Walmart vs. Preservationist

[Ordie]

Fighting Back
Galvanized by a proposed Walmart supercenter, historians, residents, and Civil War buffs are struggling to protect a threatened battlefield in northeastern Virginia
By Christopher Shea | From Preservation | May/June 2010


Wilderness Battlefield

Credit: National Park Service
Russ Smith, a low-key, 60-year-old superintendent with the National Park Service, noses his official white Chevy Impala off four-lane Route 3 in Orange County, Virginia, and onto a dirt road called Lyons Lane. We drive past the brick remains of an outbuilding and down around a curve, where he pulls to the side. In a few seconds, we're standing at a literal turning point of the American Civil War.

On May 5 and 6, 1864, Union troops marched south along the old Orange Turnpike here and clashed with Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the Battle of the Wilderness, a brutal encounter that involved more than 170,000 men and left nearly 30,000 of them dead, dying, or wounded.

The battle (its name refers to the dense undergrowth common to this region) is still recalled for a specific horror: Acres of nearly impenetrable scrub caught fire, incinerating hundreds of wounded soldiers caught in the no-man's land between opposing forces. But what truly distinguished the battle was its aftermath.

Ulysses S. Grant, freshly imported from the western theater, could have withdrawn the Army of the Potomac—standard Union practice up until that point in the War between the States. But instead, Grant ordered his troops south. "The men began to sing," one Union veteran recalled. Their ordeal would not be in vain. From then on, Grant's forces would relentlessly pursue Lee's army in a merciless war of attrition. The endgame of the Civil War had begun.

On a hill to the west of where we stand, I can see Ellwood Manor, a two-story house that served as temporary headquarters for Union General Gouverneur K. Warren and is now administered by the National Park Service. Officials hope that this elegant plantation house, newly outfitted with electronic battlefield displays, will serve as an enticing and memorable entry point for visitors to the Wilderness, which remains overlooked by tourists flocking to the more famous Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg battlefields farther east.

But there's a catch: Walmart.

In August 2009, the Arkansas-based corporation received approval to construct a massive supercenter at the intersection of Route 3 and Route 20. The Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, six local residents, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are fighting that decision in court. Routes 3 and 20 are not exactly pristine: A red Sheetz gas station squats on the southwest corner next to a McDonald's, and modest strip malls stand on both sides of Route 3. But those are mere blemishes, say the plaintiffs, whereas Walmart would be an out-and-out preservation catastrophe.
Continued:http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2010/may-june/fighting-back.html

[gaijinsamurai]

I hate Walmart.

[Euroamerican]

Thanks for posting that article.


I hate Walmart too. Ever since I saw that video about 20 years ago where someone saw their "Made in America" shirts being made in Asia.

[gaijinsamurai]

Walmart talks a lot about patriotism, but all they really give a sh!t about is maximizing profits.

Hey, I'm not naive, but when a corporation spearheads the movement to export jobs to China, cynically spouts "made in USA" all over their crap while being less than honest about it, deliberately drives local mom n' pop operations out of business, and tramples over our historical landmarks, that corporation should be boycotted.

But, in all honesty, I bought ammo at Walmart last week. First time I had ever shopped there, and it was the only local place that was carrying 9mm for my Uzi and Cz75.

[gaijinsamurai]

PBS Frontline did an excellent episode about Walmart a few years ago, regarding their almost single-handed responsibility for the movement to export US jobs to China.

[SOD]

Don't forget TARGET.
Most of their stuff is made by the Peoples Republic of Viet Nam.
Let's face it,very little is made in the USA.

[wildcat]

I hate Walmart.



I hate Walmart too.

I hate walmart even more.


Walmart talks a lot about patriotism, but all they really give a sh!t about is maximizing profits.



They have no love on country or people, they just love money.


PBS Frontline did an excellent episode about Walmart a few years ago, regarding their almost single-handed responsibility for the movement to export US jobs to China.

I hate them even more now.


Don't forget TARGET.
Most of their stuff is made by the Peoples Republic of Viet Nam.
Let's face it,very little is made in the USA.

I like target, I purchased a new mop, bucket and broom all made in the USA from target, I was very surprised, seeing it was not expensive at all. Plus you can see hot looking women at target. At walmart, all the trash goes there.

[Panchito12]

I've never shopped at WALMART....and my shepherd dog was born just 1 mile from the proposed site and it's a really nice country area to be spoiled by a cheap store supported by weasel local politicians.

[gaijinsamurai]

Also, Hillary Clinton is on Walmart's Board of Directors. At least she was.

[gaijinsamurai]

Don't forget TARGET.
Most of their stuff is made by the Peoples Republic of Viet Nam.
Let's face it,very little is made in the USA.

Target also carries a lot of stuff made by cheap Asian labor, just like everyone else.
But from everything I've heard and read, they have nowhere near the dismal reputation of teating their employees like crap, like Walmart.

And yeah, like my buddy Wildcat pointed out, they have a lot of hotties working there. :)

[SBL]

I have no problem with them building (outside of the fact that it's yet another Walmart).

If you guys had any idea how much that particular area has already been developed, along with the fact that you can't swing a dead cat without hitting something "historical", you'd understand just how moot a case this is. Most of the major battle areas are either preserved as a park or otherwise demarcated, but it's kind of impossible to preserve all of it for the simple fact that the entire area was a camp, or a point of transit, or the site of a skirmish, or a "Stonewall Jackson shat here" etc.

[gaijinsamurai]

You mean the tree on which Jubal Early's aid de camp took a piss before the battle of dumpville hasn't been protected?

[NeoConPatriot]

Good point. Anyone who has ever been to that part of the country knows that every corner has some type of landmark or site of historical significance. Short banning all new construction, there is no way preserve all the historical sites in that area.

The choice is Walmart, and the cheap goods it offers, or paying much more and getting rid of Walmart. It's up to us, do we want inexpensive goods or do we want to pay more and increase native production? As a nation we've already decided we want cheap goods.Read the Valisic pickle business case and you'll understand how Walmart can sell consumer goods so cheap.
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

[gaijinsamurai]

Good article, neocon patriot.

This raises an interesting discussion, and really it's all about whether we do what's best for ourselves now, or best for our country in the long run. Just like spending our way out of a recession, just to pass on a mountain of debt to our children and grandchildren.

Really, there are no easy answers.

[CG51]

I don't like walmart either, but lets face it, with the economy in the ****ter, more people are shopping there, even for groceries.

I live close to a Super Target. Yeah, way hotter chicks as Target has a better line of clothes than walmart. Last time I was at walmart I was buying buffalo wings for a party. The woman in front of me had about seven cakes and her ass was almost dragging the floor riding one of those little rascals they have there.

[wildcat]

The choice is Walmart, and the cheap goods it offers, or paying much more and getting rid of Walmart. It's up to us, do we want inexpensive goods or do we want to pay more and increase native production? As a nation we've already decided we want cheap goods.Read the Valisic pickle business case and you'll understand how Walmart can sell consumer goods so cheap.
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

great article, makes me hate walmart even more.


"People ask, 'How can it be bad for things to come into the U.S. cheaply? How can it be bad to have a bargain at Wal-Mart?' Sure, it's held inflation down, and it's great to have bargains," says Dobbins. "But you can't buy anything if you're not employed. We are shopping ourselves out of jobs."

awesome quote.

Walmart is not that much cheaper, other than the cheap quality products it sells, for food, it cost more than my local supermarket. Name brand products, walmart is not cheaper, everything else it sells is junk.

the positive side is that walmart is a trash magnet, and all the low life's will shop there.

[sgt_G]

wow after reading this article I will never shop at wal-mart again!

[SBL]

You mean the tree on which Jubal Early's aid de camp took a piss before the battle of dumpville hasn't been protected?
It's still part of Dumpville National Park if I'm not mistaken.

