|
Why is Wal-Mart a bad idea? |
|
When shopping for goods, most consumers look for good deals in order to make their dollar stretch. Discount stores like Wal-Mart offer the convenience of one stop shopping at low prices. For the most part, Wal-Mart caters to low income families; for this reason their motto is “Always low prices, Always”. What the general public doesn’t realize is that these low prices are at a social cost to Wal-Mart’s employees and tax payers of communities where these stores reside. Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world, according to Wal-Mart’s Income Statement, for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2006, the store reported net income of $11.2 billion on $316 billion of sales revenue. A very impressive profit margin, needless to say Wal-Mart is a rich company who can afford lucrative options for their stores. In Anthony Bianco’s book The Bully of Bentonville he uncovers how “the typical employee working full-time at Wal-Mart makes just $9.68 per hour, or $17,600 a year…” According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2005, a family of four consisting of two adults and two children are considered poverty if earnings are $19,806 a year or less. |
|
Letitia Aldana-Williams takes full responsibility for the information posted. The information on this page represents that of Letitia Aldana-Williams and not that of California State University, Sacramento. |
|
How can Wal-Mart expect their employees to support a family on such a low wage? They don’t. Wal-Mart employees are encouraged to get on public assistance. According to Wal-MartWatch.com, in 2005 3,971 Wal-Mart employees were enrolled in public assistance programs costing the state of Arkansas four million dollars a year. Action needs to be taken against tyrant known as Wal-Mart. They need to be held accountable for their employees’ wages and medical benefits, just as any responsible, ethical corporation should be. There have been various attempts to stop Wal-Mart from taking advantage of its employees but the journey has proven to be difficult. UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) have tried to unionize the stores with disheartening results. Wal-Mart is anti-union; in fact it has zero tolerance for workers trying to form unions. |
|
By forcing them to pay their way. When a Wal-Mart targets a city where it wants to open a new store, it applies for subsidies to build highways to their stores and asks the city for tax breaks in exchange for all the jobs it will “create”. Fight back! If they want to open a new store, they should be prepared to pay all costs associated with opening a new location. Don’t let them get away with not paying their employees medical benefits. Small business or large corporation, paying benefits to employees is part of doing business. Get involved. Be a part of the Campain by the Change to Win Federation and Wake Up Wal-Mart to pass the “Fair Share Health Care” laws nationwide. By not allowing them to enter our communities. If Wal-Mart is petitioning to build in your community, form a citizens group and work together to construct a plan to block them. If members in a community come together with the common interest of preventing Wal-Mart stores from opening; trumphs will prevail. |
|
How Can we hold Wal-Mart Accountable? |