stop others from shopping at WALMART ?

[JI7]

why do people shop at walmart even if they know the horrible things walmart does? what can we do to stop them from shopping there ?

the below is a pretty good article (kind of scary too) of walmart.i quoted just a few of the many disgusting things walmart does and has done.

<Kelly Gray, the chief breadwinner for five children, lost her job as a Raley's grocery clerk last December after Wal-Mart expanded into the supermarket business here. California-based Raley's closed all 18 of its stores in the area, laying off 1,400 workers.

Gray earned $14.68 an hour with a pension and family health insurance. Wal-Mart grocery workers typically make less than $9 an hour.

Glenn Miraflor used to chide his wife for shopping at Wal-Mart.

As a member of Ironworkers Local 416, the 50-year-old father of four is well aware of the retailer's anti-union stance. But when the family's credit card debt topped $10,000, Wal-Mart's deals suddenly looked irresistible.

"Where else are you going to find a computer for $498?" he asked, looking for a PC with his wife, Debbie, at the Supercenter on Serene Avenue, far from the glitz of the Las Vegas Strip. "Everyone I work with shops here."

Larry Allen had his own dreams of climbing the Wal-Mart ladder.

The glow faded quickly. At his 90-day review, Allen said, he received an unenthusiastic write-up and an hourly raise of 35 cents. His supervisor told him that if he continued working hard, in two years he might make his way up to $10 an hour.

Allen thinks he knows why he received such mediocre marks. For one thing, he was prone to question company policy. Then, Allen committed the ultimate act of disloyalty: He openly promoted unionization.
From their first day on the job, Wal-Mart employees are advised to avoid unions and to report any organizing activities to their supervisors.

"If a union got in here, every benefit we've got could go on the negotiating table, every one of them," says a man identified as Russell, a veteran employee, in a video shown to new hires. "Unions will negotiate just about anything to get the right to have dues deducted out of paychecks. You see, they need big money to pay union bigwigs and their lawyers."

Company policy prohibits any union talk in work areas, and organizers say they routinely are asked to leave stores. The retailer sought, and last year received, a court order keeping organizers out of all of its stores in Arkansas. The state Supreme Court nullified the order in July.

At the first hint of union activity, Wal-Mart managers are supposed to call a hotline, usually prompting a team visit from Bentonville.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Mona Williams said the intervention was meant to help store managers respond effectively and legally.

"Our philosophy is that only an unhappy associate would be interested in joining a union," she said, "so that's why Wal-Mart does everything it can to make sure that we are providing our associates what they want and need."

But dozens of times in the last four years, attorneys for the National Labor Relations Board have claimed that the company infringed on the supermarket union's legal right to organize.

Although some of those claims have been thrown out, others have been upheld by administrative law judges, who have ruled that Wal-Mart illegally influenced employees with offers of raises, promotions and improved working conditions just before they were to vote on whether to join a union.

Judges also have found that Wal-Mart illegally implied that workers could lose benefits such as insurance and profit sharing if they unionized.

What's more, managers illegally confiscated union literature, threatened to close down a store if workers voted to join the union, fired several union supporters and failed to promote others, according to rulings from Minnesota to Florida.

Stymied in their previous attempts to organize Wal-Mart workers, UFCW leaders adopted a new strategy in 2000. They decided to marshal their resources for a concerted organizing effort in one place: Las Vegas.

The union reached out to workers with a Web site and a weekly radio talk show, and posted organizers outside Wal-Mart stores at all hours. When they could, UFCW members would leave union literature inside stores, hoping that workers would see it before managers ordered the material thrown away.

Larry Allen got his first glimpse at a union pamphlet last year as he carried it to the garbage at the Serene Avenue Supercenter. He was hooked, and began advocating for an election to bring in the union.

"Somebody has got to step up and fight for what is right," Allen said.>

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fi-walmart23nov23,1,7953195.story?coll=la-headlines-frontpage

[ibegurpard]

1. Believe me I try every chance I get.

I take every possible opportunity to trash-talk Wal-Mart.

[JI7]

2. but the problem

is that people who knows walmart does things that are wrong and horrible still shop there. so even letting others know is not always enough. they aren't just ruining this country, they are doing it to the rest of the world .