[Mr.K]

There is no "love" or "patriotism" when you are a multinational corporation.

[vinny_121_ND]

I don't shop at walmart either, but I hate to say it, I can't seem to find a store in Canada that has primarily made in USA or made in Canada products.

Here's an example, I go to New Balance on the assumption it's an american company, reputable. I go and buy a shoe, before I pay for it, I find out it's made in China. Everything is made in China in that store.

Walmart just sells everything at a lower price and destroys the competition making them go out of business. It's pure capitalism, straight out of Donald Trump's textbook of business.

[custodes]

I don't hate Walmart. My mom hates Walmart. She tells me often.

I bought 3 pairs of pants there this fall. One ripped a month after I got it. Another, same pants,different color,ripped 2 more months after that. Big crotch rips. The jeans are getting a small hole in them.

These pants were very cheap. You get what you pay for. I thought I had that pants problem down pat. I was wrong. And I guess you guys are right.

I might hate Walmarts.

They should be supporting our country. And they aren't. Where should I shop? Who sells American clothes?

Buck Up America!

[gaijinsamurai]

In my opinion, freedom requires a lot more personal responsibility than living in a dictatorial society, and the same can be said for economic freedom. When corporations ONLY think of the short-term financial benefit for themselves, it just empowers those who espouse socialism. A reason that so many socialist/communist movements in poor countries had such momentum was due to the arrogant expoitation and excesses on the part of the wealthy.

One reason that Japanese corporations were, until fairly recently, so successful is that in Japanese society, there is a cultural expectation that individuals, as well as corporations, will look out for the greater good, rather than self.

[sgt_G]

Where should I shop? Who sells American clothes?

surplus stores!

[wildcat]

surplus stores!

I love surplus stores, they have such cool stuff.

[gaijinsamurai]

Wildcat, have you been to Andy & Bax in Portland? Best surplus store in Oregon. On SE Grand, just a few blocks south of Burnside. I've been going there since I was in high school, and overly influenced by Rambo, Red Dawn, and Mack Bolan.

[wildcat]

Wildcat, have you been to Andy & Bax in Portland? Best surplus store in Oregon. On SE Grand, just a few blocks south of Burnside. I've been going there since I was in high school, and overly influenced by Rambo, Red Dawn, and Mack Bolan.

no, I am not rich enough, There are to many "I must have, just in case zombies or commies".

[gaijinsamurai]

It's not all that expensive.

....and don't tell me you're poor! I remember the pics of all your AR lowers! :)

[wildcat]

It's not all that expensive.

....and don't tell me you're poor! I remember the pics of all your AR lowers! :)

yep, I doing what the us gober is not doing, I paying down the debt after spending beyond my means, got 2 years then I am in the money again.

[gaijinsamurai]

I gotta do the same. I want a DCM M1 Garand SOOOO BAAAAD, but being a father, my conscience is getting the best of me.

[Dr-Horrible]

Target also carries a lot of stuff made by cheap Asian labor, just like everyone else.
But from everything I've heard and read, they have nowhere near the dismal reputation of teating their employees like crap, like Walmart.

And yeah, like my buddy Wildcat pointed out, they have a lot of hotties working there. :)

I worked at a Target when I was younger. Everyone was great except for one of the assistant managers. I ended up knocking him out at a starbucks when he tried to order me about outside of work. Bastard never looked me in the eye afterward always slinked away whenever i came by.

[gaijinsamurai]

Good for you, Dr. Horrible!
There have been a few supervisors I've had that I wish I had been able to do something like that to, and have gotten away with it.

[wildcat]

And yeah, like my buddy Wildcat pointed out, they have a lot of hotties working there. :)

One of the Starbucks girls is very very friendly, quite hot, sexy ass.

[Uglymug]

In my opinion, freedom requires a lot more personal responsibility than living in a dictatorial society, and the same can be said for economic freedom. When corporations ONLY think of the short-term financial benefit for themselves, it just empowers those who espouse socialism. A reason that so many socialist/communist movements in poor countries had such momentum was due to the arrogant expoitation and excesses on the part of the wealthy.

One reason that Japanese corporations were, until fairly recently, so successful is that in Japanese society, there is a cultural expectation that individuals, as well as corporations, will look out for the greater good, rather than self.

What do you mean by successful? 'Cause Walmart I think, blows Japan's corporations by the end of the ***** when measured by the 'successful' factor. Maybe I mis-read it, and you meant that Japanese society was largely successful due to charity or other commendable acts by particular corporations. It's been mentioned several times in this thread that the company is solely obsessed with maximizing it's profits. I hardly see anything wrong with that, infact, most of us who begin a business are in it for the profit (or maybe because we like working ourselves to death, either way, Japanese toilets are something I've yet to experience). Walmart are vilified for using the full length of the Capitalist system, and people seem to make them out to be some sort of toilet flushing machine of death, with only the intent to destroy the fabric of small corporation America. That's rubbish, it's not irresponsible to knock out small businesses, it's a competitive environment, which apparently people choose not to apply to a company that is winning. Walmart provide a service, if people choose it because it provides a service better than the rest, than that's f*cking tops in my book.

There are so many arguments in this thread that I disagree with (and I don't have time to retort, as I've finished my bog and I'm ready to wipe), and ontop of that, hardly have a place in a thread which Walmart is accused of building on a landmark. If you think that Walmart are a bunch of d*cks for knocking on cherished land, argue that. Arguments don't have to stand on some other faults that you believe Walmart are guilty of.

I read this, and I noticed I come off quite smug. Not my intent, unless you're bush turder, then f*ck off.

[gaijinsamurai]

Uglymug,
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and yes, Walmart has the legal right, to do most of what it does (some of its union busting activities have been questionable, if not downright illegal, in the US), but I don't see how you can argue that those business practices can be of ultimate good for society, unless you happen to be a citizen of the People's Republic of China, or a Walmart executive or stockholder.

And as far as "blowing Japanese corporations by the end of the *****", I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that, but I'd be willing to bet the average employee of Canon, Toshiba, or Honda has a lot more loyalty to their employer than the people who work at Walmart.

[sgt_G]

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9000/walmarx2d83dcb0.png
..........

[custodes]

When these places first opened it did seem a bit commie. Sams' Club and Edwards had like no bags(still don't) and one choice of each product, in giant-sized containers, of downscale quality. How I imagined the USSR. But newer.

[Gus]

Several years ago I went to work for an electrical supply company caller Stuart C. Irby Co. When I visited the corporate headquarters in Jackson, Miss. for my first managers meeting I was surprised by how cramped the place was for both office space and warehouse space. I mean it was packed to the gills and the over crowding was a common topic of conversation there. I had noticed a huge empty building next door that was at least a couple of times larger than the building they were in. When I asked about if they had looked into buying that building the response from the HQ people was a unanimous "not interested." I was told that the work clothes maker ****ies had left the building and moved their manufacturing to Mexico and offered the building to Irby. The owners of Irby said 'no thanks' based on principal. Even as the price dropped to rock bottom (being no other viable buyers) Irbry still said 'not interested.'
That always stuck with me as an example that sometimes large corporations can do the right thing just because it's the 'right thing'.

Wal-Mart does get personal about getting their own way too. They killed off Zenith, the last US television maker, just because Zenith wouldn't play ball by Wal-Mart's rules. So the boys from Bentonville drove them out of business.

[gaijinsamurai]

Interesting story, Gus.
Good for Irby.

RIP Zenith.

[custodes]

Interesting story, Gus.
Good for Irby.

RIP Zenith.

Ditto. Our last TV,the country who developed the system.

But,I think Irby has made its' point. They could buy the cheap property now and still keep their principles intact. The taxes paid since then and loss of higher price have punished them (not that a multi-national would really be hurt) and made their point. Good job Irby.:)

[Uglymug]

Uglymug,
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and yes, Walmart has the legal right, to do most of what it does (some of its union busting activities have been questionable, if not downright illegal, in the US), but I don't see how you can argue that those business practices can be of ultimate good for society, unless you happen to be a citizen of the People's Republic of China, or a Walmart executive or stockholder.

