This is for the DUers who insist that Wal-mart treats their employees shabily...

[madmom]

I just found out I'm getting a $400 profit sharing check this week. It's calculated according to the hours worked, I'm part time, checks for full-time ought to be a dandy!

[JDPriestly]

1. I don't know where you live, but in L.A., rent is maybe $2000 per month,

and $400 would pay for less than a week's rent. That is for a decent 2-bedroom apartment in an area with acceptable schools.

[madmom]

16. I don't live in LA and where I live that would be a months rent, I own my home

and my payments are less than that.

[conspirator]

70. For they to give $400, imagine how much they are making $4000000...

You deserve the same pie of life and of the world as much as anyone else. Donta think?

[madmom]

71. This is just our own local store, we don't compete with other stores for profit sharing, How much

does your employer give you?

[NMDemDist2]

2. I'm glad for you, congratulations

but the WalMart workers around here complain bitterly about being forced to work over time for no pay and being sent to 'cover' other stores 30-70 miles away with no gas allowance or extra pay for the increased travel time.

:shrug:

[LiberalFighter]

5. Since I retired I have saved about 33 gallons a month in gas.

Or about $132 a month or $1584 a year. Now that is a bonus!!!


PLUS I don't pay taxes on it!!

[madmom]

18. Well some of us aren't ready to retire yet.

[madmom]

17. We are not forced to work at all, we were asked to help cover a new stores grand opening about 50

miles away, got gas allowance, clocked in at our store, was on the clock on the drive to and from, all voluntary BTW.

[NMDemDist2]

43. you are lucky then

that's not how it is in the local New Mexico store.

[LiberalFighter]

3. That's $7.69 a week or $33.33 a month. WOWWWWWWW

[madmom]

19. So how much do the other department/box stores get?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. Congratulations.

Don't get into any truck accidents.

[tandot]

6. Congrats, madmom. Ignore the snarky posts from some DUers.

You have a job and got additional pay you weren't expecting. Good for you!

[madmom]

20. Thank you it's nice to find some one who understands and doesn't hate blindly.

[Virginia Dare]

74. When a company sets out to destroy the middle class in the name of greed..

and produces goods at some of the most appalling sweat shops in the world, some of us get a little snarky. Pardon us...:eyes:

[verges]

50. Yeah, really....

I wish at some point any of my bosses had given me $400! Never gonna happen. Good for you!

[TheWatcher]

7. Good to see your common sense and logic can be bought so cheaply.

Now you can gratefully take your crumbs form the table, and go back to grazing in the meadow, feeling good about your Masters.

[Bobbieo]

10. Watcher - You are an effete snob!!!!

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cleita]

8. Good for you, but Wal-Mart isn't doing this from the goodness

of its corporate heart but because public opinion and pressure from lawsuits have forced them to rethink some of their human resources policies. If you guys get a union in there, then you'll see some real payola coming your way.

[jmowreader]

15. It's not "public opinion" that forces them to do it

It's actually more sinister than that.

Home Depot does the same thing. At HD they call it Success Sharing; Wal-Mart probably calls it something similar.

Here's the deal: These bonuses fall into the category of Payroll. Payroll is an ordinary and necessary business expense, hence tax-deductible. Republicans love tax deductions better than they love Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Motherhood.

[madmom]

24. So why is it ok when Ford, GM and the other car manufacturers do it?

[jmowreader]

76. Because...ummm.maybe Ford doesn't treat its people like dirt the othe 363 days of the year?

I worked big-box retail for six years. Four of them were full-time.

$400 every six months doesn't make up for...

abysmally low pay

health insurance you can't afford to use because you can't swing the money for the deductibles and copays

no continuity of schedule

the requirement to be instantly contactable by the store in case they need you to come in on the spur of the moment

the daily prayer that nothing else you can't afford to fix breaks

being under constant suspicion that you're trying to steal something from the company

being staffed so short you can't give proper customer service to anyone

getting an overall "needs improvement" on your rating form because even though you're one of the top five sellers of product in the store you're not selling nearly enough credit cards

being yelled at by customers because of something out of your control

going to the supermarket, looking at a perishable item, and thinking "if I buy this I have to eat it all immediately because all we could afford when the refrigerator blew up is a dorm room refrigerator, and this won't fit in it"

buying another space heater because the fan motor in the furnace burned out six months ago and you can't afford to replace that

knowing that after the bills were paid and necessities were purchased, you had $4 to last you through next payday

Yup, that $400 check really fixes all that.

