[besson3c]

Has anybody seen this yet? I just saw it today... pretty astonishing.

Does anybody care to rebuke anything presented in this documentary? For those that haven't seen it, would you be interested in a summary of some of the points I found particularly interesting?

For example:

1% of the Walden family fortune goes back to a charity, or some good cause.
58% of the Bill Gates fortune goes back to charity.

The Walmart CEO rakes in over 27 million dollars a year, yet Walmart workers have to rely on the government for health care. Medicaid costs for Walmart employees exceeds millions of dollars each year.

There seems to be some *real* corruption within this company.


(Don't think this is a political subject worthy of being posted to the Political Lounge, no partisan politics or anything relating to government in this movie)

[gururafiki]

This is one of several reasons why I don't shop at Walmart.

[Railroader]

It all went donwhill fast when Roy died. http://web.emarketinginc.com/walmart...ane_olroy.html

This is one of the few areas I'll take your side besson3c.

Seriously, Wal*Mart has been a bad community member for a couple decades. I used to work for one for about a year and it was astoundingly amazing they stay in business. They would spend a fortune price shopping the area mom-n-pop stores and then undercutting them in pricing. Even to the point that they were taking a loss. Until that business went under and then the prices would jump right back up.

I was there when the store opened and they told the service desk people to take back ALL returns, even if the product wasn't even ever sold by a Wal-Mart. Then, they changed their policy to requiring a reciept after a couple years. I learned they did this policy at every new store.

They'll also do ANYTHING to keep any kind of a union out. they'll close a store if they have to. Somehow, Meijer can operate a store and make a good profit with a union, but Wal-Mart can't.

Avoid Wal-Mart like the plague.

[Cubeoid]

What does the Wal in Wal Mart mean?

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Railroader

They'll also do ANYTHING to keep any kind of a union out. they'll close a store if they have to. Somehow, Meijer can operate a store and make a good profit with a union, but Wal-Mart can't.

Yeah, this documentary talked about the unions at length. Apparently, the unions could do many things to improve the piss-poor working conditions at the Walmart, but Walmart is very aggressive about keeping them out, like you said.

According to this documentary, there is a LOT of crime that occurs in Walmart parking lots, but they do nothing about it. Apparently, some have security cameras in the parking lots, but they are only used for spying on union vehicles (whether this is true or not, I don't know). Under normal circumstances, these cameras aren't even monitored. They are monitored indoors. They care a great deal about what happens in the store, but once you leave the store, you are on your own. Some experimented with security guys in golf carts monitoring the parking lots, although even though they were effective, these same stores cut back by stopping this service.

As far as driving out small businesses, some dumb towns even *subsidize* Walmart store creation, but they also quickly realize the downsides of having a Walmart presence when small businesses are shut down, and Walmart gives nothing back to the community, and can actually cost the community and drain its resources. In one case, they even tainted the local water supply by keeping their pesticide and other bags of lawn chemicals in their parking lot for storage. These bags would rip open, and drain into the nearest sewer after a rainfall.

There were many astonishing and disgusting things revealed within this documentary. Even if half of them are true, it ought to be enough for any person with a heart and brain to want to stop shopping there.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Cubeoid

What does the Wal in Wal Mart mean?

It's named after the founder, Sam Waldon (Walden ?!)...

He passed on the fortune to his family, who are among the richest people in the world.

[Lateralus]

Originally Posted by besson3c

It's named after the founder, Sam Waldon (Walden)...

Walton.

[Cubeoid]

You said it Admiral Friendship!

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by besson3c

According to this documentary, there is a LOT of crime that occurs in Walmart parking lots, but they do nothing about it. Apparently, some have security cameras in the parking lots, but they are only used for spying on union vehicles (whether this is true or not, I don't know). Under normal circumstances, these cameras aren't even monitored. They are monitored indoors. They care a great deal about what happens in the store, but once you leave the store, you are on your own. Some experimented with security guys in golf carts monitoring the parking lots, although even though they were effective, these same stores cut back by stopping this service.

One time, while I was working and the power went out, we were walking around with flashlights. I happened to shine my light up into one of the security camera globes and found out that about 9 out of 20 of those globes was empty. There were only 3 security cameras in the whole store. One was in the back in a stock area, and the other two were over cash registers watching cashiers. Seems the only security risk they were watching was the employees. We didn't have any cameras in the parking lot. The cameras were all recorded onto VHS tapes and they were only reviewed if money came missing from the registers. I asked one of the managers what the story was with the cameras and he said they moved them around periodically and that I just happened to notice them while they were covering registers. He lied. right before I quit I checked the cameras againa nd they were in the exact same spots. What they would do is if they thought a cashier was stealing they'd simply place that cashier on the registers that were covered by the cameras. It was quite the insult to be assigned to those registers.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Cubeoid

You said it Admiral Friendship!