And as far as "blowing Japanese corporations by the end of the *****", I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that, but I'd be willing to bet the average employee of Canon, Toshiba, or Honda has a lot more loyalty to their employer than the people who work at Walmart.

I wouldn't be surprised if 99% of the workers at Canon, Toshiba and Honda are more devoted and loyal than workers at Walmart. That's not what I'm arguing.

You stated that: "One reason that Japanese corporations were, until fairly recently, so successful is that in Japanese society, there is a cultural expectation that individuals, as well as corporations, will look out for the greater good, rather than self."

All I simply said, was that Walmart is largely successful, and probably moreso than it's Japanese counterparts. My bad if it was lost in translation, perhaps you don't speak 'Retard Jibberish' as well as I do. Although, the main point I was trying to get across is that a large number of the accusations accounted to Walmart are unjustified and unfair.

An example of this: "When corporations ONLY think of the short-term financial benefit for themselves, it just empowers those who espouse socialism. A reason that so many socialist/communist movements in poor countries had such momentum was due to the arrogant expoitation and excesses on the part of the wealthy". I don't find that to be fair, and I would consider it as something closer towards hyperbole. I understand you didn't mention Walmart in that particular sentence, but I think it's rather safe to assume that you implied it as fitting in that category.

I don't think it's a valid argument against Walmart that it's morally wrong business ethic attributes a gain towards the socialist movement in America, for a variety of reasons. I've also never heard of Walmart engaging in illegal activities either, but I do have an open mind and I would say that I wouldn't be too surprised. But rather, until evidence is presented otherwise, I'm going to side with Walmart. If I was from China or even Asian, or a Walmart executive or shareholder, my opinion would most likely stay the same. 'Walmart Hate' is something I see quite often on International/American forums, alot of the arguments are not good enough to support that stance imo. I think calling them a bunch of greedy f*ckwits is about as good as it gets.

[gaijinsamurai]

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/facts/

[wildcat]

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/facts/

i hate them more mow

[DasBoost]

Property taxes were raised in my city to provide a subsidy so we could have the 'honor' of having Wal*Mart be there. Then W*M goes and builds a Super W*M about 20 miles down the past the south end of town and everyone goes there and now the original W*M is possibly closing- they havent restocked in about 2 weeks, the shelves are just slowly going bare. MY senior project in high school was about W*M and their business practices and how they drive wages down and actually cost residents more than they save with low prices for **** goods. However, most ppl don't care because they can save a few bucks... It's a joke...

EDIT: Found some info-


Wal-Mart has received over $1.2 billion in subsidies from state and local governments. ["How Wal-Mart Has Used Public Money in Your State," Good Jobs First , 2007]



A Wal-Mart official stated that "it is common" for the company to request subsidies in "about 1/3 of all [retail] projects." This suggests that over a thousand Wal-Mart stores have received taxpayer subsidies, despite their $12 billion in profits in 2007. ["New Research Shows Wal-Mart Rigs the System to Skip Out on $2.3 Billion in State Taxes," Citizens for Tax Justice, 4/16/07]

[Gus]

'subsidies' back in the day those were called 'bribes'

[Mastermind]

^^"Senior project was to write a paper about how evil WM is...." That's a very odd thing for an assignment...not brain washing at all, is it?

yeah...hating WM is all fine and good, until you want the best prices on food, clothing and other stuff. Hating WM is like hating those artery clogging french fries and burgers at McDonalds....everyone shoots their mouth off, parroting the socialist speaking points, just fine...then they all dash off for a Big Mac and fries after school. That fking brain washing only goes so far.

Oh..BTW...it was not WM that killed off Zenith...it was the coming of the NAFTA that whacked Zenith and Singer and the American Garment Workers and ...well, the list is endless, really. If you take a long look, and a less biased one, you will see it was the US congress and a libtard President that killed a whole host of American companies and manufacturing

[gaijinsamurai]

^
MM, to say Walmart is single-handedly responsible for wrecking the US economy, is of course, bullshyt, and none of us are saying that. And you can argue that they have the right to try to make a profit. But in light of all the info presented in this thread, it is hard to argue that they are deserving of consumers' business, especially when their prices aren't really anything to get excited about.

And Das Boost said it was his project. He didn't say he was assigned to specifically single out Walmart, on orders from the teacher.

[Gus]

It's not the cheaper prices that get people into Wal-Mart it's the convenience of having everything they need under one roof. More accurately, at one parking lot. With our breakneck pace lifestyle it's simply easier to spend 40 minutes at Wally-World than to schlep around town for three hours wrestling the stroller in and out of the car a dozen times, and standing in a half-dozen different check-out lines. Not to mention the extra gas burned too.

Obviously I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart but I have always tried to remind people that the death of small-town America's traditional downtown wasn't entirely Wal-Mart's fault. We forget that in the 1970s when Wal-Mart was exploding onto the scene there was also a by-pass boom going on in the U.S. Most towns and cities were building by-passes to carry pass-through traffic around congested downtown areas and local businesses were knocking each other over to set up shop along those by-passes. In some cases Wal-Mart was there first and others followed, but mostly businesses moved on their own to have room to expand and have a parking lot of their own (a big deal when the three spots in front of your downtown store could be filled all day by people picnicking in the park across the street.) Almost overnight the congestion along those by-passes was worse than it had ever been downtown. If you don't believe me take a close look at the prime commercial area in your hometown. You know, that spot where the traffic is absolutely horrendous. I'll bet a $1 that was 'the loop' when it was built. In the last decade or so most state's DOT's have adopted a policy of 'no-access' to new by-passes. Meaning you are welcome to build whatever you like along it, but you're not going to have a driveway. In many cases that includes off-ramps for service roads.

I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma. I remember in the mid-70s we had Wal-Mart #9 and it was no bigger than your average Dollar General, or Family Dollar type store. It was tiny compared to the Safeway down the street. Who'd-a-thunk it?

[DasBoost]

^^"Senior project was to write a paper about how evil WM is...." That's a very odd thing for an assignment...not brain washing at all, is it?
yeah...hating WM is all fine and good, until you want the best prices on food, clothing and other stuff. Hating WM is like hating those artery clogging french fries and burgers at McDonalds....everyone shoots their mouth off, parroting the socialist speaking points, just fine...then they all dash off for a Big Mac and fries after school. That fking brain washing only goes so far.
Oh..BTW...it was not WM that killed off Zenith...it was the coming of the NAFTA that whacked Zenith and Singer and the American Garment Workers and ...well, the list is endless, really. If you take a long look, and a less biased one, you will see it was the US congress and a libtard President that killed a whole host of American companies and manufacturing

Not so; to be more specific, it was the effects on local businesses if the county mandated a 'living wage' and enacted legislation making it so. Wal*Mart was one of the businesses analyzed, along with Target, Home Depot, Staples, and Raleys, and a host of Mom'n'Pop shops. I'm not a Socialist, nor was I parroting speaking points; it was an objective analysis of the effects of a hypothetical piece of legislation. That being said, I am against Wal*Mart and make an effort not to shop there. I'm not blaming them for putting Zenith/Singer/etc out of business; I am blaming them for hurting the families that had businesses and served the community so long, along with my mindless generation for being all talk and being too ****ing lazy to even attempt a step, let alone walk the talk...

[wildcat]

I hate walmart, they have 3 stores in my city and 2 are superstores, if that is not enough they are building one 10 miles north in a small community, plan to build another super center 2.5 miles from another walmart store, and yet another walmart in a different direction 3 miles from one walmart and 3 miles from another walmart.

that makes 7 walmarts in the county, on top of this there are 6 walmarts across the river in portland with another being just across the river.

is walmart becoming the BNL (Buy and Large), one day it will all be walmart.

so far no tax dollars, and seeing the county is trying to stop them, I doubt they will get a penny.