[madmom]

80. Yep I would be bitter about stuff like that IF it was happening to me, it's not. Our local GM plant

practically forcing "legacy" (their word) employees out so they can bring in new ones at $14 an hour (not much more than I make) with little or no benefits, they are shipping plenty of jobs to Mexico, but hey that's ok cuz their not Wal-mart and their union!

[madmom]

23. I'm sorry I worked for Meijer another midwest box store, they are union, they suck!

They cheated me out of raises and there was NO profit sharing, I made less money, worked 39 hours a week and was considered part time no benefits. I'll work for Wal-mart, thank you!

[Cleita]

44. Well, you need a better union.

Not all unions are created equal, however, I have found in my life that sometimes stores create unions that they sell to the employees as independent but they are not. Also, some unions are a racket created to collect dues and do little else. I don't know about your individual stores or unions involved, but a real union will have your back. You will always have the right though to send one union packing and bring a different one in supposedly but I know it's hard especially since the Taft-Hartley Act took the sails out of much union power. It needs to be rescinded.

[Lars39]

9. The manager received $35 thousand when I worked there in '84.

A SuperCenter manager I knew received upwards of 90 thousand.

[MedleyMisty]

11. I worked at Wal-Mart for a bit

It was the second worst time of my life. Worst, of course, being working at Arby's. Arby's beats Wal-Mart because I worked there for years and just worked at Wal-Mart for a couple of months.

I remember purposefully not paying attention while walking from the car to the store in the hopes that someone would hit me and maybe I would get out of work for a day or two.

I can still hear the beeps in my head sometimes - I would have nightmares about being chased by a shopping cart while a chorus of beeps were going off.

But hey, yay check! $400 is a lot.

[madmom]

25. That's to bad, I like my job, and the people I work with and the managers there.

[Mountainman]

12. My union SEUI just got me a $6,000/ yr raise. The second raise this year!

What's your union doing for you?

[madmom]

26. So what kind of job is it you do? When I worked with a union at Meijer, they cheated me out of

raises, let them work me 39 hours a week and consider it part time and got no benefits to name a few things.

[Bill McBlueState]

57. thing about a union...

The leadership of a union is democratically elected. If you don't like what the union's doing, you can get involved.

If you don't like what your boss is doing, you can't vote *him* out.

[sandnsea]

62. lol, cheated you?

Do you have any idea why they cut your benefits at 32 hours a week? In order to compete with Walmart genius. My son is UFCW, don't kid me. You were making a helluva lot more money as a union cashier than you are at Walmart, unless you used your union work experience to get yourself into a management position at Walmart. It's law suits and all of us hounding Walmart for the last 5 years that got you any significant benefits or fair hours at all.

[madmom]

87. Why don't you read and/or learn the facts before you start calling people names brainiac..

They didn't cut my hours,I don't care what your son does or has I do know I was making A LOT less at Meijer (I was not a cashier) I was due my yearly raise as promised when I hired in, at that time Ohio raised their minimum wage, they said ok you got a raise (but not the one promised) Wal-mart was not there yet.I'm really sorry your son has to pay someone to get him a decent wage, but I don't. My SO is UAW he has no problem with me working at Wal-mart because he sees I am getting treated better and whether you want to believe it or not (I don't care)making more money.

[sufrommich]

29. OK ,me being nosy...

How did your union negotiate 2 raises in one year? Six percent is huge in good economic times.

[madmom]

31. I think you replied to the wrong person here! : )

[Mountainman]

81. I work for a county government. The union negotiates with the Board of Supervisors for the

increases. The first raise I got was a catch up that newer employees got and the second was a COLA raise.

[Blue Diadem]

45. Do you mean SEIU?

http://www.seiu.org/

[Mountainman]

82. Yes, I never get that right

[CreekDog]

13. Your profit sharing check does not make Wal Mart a good employer

it doesn't even make them better than a lot of bad employers.

it's like a rain shower during a drought, while welcome it doesn't mean that you don't have a drought.

[madmom]

27. Isn't that the same for all employers? You get while the getting good!

They don't have to give it, but they do.

[elizfeelinggreat]

48. "You get while the getting good!"