Don't mention it, that's what I'm here for, Lieutenant Buddy!

[Salty]

I don't shop at Walmart. Part of it is that I just realized that I enjoy paying a bit more to be treated with dignity. Also I don't like the idea of helping big corporations get even bigger. Last time I shopped at one would have been... last summer. Though I did get the new switchfoot album simply cause I was with my dad in there. Worst of all they're generally not much cheaper than other places. Clothes from there tend to be made of crappy fabric that feels uncomfortable, and will fall apart very soon. Also they look like crap a lot of the times. As well... I just hate the idea of helping that sort of place.
Then again I work at Best Buy. They treat their employees better sure. But at the same time... I think I just hate retail.

[Athens]

This is one of the reasons why Vancouver City refuses to let WalMart build a store. They feel WalMart is just bad news and want nothing to do with it.

[Ratm]

Originally Posted by besson3c

Don't mention it, that's what I'm here for, Lieutenant Buddy!

eewww get a room you two and give each other a proper salute.

[Cubeoid]

Hi Ratm,

I like you.

Cubeoid

[Athens]

Originally Posted by Cubeoid

Hi Ratm,

I like you.

Cubeoid

[Peter]

Interesting how Wal Mart is so terrible, but ASDA is probably one of the best (and cheapest) super markets in the UK.
(Wal Mart owns ASDA)

[analogika]

Wal-Mart made the news here a couple of months ago because they tried to fire two employees who met on the job and got into a relationship.

Apparently, it's against Wal-Mart policy to have more than a workplace association with your colleagues.

The case went up through all German courts, and Wal-Mart lost each round with increasing press coverage.

[Thorin]

Originally Posted by Peter

Interesting how Wal Mart is so terrible, but ASDA is probably one of the best (and cheapest) super markets in the UK.
(Wal Mart owns ASDA)

Their 'fresh' produce is rubbish. I think with ASDA you get what you pay for. I stopped shopping there a few years ago when I decided I didn't really want to support Wal Mart.

[Peter]

Originally Posted by Thorin

Their 'fresh' produce is rubbish. I think with ASDA you get what you pay for. I stopped shopping there a few years ago when I decided I didn't really want to support Wal Mart.

Perhaps.
They are however, awesome employers.

[meelk]

Originally Posted by analogika

Wal-Mart made the news here a couple of months ago because they tried to fire two employees who met on the job and got into a relationship.

Apparently, it's against Wal-Mart policy to have more than a workplace association with your colleagues.

The case went up through all German courts, and Wal-Mart lost each round with increasing press coverage.

...thats pretty much the rules at any business ive worked for.

[69camaro]

http://www.p-n-a.org/WalMart/page1.html#TOP

I used to live in a small town called Gig Harbor. Wal-mart tried to move in, and we didn't want them there. We made national news when we fought Wal-mart and won.

[Thorin]

Originally Posted by Peter

Perhaps.
They are however, awesome employers.

Fair enough, I only know one person who worked for them while she was at School/Uni. She did seem fairly happy there from what I recall.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by meelk

...thats pretty much the rules at any business ive worked for.

Well, then every single business you've ever worked for would have violated German workplace laws.

BTW, the workplace is marriage marketplace #1 for women over thirty, here.

People who still shop at Walmart need to be removed from the gene pool.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Peter

Interesting how Wal Mart is so terrible, but ASDA is probably one of the best (and cheapest) super markets in the UK.
(Wal Mart owns ASDA)

Heretic!

There will come a day when us Tesco shoppers will rise up and drive you Asda shoppers from our shores!

[Thorin]

Originally Posted by Doofy

Heretic!

There will come a day when us Tesco shoppers will rise up and drive you Asda shoppers from our shores!

They've built a humongous Tesco near me. By the time I've trekked across the open plains of electronic and home goods and reached the food I feel like a twitchy homicidal maniac. There's something about that shop that drives me slightly crazy, I HATE it.

[rozwado1]

Originally Posted by besson3c

There were many astonishing and disgusting things revealed within this documentary. Even if half of them are true, it ought to be enough for any person with a heart and brain to want to stop shopping there.

This IS America...

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Thorin

They've built a humongous Tesco near me. By the time I've trekked across the open plains of electronic and home goods and reached the food I feel like a twitchy homicidal maniac.

That's Tesco's way of lowering your gym costs. They're thinking about your health, see.

[Peter]

Originally Posted by Thorin

Fair enough, I only know one person who worked for them while she was at School/Uni. She did seem fairly happy there from what I recall.