[Gus]

Retail wars of 2034:

When the second 'cold war' finally went 'hot' most combatants were knocked out in the opening salvos of the conflict, save one. Target (Hudson Davis Corp.) chose not to face off nose-to-nose in a direct frontal attack against it's more powerful rival but instead employed a series of hit-and-run raids against the big blue giant backed by solid, yet creative strategic thinking. This proved very effective against the lumbering behemoth of Wal-Mart, and it's bloated command structure.

Victory seemed at hand for the Target infantry (the red shirts) in the fall of 34 as they surrounded and slowly tightened the noose around Bentonville. Fighting house to house, rooting out underpaid, non-union, blue troops (the Wallys) as they moved closer and closer to the enemy Headquarters at 8th and Walton. But a last moment turn of fate was at hand as paratroops of the People's Liberation Army darkened the skies, ensuring victory for Wal-Mart (and a market for their goods) ushering in mankind's second dark-age.

"Remember the Alamo!"
"Remember the Maine!"
"Remember the Oakdale Shopping Center anchor space #37!"


:P

[Mastermind]

Wll...I have to abandon this thread...it's way too loaded with unrealistic thinkers. If the shoe fits, wear it.

I'll end my participation with this. If WM was so bad, millions of people would not shop there. In any community...I do not care where...It is always the law of supply and demand that rules. I am old enough to remember the pre-WM days....and I loved "Small Town, USA"...I grew up in it. We went to the bank, then to the grocer, then to the meat market, then to the fish market, then to Ben Franklin, then to Kresses (Which ultimately became K-Mart) (loved the soda fountain at Kresses...Mom would always let me and my sister sit at the counter and have a root beer float while she shopped for her necessities., then to the shoe repair shop, then ...we visited every store on main street. It was the better part of the day to get it all done. Yes...there was something endearing about it all. And, there were many things irritating about it. We knew all the merchants personally and they knew us (everyone was on a first name basis). But, the prices were not always the best...(on occasion, for really big shopping, we would all go to a "Mega-Mart"...for the day it seemed large but was really just a grocery with a drug store and a sporting goods section) and Mom would always mavel over the price differences...how much lower the prices were than downtown. But, the charm of Mainstreet kept us shopping there for a long time.

When WM came to town, we just had to shop there and yes, the prices really were something to keep us off Main Street...eventually, MS died...became stupid shores...used clothing, hardware, flea-market, or just empty...most of them went empty. Mom and pop really did go and we never saw them again...was that sad...yes...in a way. But, it was inevitable, very much like the vanising steam locomotives (Yes- I really am that old) and belching coal power station at the ice plant and the huge dust clouds coming from the cement plant a few block from MS.

Well, times change. We could not go back to "Main Street" now if we insisted on it...no one would pay those prices for one thing and people have become accustomed to the convenience of WM's "all stuff under one roof" concept.

So, hate WM all you want...what you are really saying, you hate what we have become...you hate the necessity of it...you hate the impersonalization of it. You probably hate yourself for participating...(Yes, I am pretty sure even though you "despise" WM, you still shop there.)

So...with that little rant...Good Day.

[gaijinsamurai]

The Real Facts About Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart spends millions trying to silence its critics through elaborate marketing plans. We can't let Bentonville hide the truth about their company: these are the REAL facts about Wal-Mart.


Wal-Mart Wages
Wal-Mart and Health Care
Costs to Taxpayers
Community Impact
Wal-Mart and Imports
Wal-Mart and China
Wal-Mart and Worker Injuries
Wal-Mart Non-Health Care Benefits
Wal-Mart Anti-Union Policy
Wal-Mart & Gender Discrimination
Wal-Mart & Child Labor
Wal-Mart & Undocumented Immigrants
Wal-Mart and Wage Law Violations

Wal-Mart Wages
Download the Wal-Mart Wages flyer - PDF

Walmart’s entry into a market depressed wages and displaced better-paying retail jobs.

A 2005 study found that Walmart’s entry into a metropolitan area eliminates similar jobs that pay about 18% more than Walmart. In those areas, the total average earnings of retail workers decreased by 0.5 to 0.8% (1).
Walmart’s average wage is below retail industry standards.

Walmart’s national average wage of $11.75 an hour (2) is 2.5% below the average wage of $12.04/hour for Retail Sales persons, the largest retail industry occupation, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (3).
Walmart’s average wage is below poverty level.

Walmart’s average wage of $11.75/hour translates into annual pay of $20,774 for a full-time associcate (4). This is almost 6% below the Federal Poverty Level of $22,050 for a family of four.
Walmart’s average wage is distinctly lower than the average wage for unionized competitors in key markets.

The average Walmart associate in California earns 26% less than the average wage of a UFCW worker at one of the three major supermarkets under the current master contract for Southern California (5).
In Massachusetts, a Walmart associate earns 19% less on average than a retail worker covered by a UFCW contract with a large employer (6).
Walmart can afford to pay higher wages.

According to a 2007 report, if Walmart started paying a $10/hour starting wage, its workers could each earn $1,020 to $4,640 more per year, before taxes. If Walmart were to pass this cost directly to shoppers, the average consumer would need to pay only 36 cents more per shopping trip, or $9.70 per year (7).
In 2008, Walmart CEO Mike Duke received $12.2 million in total compensation (8), or 587 times the annual income of a full time Walmart Associate being paid average wages.
Walmart wages: not designed to support a family

Walmart spokesperson Mona Williams was quoted in 2004 for admitting that, "More than two thirds of our people... are not trying to support a family that’s who our jobs are designed for" (9).
Walmart and Wages Footnotes

1. Dube, Arindrajit and Steve Wertheim, October 2005. “Walmart and Job Quality—What Do We Know, and Should We Care?” http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/retail/walmart_jobquality.pdf.
2. Nationwide average Walmart wages from “Corporate Facts: Walmart By the Numbers,” Walmart fact sheet dated February 2010. http://walmartstores.com/FactsNews/FactSheets/
3. Mean hourly wage rate for Retail Salespersons, obtained from Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2008, available at: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm
4. The calculation assumes that a full-time Walmart worker works an average of 34 hours a week, 52 weeks a year. The average of 34 hours a week is obtained from an internal Walmart memo http://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/business/26walmart.pdf
5. UFCW analysis of store-level hours distributions and wage progressions from a 2009-2010 Southern California multi-employer master contract with seven UFCW locals.
6. From UFCW analysis of store-level hour distribution and wage progressions from a 2009-2010 UFCW master contract with a large New England supermarket and five UFCW locals.
7. Dube, Arindrajit, Dave Graham-Squire, Ken Jacobs, Stephanie Luce, December 2007. “Living Wage Policies and Wal-Mart: How a Higher Wage Standard Would Impact Wal-Mart Workers and Shoppers.” University of California, Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education. Available online at http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/retail/walmart_livingwage_policies07.pdf
8. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Definitive Proxy Statement (Form DEF-14A) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 20, 2009, p. 36.
9. Transcript of PBS Newshour, 23 August 2004
Wal-Mart and Health Care
Download the Wal-Mart and Health Care flyer - PDF

Wal-Mart's health care plan fails to cover nearly 700,000 employees

Wal-Mart reports that its health insurance covers only 50.2% of their employees. Wal-Mart has nearly 1.4 million US employees. [UFCW analysis of Wal-Mart health plan, March 2008]
Wal-Mart's health care plan is too costly

If an average full-time Wal-Mart employee chooses the least expensive family coverage plan, they would have to spend over 20% of their income before the health insurance provided any reimbursement.[ EBRI Issue Brief October 2007]
An average full time Wal-Mart Associate faces a serious family health issue. They have to pay the entire out-of-pocket maximum for the least expensive health plan, which adds up to pay 53% of their income. [ EBRI Issue Brief October 2007]
Wal-Mart's health insurance falls far short of the industry average