Uhm, what?

What about ethics?

[madmom]

88. What about K-mart, Meijer, Target, they all sell the same products? What about

GM,Ford they are all going to Mexico or Japan, that's just the tip of the iceburg, what is made in America anymore? Don't even talk to me about ethics,Tell me EVERYTHING you own was made in America by union workers.

[elizfeelinggreat]

109. They are not all the same

for reasons too numerous for me to have to recount here. Read the entire thread, I'm sure you'll find many.

My point was your line: "You get while the getting good!" - THAT just sounds so selfish to me and not very ethical. Sorry, that's to "ENRONian" for me.

[CreekDog]

112. have you forgotten your original motivation for this thread?

i assume you didn't create the thread to point out that Wal Mart is *just like* all those other employers.

but perhaps you can explain what the purpose of this thread is then --it seems like you were saying that Wal Mart is a pretty good employer because among other things, you got a $400 profit sharing check. there's lots more to consider in making that judgement, that's all i'm saying.

and compared to union workers at supermarkets, Safeway, etc., Wal Mart's wages, and benefits are a pittance.

[elizfeelinggreat]

113. bumping for an answer

[madmom]

114. Sorry to disagree here My daughter woks at Kroger deli, practically the same

job I'm doing at Wal-mart, she's union, making $7.15 an hour, I'm making $10 an hour I don't know about anywhere else, but around these parts that's pretty good for this kind of job.

[Breeze54]

14. You're easily bought off !! Wow! Is that $400 because they pay women less for the same job?

Wal-Mart & Gender Discrimination

http://wakeupwalmart.com/facts/#gender

Download the Wal-Mart and Gender Discrimination fact sheet - PDF
http://wakeupwalmart.com/downloads/wal-mart-gender-facts.pdf

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)

--------------------------------

Hope you're being paid a living wage and earning the same amount as men
and I hope you have health coverage and that it's company financed!!

BTW?

That $$ was probably as a RESULT of DUers Speaking Out, ON YOUR BEHALF! :grr:

Instead of attacking people that are trying to help you and other
Wally Fart employee's (slave wage earners) You should be THANKING THEM!!!

[madmom]

30. First our manager is a woman, I don't know what she makes, I do know her husband

retired so she could come here and manage this store.Second, my job is one of the higher paying ones, third I'm making close to twice what I made at Meijer, a union shop, fourth, I don't have health car by choice my SO has great insurance.

While there are no men in my department, the women there make different amounts based on experience, just like other places.

And finally where the hell did I attack anyone, seems more the other way around because DU just loves to hate Wal-mart.So thank you for attacking me for working at Wal-mart!

[Breeze54]

54. The title of this OP...

"This is for the DUers who insist that Wal-mart treats their employees shabily..."

[Pale Blue Dot]

21. I hear things are great in Ohio.

It's a good thing there are all of those generous Wal-Marts there instead of small, independent businesses!

[madmom]

34. See here's where we differ, the businesses around here suck, I always had

to go elsewhere to shop unless you wanted what they decided you would buy. Nothing different no competition everything the same from store to store, always over priced. Wal-mart came in, alas a little competition, they are expanding their selections, not rising their prices nearly as high, many are remodeling to become more modern. So I see this as a good thing for our community. Besides I see a lot of the small retailers buying their wares at Wal-mart, marking them up and selling them in their store, I don't see how that's good for our community.

Oh BTW no things aren't great in Ohio, actually it sux, no jobs, terrible schools, etc. etc. etc.

[sufrommich]

28. My God,some of the replies on this thread are brutal.

Congratulations on your extra check Madmom,I hope you get to spend it on something unnecessary!

[madmom]

32. Thank you, I am, I'm driving to visit my grand daughters, that I only get to

see once or twice a year.

[Autumn]

33. Congratulations madmom ,

profit sharing checks do come in handy. Lot of blind hatred here.:D Don't let it get you down.

[madmom]

36. Thank you, they don't get me down, I think they're freaking hilarious!

[Rosemary2205]

35. CONGRATULATIONS!! WHOOHOO!!

I love "found" money. I work for a family business and got excited about $132 Christmas Bonus. I think if they dropped 400 bucks in my lap I might faint! LOL -- these are good people who treat employees like gold, but hard times mean hard times. You know?

