Best I was ever treated by an employer was working for a "mom and pop." No wait, first AND second best I was ever treated as an employee was working for a "mom and pop."
WalMart is Evil
by joelbear 76 Replies latest jw friends
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wednesday
Several people including myself have mentioned the Dollar type stores and theThrift stores, Good Will,etc. Many people shop at these stores. . Stop in one and check it out. The Dollar stores actually gives Walmart a run for their money on toilet items, cleaning supplies, laundry supplies., paper supplies, small toys for children, party supplies, select cosmetics, shampoo/conditioner/hair gels, and you can even buy medical supplies, ASA, Tylenol, Advil, cough and cold products. . I just bought my calcium there, the chew able and the bottle kind. Note that Dollar General is the one who started the Dollar stores thing, but now not everything in their stores is $! -they have gotten greedy. (BTW, note who runs the dollar stores to a large extent) ) Also if you are at a Dollar store where everything is one dollar, be sure and count your items. They will skim a few bucks off you if you aren't careful and some have a no return, exchange policy- this has happened to me at one store in particular, so I count carefully) . So now we have Family dollar, Dollar Tree, Dollar&Dollar, etc. Browse the stores and look for bargains. Why would you want to pay more of your hard earned money? and some dollar stores have food. You must be careful not to pay a $1 for something you could have bought at walmart for .59c, but still you can save a lot of money. Another area where they save huge is paper supplies. Have you seen the price of a notebook and pen? Outrageous! Go to the dollar stores and don't pay more.I shop at walmart, Sams, Best Buy, Circuit city, and other large chains. I have little money and beg to differ on the quality of electronic items at walmart or circuit city. I bought our last dishwasher at CC and 13 yrs later still working great. The clothing line at Walmart has been sub par , compared to Target. But not now. They have new lines of clothes and if you use discernment, you can pick up a good buys. Obviously if you can afford to shop at Dillard's or Neiman Marcus,Foley's, (yes I know these stores exist, just b/c I shop at walmart does not mean I've never seen fine quality products), then this has little relevance to you, and I am not jealous of your ability to shop there. But I am glad i have a place to shop too.
I support my local Walmart and Dollar Stores., Good Will, thrift stores. I gave many things to the local thrift stores for the Katrina victims, including a whee chair. Thank God someone is looking out for the poor American.
we are so worried about the poor people in other countries, man look around, we have poor people here who live from hand to mouth.
I am poor , but i am not stupid. I recognize quality when I see it. I have not lived in barn all my life. But I only have so much money. I am not ashamed to shop where I can afford to.
weds
Rebel10, perhaps your walmart has problems associated with a general high crime area. Our walmart is clean, well lit at night. I've never seen anyone taken out for shoplifting, employees are polite to me if I'm polite to them, They have graciously helped we carry out packages even thought I don't have a disabled sticker on my car and don't appear disabled) , the greeters smile and create a pleasant atmosphere. I know not all walmart are like that, they probably just reflect the community they are in. Our community has zero tolerance for gangs and stuff like that. I hear people say what you say, but have yet to observe it in our local walmart or any of the ones in the local 25 miles radius Also when we travel I stop at walmarts and find them to be very similar. . However, all stores have shoplifters, gangs are not caused by walmart, they are more related to the problems in the local community. yes poor people go in walmart so if the sight of poor people bothers one, or if one finds children annoying, then walmart probably is not your best choice. -
Robdar
Um, I hate to butt in here, but I just wanted to add that I worked in our Wal-Mart setting it up to open to the public when it was brand new, and then for a year later. It was absolutely mandatory to do the Wal-Mart cheer in the morning. I'm told they still do it. This is company wide. I was embarassed to tell anyone we did this, so perhaps others who work there won't admit to it, either. Just a thought.
Yah. I believe you are right. My son came over this afternoon to assist me in some contract work and I asked him about it since he used to work at Walmart. He said that the morning cheer is mandatory. So, I apologize to you Rebel8. The woman I spoke to over coffee only works part time. Maybe she has never done the cheer.
I did ask my son about employees being fired for not answering positively when questioned by management. He said he never witnessed the questioning by management that you stated in your post. He said, sure people get fired for a negative attitudes but that happens at any kind of employment. If a person has a negative attitude and get's fired, it's their fault not management's. I hope you will accept my apology Rebel8. The last thing that I want to do today is argue over something like Walmart. Odrade: Best I was ever treated by an employer was working for a "mom and pop." No wait, first AND second best I was ever treated as an employee was working for a "mom and pop."