On average, large firms (1,000 or more workers) insure 65% of their employees. If Wal-Mart was to minimally reach the average coverage rate, Wal-Mart would cover an additional 210,000 workers. [ EBRI Issue Brief October 2007]
Wal-Mart forces employees to rely on public assistance to cover health care costs

In 21 of 23 states where data is available, Wal-Mart forces more employees to rely on taxpayer-funded health care than any other employer. ["Disclosures of Employers Whose Workers and Their Dependents are Using State Health Insurance Programs, Good Jobs First, June 26, 2007]
Wal-Mart admits public assistance is a "better value"

Despite over $12 billion in profits, President and CEO Lee Scott admits, "In some of our states, the public program may actually be a better value - with relatively high income limits to qualify, and low premiums". [Transcript Lee Scott Speech, 4 May 2005]
Costs to Taxpayers
Download the Costs to Taxpayers flyer - PDF

Your tax dollars pay for Wal-Mart's greed

A 2004 estimate by the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce found that Wal-Mart's low wages cost taxpayers up to $2.5 billion a year in the form of federal public assistance programs. ["Everyday Low Wages: The Hidden Price We All Pay for Wal-Mart," A Report by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Education and the Workforce]
In 21 of 23 states where data is available, Wal-Mart forces more employees to rely on taxpayer-funded health care than any other employer. ["Disclosures of Employers Whose Workers and Their Dependents are Using State Health Insurance Programs," Good Jobs First 2007]
Your local Wal-Mart costs your community up to $420,000 per year

These costs come in the form of many public assistance programs. A 2004 study found that one Wal-Mart store cost taxpayers $108,000/year for children's health care and $42,000 per year for low-income housing assistance. ["How Wal-Mart Has Used Public Money in Your State," Good Jobs First 2007]
Your tax dollars subsidize Wal-Mart's growth

Wal-Mart has received over $1.2 billion in subsidies from state and local governments. ["How Wal-Mart Has Used Public Money in Your State," Good Jobs First , 2007]
A Wal-Mart official stated that "it is common" for the company to request subsidies in "about 1/3 of all [retail] projects." This suggests that over a thousand Wal-Mart stores have received taxpayer subsidies, despite their $12 billion in profits in 2007. ["New Research Shows Wal-Mart Rigs the System to Skip Out on $2.3 Billion in State Taxes," Citizens for Tax Justice, 4/16/07]
Through a loophole in many state tax codes, Wal-Mart avoided paying $2.3 billion in state income taxes between 1999 and 2005 alone. ["New Research Shows Wal-Mart Rigs the System to Skip Out on $2.3 Billion in State Taxes," Citizens for Tax Justice, 4/16/07]
Community Impact
Download the Community Impact flyer - PDF

Wal-Mart drives down wages and increases poverty in communities

A 2007 study found that the opening of a single Wal-Mart store lowers average retail wages in that county nearly 1%. In the general merchandise sector, wages fell by 1% for each new Wal-Mart. And for grocery store employees, the effect of a single new Wal-Mart was a 1.5% reduction in earnings. [Arindrajit Dube, T. William Lester, and Barry Eidlin, "A Downward Push: The Impact of Wal-Mart Stores on Retail Wages and Benefits," 2007]
The average wage for retail workers is 10% lower than it would have been without Wal-Mart's presence. [Arindrajit Dube, T. William Lester, and Barry Eidlin, "A Downward Push: The Impact of Wal-Mart Stores on Retail Wages and Benefits," 2007]
Nationwide, counties that had more Wal-Marts in 1987 and counties that saw more Wal-Marts built between 1987 and 1998 experienced greater increases in family-poverty rates during the 1990's. [Stephan J. Goetz and Hema Swaminathan, "Wal-Mart and County-Wide Poverty," 2006]
Money spent at Wal-Mart does not stay in the community

In Virginia, for example, 60 cents of every dollar spent downtown, stays downtown--compared to just six cents for every dollar spent at a big-box stores like Wal-Mart. [Rocky Mountain Institute]
Wal-Mart negatively impacts the environment, traffic, and sprawl

In October 2004, the United States Federal Government sued Wal-Mart for violating the Clean Water Act in 9 states, calling for penalties of over $3 million and changes to its building codes. ["Wal-Mart II Storm Water Settlement," EPA, 12 May 2004]
A study of estimated additional driving costs to Wal-Mart Supercenters in the San Francisco Bay area estimated costs of up to $256 million to the community for infrastructure repair and environmental degradation. ["Supercenters and the Transformation of the Bay Area Grocery Industry: Issues, Trends, and Impacts," Bay Area Economic Forum, 2004]
Wal-Mart forced local small businesses to close

Studies in Iowa showed that some small towns lost up to 47% of their retail trade after 10 years of a Wal-Mart store moving in nearby in the mid 1990's. [Kenneth E. Stone, "Impact of the Wal-Mart Phenomenon on Rural Communities," 1997]
Wal-Mart doesn't care what your community thinks

In 2005, Wal-Mart real-estate manager Jeff Doss spoke about an oft-cited remark by company founder Sam Walton that Wal-Mart would not build stores in towns if the residents did not want them. "Were that the case," he said, "we'd never build a store anywhere". [Kenneth E. Stone, "Impact of the Wal-Mart Phenomenon on Rural Communities," 1997]
Wal-Mart and Imports
70% of the commodities sold in Wal-Mart are made in China. [China Business Weekly, November 29, 2004]
Just because Wal-Mart bought goods from suppliers based in the United States does not mean that they were actually manufactured in the United States. In fact, Ray Bracy, Wal-Mart's vice president for federal and international public affairs, was asked, "Do you have any idea what percentage [of non-grocery, domestic sales] comes from overseas?" He responded, "What we don't know is the numbers of products that come from distributors or from manufacturers that they [sic] decide where to manufacture." Wal-Mart fails to track where their products are manufactured. [Frontline, 11/16/2004]
Wal-Mart and China
Download the Wal-Mart and China flyer - PDF

Wal-Mart buys most of its merchandise from China

Over 80% of Wal-Mart's suppliers are based in China. ["China must tame economic dragon or face disaster" The Irish Times, 15 May 2008]
In 2007 alone, Wal-Mart directly imported approximately $32 billion in merchandise from China. That's nearly 10% of all U.S. imports from China. ["Wal-Mart to push 1,000 Chinese suppliers to adopt green agenda" Financial Times, 7 April 2008] Note: This figure does not include purchases from other name brand suppliers who also source from China. If these suppliers were included, this number would be far higher.
70% of goods on Wal-Mart's shelves come from China. [China Business Weekly, November 29, 2004]
As of 2008, if Wal-Mart was its own country, it would rank as the eighth largest importer of Chinese goods, ahead of Russia and India. ["US-China Trade Statistics and China's World Trade Statistics," US-China Business Council, 2008]

Many of Wal-Mart's "American Suppliers" actually manufacture most or all of their products in China

One example of an "American supplier" is Hasbro, headquartered in Rhode Island. Today, Wal-Mart is the largest purchaser of Hasbro products—accounting for 24% of all Hasbro products or more than $900 million in sales. But Hasbro reports that "the substantial majority of our toy products are manufactured in China." [2008 Hasbro 10-K filed with the SEC ]
Wal-Mart's Chinese factory workers are treated poorly

A 2008 report by the National Labor Committee found that workers making holiday ornaments for Wal-Mart in Guangzhou, China were paid only 2/3 of the legal minimum wage, often worked 95 hour weeks, and were forced to work for months without a single day off. The report also found that children as young as 12 worked in the factory and that workers handled dangerous chemicals without even the most rudimentary form of protection, leading to serious skin rashes and sores. ["A Wal-Mart Christmas: Brought to You by a Sweatshop in China," The National Labor Committee, December 2007]
Workers face appalling work conditions, despite Wal-Mart's factory inspection program