I think some of the snotty snobby crap in this thread is probably knee jerk, but you know, we little sorry peons who debase ourselves to work for under 50 bucks an hour rather than live under the bridge and eat out of dumpsters....... snort.

I'm happy for you. Happy you got a surprise and happy you enjoy what you do. I don't see how we can ask much more out of this life.

:) hugs

[madmom]

37. Thank you, my sentiments exactly! : )

[Rosemary2205]

63. Just read your sig for the first time

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!! :)

[merh]

38. Glad for you

don't let the negative folks get under your skin.

There is no way we can improve our government if we all boycott it, if we don't try to improve it from the inside out. Same thing with corporations like Walmart, you have to put good folks to work in Walmart. Improvements have to be made from the inside out. You are one of the good folks and it is good you did get a share of the profits.

:hi:

[madmom]

39. Thank you, that means a lot. : )

[King Coal]

69. Congrats on your $400, Mom. But,

Wal-Mart is bad for local economies. Do a little research.

[madmom]

89. I have, it's not as bad as it used to be.

[verges]

53. And just as important,

I'm pleased that you ENJOY your job!! To have a job I like is almost my biggest fantasy!

[napi21]

40. That's GRAT! Congrats! I suspect a lot of the negatives from

other WM employees & ex-WM employees is because each store is different. Sometimes each dept. inside each store is different. A lot of how you feel about your job depends on your immediate supervisors and fellow employees. You are one of the lucky ones to like both, and I'm sure they like you too. That makes any job better.

[madmom]

41. Thank you, yes I've noticed that a lot of the "Problems" people seem to have with Wal-mart are

non existent in the one here. At least not in my department, we all get along well and help each other when ever possible. As a side note, those of us working in this department are all the original hires from when the store first opened. We had others come in, put didn't stay for some reason or other, don't know if this means anything or not, but interesting though.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

42. I'm sure it

helps to get the extra cash. You said several times in the thread that you like your job. I wish that the nasty remarks were not here but it is what some of the DUers love to do. I have had them shit on the most positive threads and tell me I am not paying attention to the war and it's just a distraction because I post something unrelated.

When my house here in San diego was being threatened by the terrible wildfires I was told that I deserve to lose my home because I live in San Diego. Most of the people were saying nice things but about every 6th post was nasty and mean.

It's in the DNA.

[madmom]

92. Thank you, I know some people love to hate!

[Blue Diadem]

46. Hey, that's great madmom.

I wasn't aware Walmart did the profit sharing thing.

It never ceases to amaze me how people can be so snippy about where people shop or work.

[madmom]

93. I know huh?.. thanks

[JanMichael]

47. Yep! And we got our 1200 bucks from Bush too! So "POO" on those

jerk liberals that think Bush is all that bad!

Right there with ya sister!

[madmom]

94. Ya know it's kinda like apples and oranges but hey, who cares about facts.

[varelse]

49. You essentially called these people out

and then you express surprise and dismay at the angry response? I, on the other hand, am not in the least surprised... Congrats on your profit-sharing check - but please remember that your bonus money doesn't begin to right all the wrongs that Wal-Mart has perpetrated as a corporation, or as an employer. The experiences of their victims are every bit as valid as yours is.

[Virginia Dare]

75. Not to mention make up for all the extra tax dollars leaving your pocket..

to support Wal-Mart's greedy and destructive policies.

[madmom]

97. what dollars are those?

[Virginia Dare]

103. Those dollars that you pay due to the fact..

that Wal-Mart shifts it's employees' health care costs to the taxpayers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/13/business/13walmart.html

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

85. But personal anecdotal evidence ALWAYS trumps research evidence.

Don'thca know? :shrug:

[madmom]

98. How about maybe Wal-mart is changing, not as bad as they used to be?

[madmom]

96. I didn't realize I was expressing surprise or dismay, just stating facts, while I

know there are people who have had problems with Wal-mart,and I am not by any means dismissing that, I'm just amazed at the double standard on this supposedly liberal site.Wal-mart by no means is the only employer who treat their employees bad, take things away, produce in foreign countries so why just dump on them? I was relaying something positive about Wal-mart but nobody wants to hear it because then they might have to admit they may no be as bad as everyone says.

[bmbmd]

51. Walmart makes life better for people all the time.

The four dollar prescription plan changed the way America practices medicine. Period. Good on you for your unexpected blessing. I will speak no evil about Good Sam and his company.