Good for you. Never happened for me but I'm glad your experience was different. Robyn--Of the "f**k the formatting, I'm getting back to work class. -
rebel8
wednesday
I agree Wally World does not create gangs. I just prefer not to shop at a place that has gangs when there are plenty of other places to shop that don't. Plus the store is terribly mismanaged and it is a very unpleasant experience. I go to Dollar Stores etc. too.
Robdar
Yep, it's all true. I worked at Sam's club eons ago and we had a daily mandatory cheer, and I personally witnessed the DFing for apostacy against Wal-Mart. After the cheer we were supposed to tell stories of the informal witnessing we did the last evening while wearing our employee ID badges in the grocery store. 1 guy wanted us to carry brochures with us to hand out but I wasn't into that for obvious reasons.
The stock thing was pushed. We were told to love bomb the new employees to ensure they get into the profit sharing. I did and lost $, but they say everyone will become millionaires. They have a non-famous country band that comes to most the new store openings and the singer talks about the profit sharing over the mic b4 her performance, claims she earned like a zillion bucks because her Wal-Mart stock split....says she just does the openings to show her appreciation for Wally, not for the $, of course because she is a zillionaire. yeah right
I used to shop at Wal-Mart regularly up until about 2 yrs ago, and I saw the love bombing/profit sharing thing happening btwn employees many times. "Hey, are you new? Welcome! Did you sign up for profit sharing......blah blah millionaires blah blah..." I remember standing there waiting for the photo ppl to wait on me and instead they did their love bombing and ignored me.
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Eyebrow2
I have had three relatives work at walmarts. My mom and brother were treated very well at the store they worked at; my sister not so much at her store. But she tends to find herself in many interesting situations, so I wouldn't blame it all on that store hahah. Don't know about the cheer...don't really care about it either. It may be nerdy, but it doesn't make them evil...no more evil than those restuarants that make you wear flair.
I prefer Target...they are much more fun to shop, but they are more expensive on some things.
I do also shop at Dollar General and big Lots occaisionally. And I will get stuff for free or cheap by shopping on craigslist or other online places.
I think Walmart has their problems, absolutely. Any company as big as them..we they do something good it ripples, when they do something bad it will ripple.
Unless it can be proven that walmart beats puppies to death and rapes children, I will continue to shop there.
But to those that boycott it..good for you for acting on what you believe in. Even if I don't agree with you that Walmart is truly evil, I do respect that you back up your beliefs by your action.
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wednesday
Every job I've have ever had would have fired me if I spoke ill of the management. I worked in professional "people " position, and I was expected to smile, and smile a lot. I was expected to greet everyone with a pleasant hello and earn what they were paying me for the 8-12 hours I worked, This does not mean that I would do something against the law or something immoral if they requested it. I was not a drone. I was however a paid employee. Even in a professional position , one in which I supervised employees and made important decisions. I admit asking for a "cheer" seems a little out there, but I recall a least 2 jobs I had where we had morning meetings, sort of kick off meetings to get the day started on a pleasant note. And it did help the morale. I see nothing wrong with a company insisting their employees be devoted to their job during the time they are there, and also don't think it unusual for them to expect their employees to not be "bad-mouthing" them all over town, on the net, whatever. . If a company has an employee who is unhappy with their job, and is creating morale problems, they have the right to fire them if after counseled they don't "cheer up". Really, if you hate your job that bad, find another one. I imagine working for Walmart is a boring job for most. So not everyone is going to be happy . Maybe the employees that are bitching about walmart just have bad attitudes and a poor work ethic.. There are people like that in all jobs. The quicker you spot them the better off the company will be.Instead of creating conspiracy videos about this company, perhaps they should find out how they got so successful.
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funkyderek
Can someone please explain to me why they think small businesses have a right to exist, while big businesses should be impeded.
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AK - Jeff
Walmart is starting to hit some walls now. They have run out of people and communities to push about in some areas.
The Walmart cheer is still mandatory in all facilities - it is comical and foolish in my eyes to watch 65 year old GM's and SM's reciting a Mickey Mouse-like chant to a dead Sam Walton. It is mind control at it's finest. My job - in a WMT distribution center [that pays very well by the way] - never feels secure. They want total dublike loyalty, but they do not reciprocate to the employed. The overall stategy to rule the world and get everyone's paycheck at the counter is sickening to me. They regularly 'clean house' by finding minor infractions to fire and dismiss employees who have considerable time on the job, especially middle managers [always called coaches in the cult mentality there]. One month I saw 4 different coaches get the axe - most were for little or no reason. Of course they have all been replaced with less senior employees, less pay I am sure, and for sure less bennys.
I shop there at times - we live in a small town and there is little option now that Wallyland had turned our mainstreet into a ghost-town. But I know for a fact that maniacal greed is all that matters to this company - they do not care how the money gets in the till -as long as it does. Vendors, employees, other businesses, are all at risk if you stand between them and a dollar.