As of early 2008, only 26% of Wal-Mart's factory inspections are unannounced, providing managers the opportunity to coach workers on what to say and hide violations. In contrast, 100% of the audits conducted by Target, one of Wal-Mart's chief competitors, are unannounced. [T.A. Frank, "Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector," Washington Monthly, April 2008]
Wal-Mart and Worker Injuries
Wal-Mart cares little for the safety of its workers

In 2005, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has upheld a $5,000 fine against a Wal-Mart store in Hoover, Ala., for blocking emergency exits. The court upheld a decision by a judge who found that Wal-Mart was guilty of a serious and repeated offense. [New York Times, 5/17/05]
According to New York Times report in 2004, Wal-Mart instituted a "lock-in" policy at some of its Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores. The stores lock their doors at night so that no one can enter or leave the building, leaving workers inside trapped. Some workers reported that managers had threatened to fire them if they ever used the fire exit to leave the building. Instead, they were supposed to wait for a manager to unlock doors to allow employees to escape in an emergency. [New York Times 1/18/2004]
The West Virginiastate workmen's comp agency placed Wal-Mart in an "adverse risk" pool because Wal-Mart had unusually high accident rates. [Charleston Gazette, 6/3/99]
Wal-Mart takes a combative approach to workers' compensation claims

Arkansas Business in 2001 described Wal-Mart as "the state's most aggressive" when it comes to challenging worker's compensation claims. The company "stands far above any other self-insurer in challenges to employee claims." [Arkansas Business, 1/8/01]
Wal-Mart Non-Health Care Benefits
Download the Wal-Mart Non-Health Care Benefits flyer - PDF

Wal-Mart gives its managers and other non-hourly associates a disproportionate amount of its profit sharing, stock incentives, and other benefits

According to Wal-Mart press releases, Wal-Mart salaried associates earned $207.6 million and $206.6 million in 2007 and 2006, respectively, towards their 401k and profit sharing plans. That’s about 23% of total contributions that go to managers and non-hourly associates.
Wal-Mart’s annual report said the total stock compensation was $276 million in 2007, but Wal-Mart’s press release from May 1, 2008 said that only $50.1 million went to hourly employees. Therefore, $225.9 million, or 81.8%, of the stock purchase plan benefit went to non-hourly management and executives.[ Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Annual Report, fiscal year ending January 31, 2007 and Wal-Mart press release May 3, 2007]
What Wal-Mart gave to hourly associates pales in comparison to what Wal-Mart gave to its top five executives.

In 2006, the top five executives in Wal-Mart, made $62 million in stock options, incentive plans and other compensation. (This figure does not include their $4.6 million in salary.) This is equal to 8.7% of all the money Wal-Mart gave to its 1.39 million workers for employee stock purchases, profit sharing, and 401-k contributions.[ Wal-Mart Proxy Statement, for Fiscal Year Ending January 31, 2007, walmartfacts.com from December 2005 as in Brenner, Eidlen and Candaele, 2006, and Wal-Mart press release May 3, 2007]
Former Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott made $28.3 million in bonus and stock options and other compensation (excluding his salary) in 2006. This is equal to 3.9% of all the money Wal-Mart gave to its 1.39 million workers for employee stock purchases, profit sharing, and 401-k contributions. [Wal-Mart Proxy Statement, for Fiscal Year Ending January 31, 2007, Wal-Mart press release May 3, 2007, and walmartfacts.com from December 2005 as in Brenner, Eidlen and Candaele, 2006]
Wal-Mart’s statement on profit sharing highlights Wal-Mart’s low pay

Wal-Mart says they historically contribute 2% of an associate’s pay for profit sharing and 2% for 401k. For 2007, Wal-Mart contributed $724.4 million to 838,955 hourly associates. Based on those figures, the average pay for an hourly associate was only $21,580 annually. [Wal-Mart press release May 3, 2007 and May 1, 2008]
The average profit sharing/401k contribution for all Wal-Mart employees was $517 dollars per worker in 2007.

If Wal-Mart gave $724.4 million in profit sharing and 401k to its hourly workers in 2007 and Wal-Mart had about 1.4 million workers in the United States at the beginning of 2008, the average Wal-Mart associate received $517 in profit sharing and 401k contributions which amounts to a sad $1.42 per day for retirement. [Wal-Mart press release May 1, 2008]
Wal-Mart gave $636.4 million in bonuses in 2007 to hourly associates. This averages to $758, or only $2.09 per day for retirement. [Wal-Mart press release May 1, 2008]
Wal-Mart Anti-Union Policy
Wal-Mart closes down stores and departments that unionize

Wal-Mart closed its store in Jonquierre, Quebec in April 2005 after its employees received union certification. The store became the first unionized Wal-Mart in North America when 51 percent of the employees at the store signed union cards. [Washington Post, 4/14/05]
In December 2005, the Quebec Labour Board ordered Wal-Mart to compensate former employees of its store in Jonquiere Quebec. The Board ruled that Wal-Mart had improperly closed the store in April 2005 in reprisal against unionized workers. [Personnel Today, 12/19/05]
In 2000, when a small meatcutting department successfully organized a union at a Wal-Mart store in Texas, Wal-Mart responded a week later by announcing the phase-out of its in-store meatcutting company-wide. [Pan Demetrakakes, "Is Wal-Mart Wrapped in Union Phobia?" Food & Packaging 76 (August 1, 2003).]
Wal-Mart has issued "A Manager's Toolbox to Remaining Union Free,"

This toolbox provides managers with lists of warning signs that workers might be organizing, including "frequent meetings at associates' homes" and "associates who are never seen together start talking or associating with each other." The "Toolbox" gives managers a hotline to call so that company specialists can respond rapidly and head off any attempt by employees to organize. [Wal-Mart, A Manager's Toolbox to Remaining Union Free at 20-21]
Wal-Mart is committed to an anti-union policy

In the last few years, well over 100 unfair labor practice charges have been filed against Wal-Mart throughout the country, with 43 charges filed in 2002 alone.
Since 1995, the U.S. government has been forced to issue at least 60 complaints against Wal-Mart at the National Labor Relations Board. [International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), Internationally Recognised Core Labour Standards in the United States: Report for the WTO General Council Review of the Trade Policies of the United States (Geneva, January 14-16, 2004)]
Wal-Mart's labor law violations range from illegally firing workers who attempt to organize a union to unlawful surveillance, threats, and intimidation of employees who dare to speak out. ["Everyday Low Wages: The Hidden Price We All Pay for Wal-Mart," A Report by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 2/16/04]
Wal-Mart & Gender Discrimination
Wal-Mart discriminates against women

In 2001, six women sued Wal-Mart in California claiming the company discriminated against women by systematically denying them promotions and paying them less than men. The lawsuit, Dukes v. Wal-Mart, has expanded to include more than 1.6 million current and former female employees, and was certified on June 21 2004 as the largest class action lawsuit ever. [Mondaq Business Briefing, November 1, 2004]
In 2001, while more than two-thirds of Wal-Mart's hourly workers were female, women held only one-third of managerial positions and made up less than 15 percent of store managers. This is all despite women having had on average longer seniority and higher merit ratings than their male counterparts. [Neil Buckley and Caroline Daniel, "Wal-Mart vs. the Workers: Labour Grievances Are Stacking Up Against the World's Biggest Company,"" Financial Times 11, 11/20/03]
In 2001, women managers on average earned $14,500 less than their male counterparts. Female hourly workers earned on average $1,100 less than male counterparts. [Drogin 2003]
In 2001, for the same job classification, women earned from 5 percent to 15 percent less than men, even after taking into account factors such as seniority and performance. [Drogin 2003]
Wal-Mart & Child Labor
Download the Wal-Mart & Child Labor flyer - PDF