I sometimes work there during University holidays - I used to work there, and now i can just ring them up and ask for some hours for a few weeks.
Really useful

[nredman]

wallyworld sucks - i don't shop there

i used to work there (for pepsi) and i always would see their employees at grocery stores or target checking out prices so they could lower theirs. they treat their vendors like ****

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by meelk

...thats pretty much the rules at any business ive worked for.

You can't have a private relationship with a coworker? As far as I remember they were not ****ing at the workplace or something like that, they just had a private relationship. It's not the employer's business what you do in your free time.

[besson3c]

Anybody work at Costco?

I understand that Costco is much better in how they treat their employees, the kind of benefits the offer, etc. Funny, since they are also smaller than Walmart in profits and power.

Walmart has no excuse, they are a bunch of greedy and corrupt bastards, me thinks.

[Eug Wanker]

I'm not a big supporter of unions, cuz some really do promote mediocrity, but I do feel that many are fairly reasonable. However, I do prefer workplaces without the added cost and time overhead of unions but which treat their employees well. Toyota here is an example.

Obviously Walmart isn't one of those workplaces, judging by all the info I've seen on the subject so far. The most glaring example in Canada recently is Walmart shutting down one of its stores simply to cut off any discussion there by the employees of establishing a union. Honda was put in the same situation here recently. They campaigned and stuff, but they let the vote go through... because they were confident their employees were loyal enough to them, based on their previous track record. Not surprisingly, the Honda employees voted down the union. Walmart would rather close its stores because it knows full well it treats its employees like crap. If I worked at Walmart, I'd most definitely want to be part of a union too.

I try to avoid Walmart as much as possible. Mind you part of the reason isn't political. I just think the stores suck.

P.S. As much as some people at MacNN don't like Bill Gates, I applaud him for his philanthropy. Sure, he's got the money to give, but he gives a lot nonetheless, and his foundation does it in a very productive way.

[andi*pandi]

walmart sucks. I'm not surprised at all.

[andreas_g4]

Originally Posted by gururafiki

This is one of several reasons why I don't shop at Walmart.

Seems to work…

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/3dc88f22-55...00e25118c.html

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Salty

I don't shop at Walmart. Part of it is that I just realized that I enjoy paying a bit more to be treated with dignity. Also I don't like the idea of helping big corporations get even bigger. Last time I shopped at one would have been... last summer. Though I did get the new switchfoot album simply cause I was with my dad in there. Worst of all they're generally not much cheaper than other places. Clothes from there tend to be made of crappy fabric that feels uncomfortable, and will fall apart very soon. Also they look like crap a lot of the times. As well... I just hate the idea of helping that sort of place.
Then again I work at Best Buy. They treat their employees better sure. But at the same time... I think I just hate retail.

Is that why you pull scams?

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?t=275176

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by rozwado1

This IS America...

The fact that you can make such a comment like this on the interweb is because of...

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Kevin

The fact that you can make such a comment like this on the interweb is because of...

*barf*

Know when to play the Nationalism card, it's so overused these days it's becoming a completely empty cliche (which is very unfortunate).

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by Kevin

The fact that you can make such a comment like this on the interweb is because of...

Tim Berners-Lee? CERN? NeXT?

[andreas_g4]

Hamsters!

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by besson3c

*barf*

Know when to play the Nationalism card, it's so overused these days it's becoming a completely empty cliche (which is very unfortunate).

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Wow... I like the new Kevin. The old Kevin would have started a 200 page argument with somebody (anybody) over this!

[Kevin]

I am trying.

[besson3c]

Comon Walmart defenders... come out of the woodwork and show your faces Surely this argument can't be this one-sided?

Thousands of people shop at Walmart. Surely there are some Walmart shoppers here?

[andreas_g4]

Originally Posted by besson3c

Comon Walmart defenders... come out of the woodwork and show your faces Surely this argument can't be this one-sided?

Thousands of people shop at Walmart. Surely there are some Walmart shoppers here?

Well, I NEED to shop at Walmart, since I have no car and it's the only big store just around the corner. But I think in Germany Walmart practices are a bit different, since we have more regulation in the area of employees rights. Prices are ok. I only buy food there, though.

[BlueSky]

[placebo1969]

My wife and shop there for certain items. I don't have any guilt. If I buy cat litter that's $2-3 cheaper than somewhere else, good for them, I say.

[besson3c]

Comon Walmart defenders... come out of the woodwork and show your faces Surely this argument can't be this one-sided?

Thousands of people shop at Walmart. Surely there are some Walmart shoppers here?

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by placebo1969

My wife and shop there for certain items. I don't have any guilt. If I buy cat litter that's $2-3 cheaper than somewhere else, good for them, I say.

Do you have no guilt because you are blissfully ignorant as to their corporate and workplace practices, or because you simply choose to turn a blind eye, or because you think they get a bad rap unfairly?

[jcadam]

I hate shopping at WalMart. It sucks teh coque