[madmom]

99. thank you

[Better Believe It]

52. Guess They Just Didn't Make Much Profit::

What percentage of profits went to regular workers and what kind of job do you have at Wal-Mart?

[madmom]

100. It's only the profit from this single store, they are figured according to how many hours

worked in a quarter. I am a non management deli worker.

[Booster]

55. I had a long talk with one of the cashiers at WalMart the other day

and she couldn't say enough good things about working at WalMart. I don't agree with her, but then again I don't work there either. She said she had been working at the 99 cent store and was making only $7 an hour so working at WalMart was a step up from that. I've decided not to argue with people about this because good jobs are really scarce now, and if a person thinks they're happy, then who am I to knock them down?

[Solon]

56. Can you get Wal-Mart to give me back the overtime pay they stole?

Its a hell of a lot more than 400 dollars, let me tell you.

[madmom]

101. sorry about your luck.

[Solon]

58. Personally, I also think you are full of shit, there was no profit sharing when I worked there...

we had some stock options, but frankly, they were pathetically inadequate. Just like the health coverage.

[madmom]

104. So you are calling me a liar? To bad it makes you look like the ass you are...

nyjobsource.com/walmart.html

During the fiscal year ending January 31, 2008, Wal-Mart said it contributed:
- $724.4 million to 838,955 hourly associates in profit-sharing and 401(k) contributions.
- $50.1 million to 764,098 hourly associates toward the company's associate stock purchase plan.
- $420.2 million in discounted merchandise to hourly associates and their family members through the merchandise discount program.

Updated May 22, 2008

[brentspeak]

59. Well, good for you, but your happiness with Wal-Mart isn't shared by a lot of people I meet

There's a Wal-Mart up near Hackettstown, NJ -- and a miserable, run-down trailer park just off the grounds away from it, right when you drive up the big drive to get to the store. I discovered that the majority of the trailer park residents also happened to be much of the Wal-Mart staff and their families. I also discovered that the trailer park was much, much smaller back when before the Wal-Mart was built. From my conversations with the residents, they are barely scraping by.

[madmom]

105. While I know everything isn't perfect, I do beleive some of the problems are

with local management styles as opposed to company management styles,why else would there be such a difference?:shrug:

[Rage for Order]

60. Why do you hate America madmom?

It's obvious that you do, or else you wouldn't work for evil incarnate, aka Wal Mart. Better to let your family become homeless and starve on principle than to work for the evil retailer! :sarcasm: just in case it's necessary

[WillowTree]

61. Good for you, madmom!

Being satisfied with your job and the place you work can make a huge difference in a person's quality of life. If you feel that you're reasonably well treated in your workplace, that's all that really matters and I couldn't be more pleased for you. Enjoy your bonus, y'hear?!!

[Donald Ian Rankin]

64. I'm afraid you're not statistically significant.

Wal-Mart may have treated you well, but there's only one of you.

To provide meaningful evidence that Wal-Mart treats its employees well, one would need to look at a large number of them.

[cap]

65. if Walmart unionized

you'd be seeing thousands of dollars more in your pocket, instead of $400. Don't kid yourself. $400 does not replace the cost of meaningful health insurance or retirement benefits -- how 'bout health care carried as a retirement benefit? That adds up to 10's of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. Plus you arent guaranteed $400 each and every year. You get a bad year and you don't have $400. If you got a pension, we be talking about 100's of thousands of dollars over your lifetime.

What Walmart is doing to its workers impacts the ability of the UFCW to grant its members health care and retirement.

[RetroLounge]

66. Did you praise bush for your tax rebate too?

:eyes:

RL

[Virginia Dare]

72. Probably turned around and spent the whole thing at the Wal-Mart..

sold my soul to the company store...:eyes:

[AngryOldDem]

67. Congratulations!

Just don't spend it all at the gas pump!

:)

[Vinca]

68. You got $400, the Waltons got $400 billion.

Little brown kids making products for their stores got 4 cents.

[Rosemary2205]

90. Oh brother

as if every other store in America didn't sell goods made in developing countries and the stores in question don't make a decent profit margin.

Instead of slamming someone trying to keep "food on their family" why not slam CONGRESS for letting corporations destroy our manufacturing base?