Wal-Mart repeatedly broke child labor laws

Wal-Mart agreed to pay $135,540 for breaking child labor violations charges in January 2005 in 24 separate incidents.["Wal-Mart Agrees to Pay Fine for Violating Child Labor Laws; Company Signs Settlement Agreement with Labor Department," February 14th, 2005, U.S. Newswire ]
Wal-Mart was also fined $205,650 for 1,436 violations of child labor laws in Maine between 1995 and 1998. The settlement represents the largest number of citations as well as the largest fine ever issued by the Maine Department of Labor for child labor violations. [Weinstein, Joshua, "Wal-Mart fined $205,650 in child labor case", March 2, 2000, Portland Press Herald]
Wal-Mart got a sweetheart deal as part of their settlement

In an unprecedented deal, the U.S. Department of Labor agreed to give Wal-Mart 15 days notice before visiting and/or investigating allegations of wage and hour violations, including failure to pay minimum wage or overtime. This move was called "very unusual," and according to former DOL official John R. Fraser, "appears to put Wal-Mart in a privileged position that... no other employer has." [Greenhouse, Steven, "Wal-Mart Agrees to Pay Fine in Child Labor Cases", February 12th, 2005, NY Times]
Wal-Mart's own internal audit found extensive child labor violations

A 2000 internal Wal-Mart audit found "extensive violations of child labor laws and state regulations requiring time for breaks and meals." [Greenhouse, Steven, "In-House Audit Says Wal-Mart Violated Labor Laws," January 13th, 2004, NY Times]
One week of time records for 25,000 employees in July 2000 found 1,371 instances of minors working too late, during school hours, or for too many hours in a day. There were 15,705 lost meal times and 60,767 missed breaks. [Greenhouse, Steven, "In-House Audit Says Wal-Mart Violated Labor Laws," January 13th, 2004, NY Times]
Wal-Mart continued to break child labor laws

In June, 2005, despite the internal audit warning top Wal-Mart executives of broken child labor laws, Connecticut found 11 violations in three Wal-Mart stores in the state. The probe came after the Labor Department in February said the retailer had similar violations nationwide. [Greenhouse, Steven, In-House Audit Says Wal-Mart Violated Labor Laws, January 13th, 2004, NY Times]
Wal-Mart & Undocumented Immigrants
In 2003, federal authorities arrested 250 undocumented immigrants who were employed by janitor contracting services and hired by Wal-Mart in 21 states. Many of the janitors - from Mexico, Russia, Mongolia, Poland and a host of other nations - worked seven days or nights a week without overtime pay or injury compensation. Those who worked nights were often locked in the store until the morning. [Wall Street Journal, 11/5/05, CNN Money, "Wal-Mart pays $11m over illegal labor", 2005]
In March 2005, Wal-Mart agreed to pay $11 million to settle federal allegations it used undocumented immigrants to clean its stores. This was the largest immigration related fine ever levied. [CNN Money, "Wal-Mart pays $11m over illegal labor", 2005 and Wall Street Journal, 11/5/05]
Federal immigration officers, in November 2005, arrested 125 undocumented workers in a raid at a Wal-Mart distribution center under construction north of Philadelphia. The workers from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico were detained Thursday at the site. [Associated Press, 11/18/05]
Wal-Mart and Wage Law Violations
Download the Wal-Mart and Wage Law Violations flyer - PDF

There are 76 class action lawsuits alleging wage-and-hour violations at Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart reported in December 2008 that the company was involved in at least 76 class action lawsuits alleging wage-and-hour violations. [Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. SEC Form 10-Q, filed 12/9/08] According to The New York Times, the suits include allegations Wal-Mart forced "employees to work unpaid off the clock, eras[ed] hours from time cards and prevent[ed] workers from taking lunch and other breaks that were promised by the company or guaranteed by state laws." [New York Times, 12/24/08]
Wal-Mart's settlement is worth little to workers and less to the company

According to The New York Times, Wal-Mart announced it would settle 63 of the outstanding class action suits over wage-and-hour violations for an amount between $352 million and $640 million. [New York Times, 12/24/08] This leaves the average Wal-Mart worker as little as $250 and only as much as $450. [Calculations based on Wal-Mart's 3rd quarter 2008 sales disclosed on Form 10-Q, filed 12/9/08]
Wal-Mart's settlement represents company sales for a mere 14 hours and 10 minutes.[Calculations based on Wal-Mart's 3rd quarter 2008 sales disclosed on Form 10-Q, filed 12/9/08]
Wal-Mart's Minnesota settlement is a raw deal for local workers

Wal-Mart settled a Minnesota wage-and-hour lawsuit for $54 million. Had Wal-Mart continued with the penalty phase of the trial, they could have owed over $2 billion in penalties to the State of Minnesota. [New York Times, 12/9/08]
One plaintiff, Nancy Braun, wasn't allowed bathroom breaks while working as the only server and cook at an in-store restaurant. As a result, Ms. Braun "ended up soiling herself several times." [New York Times, 12/9/08]
Wal-Mart's $54 million settlement represents the company's profit in the last 37 hours and 10 minutes. [Calculations based on Wal-Mart’s 3rd quarter 2008 sales disclosed on Form 10-Q, filed 12/9/08]
Wal-Mart is still appealing $380 million in awards to workers in Pennsylvania and California

Wal-Mart is still appealing verdicts in two cases. In California, Wal-Mart is appealing a $192 million award for not providing employees "meal and rest breaks in accordance with California law." And in Pennsylvania, Wal-Mart has appealed a $188 million award for similar offenses. [Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. SEC Form 10-Q, filed 12/9/08]
Wal-Mart's claim that it's a changed company is betrayed by very recent lawsuits

Two class action suits were filed as recently as the fall of 2008, and the Minnesota class action suit was accepting new plaintiffs the month before the settlement. [New York Times, 12/9/08]
Ironically, Wal-Mart's general counsel Tom Mars told The New York Times that many of the suits were old and "are not representative of the company we are today." [New York Times, 12/24/08]

[gaijinsamurai]

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/facts/

The previous post is from the above link, which I posted earlier.

Mastermind: First of all I acknowledged in my first post in this thread that I did shop at Walmart to purchase bulk 9mm ammo, but only after I failed to find any at other retailers in my area, so don't try to make me out to be some hypocrite with dark secrets to hide.
And we all know that the small town America we knew in the '50s and '60s, where Opie skipped home from school and stopped at the soda fountain to pick up something for Aunt Bee is long gone. That was pretty much inevitable.
But there are dozens of other large retailers that don't engage in the blatant exploitation, lying, and greed in which Walmart engages. If you want to shop there, fine, but don't try to convince me you think it's in the best interests of our country to do so, in light of the above facts. And I'll go ahead and shop elsewhere, whenever possible.

[Albatross]

I have read multiple reports that Wal-Mart actually destroys jobs for an area of 200 miles around it. Thats pretty freakin nasty.

[gaijinsamurai]

To me, Walmart is the corporate equivilant of the lazy bitch on welfare, who thinks nothing of popping out more babies for increased benefits, shudders at the thought of having to get by without government assistance, and acts all self-righteous when someone tells her to go get a job and sow her ****** shut.

With freedom comes responsibiities, and they excercise the former without doing much about the latter, unless its some shameless flag-waving public relations event.

[domokun]

Bit political for history and tactics thread.

Military history part:

As it already has been mentioned definitions of historical battle sites may be bit unclear, but if proposed building site will take place of actual memorial site, it's quite frankly unacceptable.

Political rant part:

Walmart is part of post modern capitalism, one that seeks, as it has been said on thread plenty of times, short term profits over actual results. Free market economy has become unsustainable and cannibalistic. Basically those who make decisions aren't in contact with results of their decisions, or even more likely they don't care about results.

