Reply #9: A lot of the people who work at WalMart

[China_cat]

for substandard wages and no benefits do so because Wal Mart has driven out any competition where they could have gotten better jobs. I have a copy here, obtained by my union, of WalMart's strategy for NOT paying benefits, overtime, etc. They don't want people staying on the job more than 2 years (which is when your eligibility for their health care package...if you're full time, which is doubtful...kicks in). They give you the papers to file for Medicaid and food stamps along with your employment papers. Yes, they actually encourage their potential employees to file for state benefits and KNOW that they will be eligible because they know that they aren't paying enough to take them over the requirements.

Locking in employees, working them off the clock, considering 32 hours as full time (which means that they aren't required by law to pay overtime), sexual harassment, violations...severe violations...of child labor laws, threats to employees.

Oh yes, wonderful place to work. And for all that, except for their loss leaders, their overall prices aren't lower (in some cases they're higher) after they've driven out all the competition.

And yes, I do think you have to hate what WalMart stands for and what they do to the people who work for them if you want to consider yourself progressive in any manner.

http://www.hrmguide.com/relations/wal-mart-child-labor.htm
http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/050223/medicaid.shtml
http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/walmart/tennessee_workers_medicaid.php
http://littlewildbouquet.blogspot.com/2005/10/wal-mart-cast-out-sick.html