[Vinca]

107. I do slam Congress on this issue on a regular basis. nt

[Virginia Dare]

73. Ignorance is bliss, so they say...n/t

[rocktivity]

77. Congrats to you--and us.

If Wal-mart is treating their employees less shabbily, it's because our outrage shamed them into it.

:headbang:
rocknation

[devilgrrl]

78. Awesome! I'm going quit my job now and apply at Wal-Mart!

:sarcasm:

[newportdadde]

79. I'm curious what is that 400 dollars as a percentage of your income?

[Romulox]

83. Is your healthcare (or that of your children) paid for by the state?

That's a subsidy to Wal Mart that dwarves $400...

[lame54]

84. I just got my Bush rebate check - He's still an asshole

[Blue_Tires]

86. in this economy, you gotta take the cash where you can get it

i'm glad you got some much needed money, and you like your job, but please realize in the grand scheme of things you are being tossed a bone for supper...and a bill for this bone will be coming in the future in some form.

i'm not going to criticize you for taking a job wherever you can, but i'm not about to jump on the all-hail-benevolent-walmart bandwagon

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

91. I am glad that you're happy about your windfall but you must know that when

you posted about it how many DUers, myself included feel about Wal-mart as a whole.

The people who lost manufacturing jobs because Wal-mart seduced the manufacturing plant owners with large contracts are not happy. The small Main Street business owners who have lost their businesses because they couldn't low ball their prices are not happy. Nor are their employees who lost their jobs. Of course China is happy because they have a booming economy thanks to Wal-mart. They are growing by leaps and bounds and are competing for oil to keep their factories running. This is why so many DUers are struggling to put gas in their cars right now. I don't even dare to think of what the winter heating bills are going to look like for all of us who live in the Northeast.

I will not even begin to start on Wal-mart's employee relations. It's nice that you're happy with them but honestly, haven't you read anything about the dissatisfaction?

So please, EnJoy your money and I'm sure you worked very hard for it, but understand others sensitivity to this matter and don't act surprised or outraged when you're back isn't being patted.

[cap]

95. you are right about this...

and it's not just people losing jobs... it's people undergoing pain:

Pain from losing a house because of loss of job,
Physical Pain from losing health care/retirement and not being able to take care of oneself properly,
Pain from not heating/cooling a house properly because of decreased wages,
Pain from not eating properly
Not able to maintain one's credit rating because one can't pay bills because of loss of income

There is a lot of hurt out there from this race to the bottom

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

102. Thank you for going deeper into it and this is an excellent example

of the consequence of the actions of Wal-mart.

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

106. This raises a question!

It would be interesting to look at Wal Mart's labor and business practices today compared to, say, 5 years ago and 10 years ago to see if there is any trend.

Maybe public scrutiny is having a positive effect on the company? Probably not a very big one, but anything that pushes Wal-Mart toward being a better "corporate citizen" is a step in the right direction.

[truebrit71]

108. Wally World had a gross profit last year of $92,284,000,000.00

I am thrilled that you got a $400 check, but it really doesn't compare does it?

(Don't get me wrong, if someone handed me a check for that much working part-time I'd be thrilled too...but it won't make a dent if I didn't have health insurance...)

[HummanaHummana]

110. That is generous of Wal-Mart.

A business is under no obligation to compensate any more that what was agreed to on the day you accepted employment with said employer. If the employer decides to reward their employees with a bonus, why the animosity? Just because the business is successful and makes a good profit, that does not oblige management to pass that profit margin on to the workers. If you as an employee excel at your job, and add value to the business, you will be compensated in due course with raises and promotions.

[DainBramaged]

111. In the past two years, WalMart, Target, and Petsmart have opened nearby

Wal-Mart was the death knell. My town has lost it's camera shop, bicycle shop, pet store, CD and vinyl store, a supermarket (Key Foods), bakery, stationary store, pharmacy, and kids clothing store.

Nearly ALL except the grocery store, had been in existence for more than 20 years (I moved here originally in 1984 but stayed in Morris County NJ while continuing to shop here over the years). I invite (any of ) you to come here and see what is occuring.

And yes, I now go to Target because the A&P is too expensive. But think about this. YOU claim that WalMart is treating their employees fairly. What about the folks who owned these business whose stores now lie vacant? What about their lives?

[B Calm]

115. and your hourly wage is . . . . . my guess it's 1979 wages.