[DasBoost]

To me, Walmart is the corporate equivilant of the lazy bitch on welfare, who thinks nothing of popping out more babies for increased benefits, shudders at the thought of having to get by without government assistance, and acts all self-righteous when someone tells her to go get a job and sow her ****** shut.

With freedom comes responsibiities, and they excercise the former without doing much about the latter, unless its some shameless flag-waving public relations event.

QFT. Very well put.

MM, I'm a college student on a budget, so price is a daily issue when buying food or books or whatever I need. That being said, the cons of shopping at Wal*Mart outweigh the low costs; as liberal and left wing as it is, the fact remains that Wal*Mart does more harm than good.

Back on topic to the issue of whether a Wal*Mart should be allowed to go on a historical site, that is an issue for the current generation of leadership to decide on their priorities and how they feel about the past and preserving it.

[Mastermind]

Hahaha...where folks shop is of absolutely no concern...that's a personal matter. You want to shop where the prices are higher...great. You think you are performing some sort of sanctimonious patriotic "save the greater good" of human kind, well, that's cool. All I am suggesting is, the vast majority of shoppers who patronize WM can not be wrong. If WM is so evil, it would not exist and make the huge profit it make.

Personally, I think the problem people have with WM is that it is the huge, evil, capitalistic, pig that the lefties have successfully painted it.

I read over th elong list of WM evils so-called above. And not a single one of them were unique to WM...Profit is the evil word in todays world of university lefty profs. The very idea that WM employs 1.2 (or so) million Americans is great. And the so-called "below poverty level" wage is absurd...12 buck an hr is pretty damn good in my book...and beats the be-Jesus out of employment at Mickey Dees or Burger King...but I don't hear a peep about the evils of those established mega-corps.

That WM drives the moms and pops out of business..well, that's business. That WM receives subsidies to build in a certain area, bringing in hundreds of jobs...I didn't see a single stat about how much local tax benefit WM generated through payroll taxes, property taxes, retail taxes and sales taxes...not to mention, taxes on PROFITS! It's totally cool to charge WM with all sorts of evils while painted with the socialist/commu7nistia brush. But, checking out the overall benefit to a community from the growth in business...well, that just does not fit into the socialist agenda. Such as the so=called "Wall Mart made the city re-do roads, expand infrastructure to provide for the extra traffic into the stor is just about laughable. Not one word about the benefit of turning an otherwise dirt road back water into a viable business community...loaded with jobs. Yes...LOADED...becasue for every job generated by Wal-Mart, six other jobs are guaranteed....such as dry cleaners, fast food, restaurants, car service, and even other grocery stores. In my community, we have six super WMs all within fifteen minute drive of my house...but, we also have five Smiths, four Albertsons, three Vons and countless Sav-ons, Walgreens, and dozens of quickie marts...within four minuets...not to mention the Peter Pipers, Papa-Johns, Subway, Hollywoood Video, car washes, various eateries, mattress stores, insurance agencies, car repair, hair salons, nails, Massage, ice cream parlors...you name it....we have it...even hobby shops, horse stables, two Lowes, one Home Depot, Micahels, Office Depot, Office Max, Pet Smart, Best Buy, Star Nursery (2), Radio Shack (2), K-Mart, and Pep Boys and three major casinos (you have to pass these stores to get to the Wal Marts!) How can all these businesses exist in the atmosphere of SIX super WMs within fifteen minutes drive?

Well, that just does not fit the socialist agenda, does it? So, either all those businesses don't exist, or the WMs don't exist....how can that be?

It is a fact becasue WM generates hundreds of good paying jobs...yes..good paying..you can even work your way to the top....every worker at WM has the chance to become a department head...even a store manager...yes...making that hundred grand a year salary. It is not a closed society...WM has one of the best training and promotion practices in business for it's employees. They hrie more seniors...who really need an extra income, they hir a great many disabled people, they hire minorities in a larger proportion that the community, they keep clean, well organized stores (compared to the sloppy and junky K-mart.)

Yep...I love Wal mart...I shop there ...but I also patronize the other stores...including Smiths and Vons...

Nope...I don't buy it...WM is a viable business, in competition with the other businesse...just as they are in competition with WM...that's the capitalist way!

If you don't like WM...just shop elsewhere...that's the freedom of choice way!

[gaijinsamurai]

Okay, Mastermind. You have a different opinion, and I respect that. We'll just agree to disagree.

[IraGlacialis]

Only thing I really have to say is that as long as there is a preference for convenience, power-marts Wal-Mart will thrive; same reason why people forgo homemade food for for fast food. The only way you can change the way an entity like Wal-Mart functions, is to change the mentality of people, and that is a whole can of worms right there. I am not exactly a fan of WM either, but I am also a realist on a college student's budget, and it has the only substantial supermarket within a practical distance. That being said, I will give patronage towards local joints and farmers' markets when I can.
Thing is, while many independent places will suffer, others (the ones not already protected by isolation) will adapt. While convenience is a driving force for many people, there will always be a market for handmade or locally-grown items; granted, it may be for those who can afford it (if there ever is a reason to be successful, for me, this is it).

However, there is one thing I wish power-marts could do: utilize the Asian model and put their parking either on the roof or underneath them. The space taken up just by lots is unholy and contributes to sprawl. When you tuck in everything into a compact area and then repeat that method nationwide, the combined effort can help avoid a lot of the grief that occurs in cases such has the one in the first post.

[navybrook]

It's not the cheaper prices that get people into Wal-Mart it's the convenience of having everything they need under one roof. More accurately, at one parking lot. With our breakneck pace lifestyle it's simply easier to spend 40 minutes at Wally-World than to schlep around town for three hours wrestling the stroller in and out of the car a dozen times, and standing in a half-dozen different check-out lines. Not to mention the extra gas burned too.

Obviously I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart but I have always tried to remind people that the death of small-town America's traditional downtown wasn't entirely Wal-Mart's fault. We forget that in the 1970s when Wal-Mart was exploding onto the scene there was also a by-pass boom going on in the U.S. Most towns and cities were building by-passes to carry pass-through traffic around congested downtown areas and local businesses were knocking each other over to set up shop along those by-passes. In some cases Wal-Mart was there first and others followed, but mostly businesses moved on their own to have room to expand and have a parking lot of their own (a big deal when the three spots in front of your downtown store could be filled all day by people picnicking in the park across the street.) Almost overnight the congestion along those by-passes was worse than it had ever been downtown. If you don't believe me take a close look at the prime commercial area in your hometown. You know, that spot where the traffic is absolutely horrendous. I'll bet a $1 that was 'the loop' when it was built. In the last decade or so most state's DOT's have adopted a policy of 'no-access' to new by-passes. Meaning you are welcome to build whatever you like along it, but you're not going to have a driveway. In many cases that includes off-ramps for service roads.

I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma. I remember in the mid-70s we had Wal-Mart #9 and it was no bigger than your average Dollar General, or Family Dollar type store. It was tiny compared to the Safeway down the street. Who'd-a-thunk it?

Walmart is ranked 3rd in the World for sales. People vote with their dollars. It is the same with all former American industries. The average American, rather than pay higher prices for American goods (to cover Health Care costs, retirement costs, sick days, overtime, government taxes such as social security and workers comp, and all the other requirements for our workers) will buy the cheap foreign products 99% of the time. It is a fact of life. Wish it wasn't so but it is. I gave up on it loooong ago. Ain't going to change. I would venture to say that when Walmart put the more expensive American product side by side with its cheaper foreign made identical product, they couldn't sell the American product. Having learned that over the years, we got what we got. It is not their fault. They only reflect the buying habits of Americans. They don't set them. With the cost of energy (gasoline) you will pay $3 per gallon to drive around "looking" for Amerian products. Just can't do that.