profound.
I try to avoid shopping at Wal-Mart because of the terrible service, poorly stocked shelves, inferior merchandise, and apathetic employees.
An economic tragedy that so many are forced to work at Walmart and so scared of losing a shitty job they cow themselves to it’s culture.
I’ve talked to a few Walmart employees about unionizing but none of them had any interest. Hope this movement grows. I would gladly spend an extra ten cents for a pack of toilet paper if store employees had decent wages and benefits. Sad that the multibillionaire Walton family feel they can’t afford it.
Wal-Mart has purchased stores here in Brazil, particularly a chain called Hyper Bom Preço (Super Good Price) The first time I walked into the one here, my first thought was, “This looks just like a Wal-Mart!” Only later did I learn how accurate that impression was.
It is also run like a Wal-Mart in the USA. The employees are poorly paid and badly trained. Many of the products are cheaply made and of the lowest quality.
On the other hand, service is slow and often nearly non-existent. No, I do not even go there any longer for any reason.