Soon, Walmartization of the world will make our already softening economy in the US sink even further. There are good and evil with all companies. In my case, I get a paycheck and I buy less costly goods from them. The paycheck is not too secure, and the goods are all made in China. I just don't think it bodes well in the long haul.
Jeff
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rebel8
wednesday
I agree it is perfectly fine for an employer to require a cheer or similar things; employees can seek another job if they don't want to do it. All I am saying that it creeps me out and as a cult survivor I do not wish to expose myself to such things. If it upsets me to be there then why not go elsewhere. I am not suggesting anyone else make similar choices.
The incident with the employee had absolutely nothing to do with a bad attitude or speaking ill of the management. I wouldn't dream of not patronizing a business for firing an employee justly. I have fired many ppl myself so I understand it's necessary. Here is the conversation, which took place in the a.m. staff meeting, to clarify:
Manager: "Our sales have dramatically decreased and we must do something to improve them. What are you hearing out in the community as to why ppl aren't shopping here much?"
Staff: Complete silence because no one wants to speak up--too afraid of repercussions.
Manager: "Come on, there must be some ideas you can share." Elderly male staff member meekly and hesitantly raises hand.
Manager: "Yes?" Staff visibly cringes because they know the culture doesn't allow for saying anything needs improvement.
Staff member: "Well, uh.....honestly? I am hearing folks say they don't think it's worth paying $25 a year to shop here when they save only a few pennies on their groceries. I've checked meat prices and our chicken is only 2 cents a pound less than [xxx grocery store]. Maybe someone could go to other stores and do a price survey to see if there are some items we could reduce our prices on." Staff visibly cringes again and begins whispering that the guy is going to be fired.
And that is it. He was fired. He was a nice guy who minded his own business and was an all-around great employee. He was actually employee of the month before that. It is perfectly legal to fire someone for this, but morally wrong. I realize this doesn't happen at all Wal-Marts; it is an example of one bad management team. But I liked the guy and that is one of the reasons I personally do not wish to patronize Wal-Mart.
Can someone please explain to me why they think small businesses have a right to exist, while big businesses should be impeded.
For some, it is the hope that people can be successful entrepreneurs in our economy. People like to have the dream that your everyday American can start his own successful business. They also like to see executives in big companies who have risen from the bottom of the ranks in the company, for the same reason. They like to believe it is possible to succeed with plain old hard work. Unfortunately that dream is more and more fleeting. There is so much competition for decent jobs, it is who you know not how hard you've worked or what you've accomplished. And most small businesses here fail. This happens for a variety of reasons, only one of which is the inability to compete with big companies.
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LDH
Thank God someone is looking out for the poor American.
They 'create' the poor Americans and then help 'look out' for them. YIKES!!!!!
Just yesterday "big news" broke that Wally world has been forced to change the benefits structure as most who work for them can't afford the corporate benefits. Instead, when they are hired, they are taught how to complete paperwork to go on PUBLIC (ie taxpayer) benefits.
You think you are saving 40 cents, bull shit. You are paying it out in the form of taxation to for Medi-Cal or whatever you use in your state as free medical care, while you pay your premiums.
They are the classic white trash whore, with a severe identity and public image problem. Not to mention that most communities never see the sales tax that WalMart promises them. (whole nother subject).
FD poses a question which makes it clear he does not have children, neither is he invovled in fundraising or supporting a non-profit organization.
When I go to Walmart management asking for a donation to support ANY of the local charities I am involved in, they have NOTHING to offer the community they take so much from. A fucking $25 gift certificate, are you kidding me?That has to be approved by three levels of 'management.,' and takes 3 MONTHS to get. A systematic manner of non-giving.
Now contrast that to the local business that I patronise regularly. I called on several of them last week to donate money to help my daughter's high school color guard (no she is not even IN color guard). About 60% of those I called on donated a couple of hundred bucks right then and there, as well as asking what else we needed.
That says it all as far as I'm concerned.
I don't shop at Walmart for the same reason I don't patronise mega-chain 'restaurants' . I shop and spend LOCALLY almost all of the time. I knowingly pay higher prices to support businesses that are locally owned and supportive of the community at the same time. For work, I have an expense account to take clients to lunch with. I almost ALWAYS take them to a mom and pop, which they love and then go back to.
I shop at Save Mart, which is more expensive than Food 4 Less. When my daughter's high school drum team needed a donation last year, Save Mart gave them $500. The kids went and performed for them in front of the store. People loved it.
PBS has a special called "Big Box" or something like that. Watch it, it might be an eye opener for you too.
Lisa
Shops Locally and Pays More Knowingly Class