[johnfunk]

3. We need bumper stickers:

FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS
SHOP AT WAL-MART

[BiggJawn]

4. WHY do people shop at Wally-World?

"...Kelly Gray, the chief breadwinner for five children, lost her job as a Raley's grocery clerk last December after Wal-Mart expanded into the supermarket business here. California-based Raley's closed all 18 of its stores in the area, laying off 1,400 workers."

Think you answered your own question there.

Once Walmart runs the other discounters out of town, you're pretty limited in your choices when you make 40 kilobucks or less...

[fairfaxvadem]

5. you got that right...

i have shopping choices and Wally World is never one of them. But where my sister lives in "small town" New Mexico, it's the only game in town. Except for some darn reason that same small town has both a Home Depot and a Lowe's. Go figure...

I think it's just whatever your resources are, either geographically or economically. When I go by the local WalMart the majority of the folks coming in and out are minorities, many folks from East Asia particularly.

The sad part is that Wal Mart has a lot of Americans over a barrel and it's scary.

[stevedeshazer]

6. Wal-Mart: Just like Michael Jackson

Pants are half-off.

[liberalmuse]

7. 'Who cares as long as I can get a bargain?'

That's pretty much the attitude of many Americans. They honestly don't care if people are getting slave wages, as long as they can buy stuff cheap. I'm starting to see that this is a country full of the most soulless human beings on the planet. Ask them to sacrifice? Forget it!

I started boycotting Wal-Mart years ago. Eff Wal-Mart. May all evil corporations crumble into dust.

[jiacinto]

9. But here is the problem

All too many people don't think their not shopping there will make a difference. It's not like Wal-Mart is huritng for business.

[jiacinto]

8. Answers

1) Some people, like me, go there because where I live, it's the only store around. I needed my car's oil changed and tires rotated. It was the only place open on Sunday, so I went there.

2) Other people can't afford to shop anywhere. Their prices are low; and, for some families on tight budgets, it's the only place where they can go.

3) Some people don't think their not shopping there will change anything. Even if they don't go there, they reason, the company will still stay in business.

4) Most people simply don't care. That's the honest to God truth. They are not the types who worry about matters such as Wal-Mart. Their policies are not important to them--and they don't give it a second thought.

I can think of what two or three my closest friends would say. I could hardly seeing them be concerned. I did bring up their low wages and they were like, "so what? It's not my problem". They also said, "well it's not like they have to work there".

[Beaker]

13. answer retorts.

1) I change my own oil and rotate my own tires...when it's something more complex I go to a nearby mechanic in a converted gas station- good, dependable service, low prices- the place isn't pretty, but fixing cars can be a messy business.

2-4) People are short-sighted and self-serving, and don't understand the consequences of their actions. For example: Walmart opens up a store outside town, offering a wider selction at lower prices than the stores in town...people can't see beyond the pricetag, send their dollars out of town, and then wonder why they wake up one morning and Walmart is the only game in town(well, just outside of town).

[JI7]

14. it's just frustrating

i know there are some good excuses for shopping at walmart. but many people do even if they do have other choices to shop from and knowing the wrongs walmart does.

[jiacinto]

21. They don't care

It doesn't affect them directly. That's the best answer I can give.

[Touchdown]

22. I don't think there's any good excuses.

There's only ignorance as to WHY these prices are so low. They buy products from 3rd world sweat shops, pay their American workers shit, treat every employee like a cult member, shut down stores who talk of unionizing, shut down older stores and refuse to sell the properties, causing a rise in crime, and blight. They give nothing back to the community in philathropy (Target, Best Buy, and Albertson's were in the top 5...so retailers can do it).

They pay artificially low wages, buy products at artificially low levels (Levi Strauss is making more jeans, but their profits are down because of WM), forcing manufacturers nochoice but to move too 3rd world sweat shops, so they can give you artificially low prices and acct like they're the "All American company".

It's a race to the bottom, where everybody loses.

[JI7]

25. can we change that ?

with laws, or ourselves ?

[Touchdown]

26. Any change is possible. It takes effort though.

We can start by enforcing the Robson/Patman act from about 1936. It was enacted to prevent the AP stores from making special deals with manufacturers in an effort to undercut the competition. AP was the largest grocery chain in Mid-Century, and a very powerful buying force. What AP was is a fraction of what Wal-Mart is today.

We have to try. Otherwise, why bother? Let's just give up, let the corporations take over our lives, and resolve ourselves that we're fucked, and hope they don't enslave us THAT much.

[blondeatlast]

29. Nicely explained. Thanks.

[jiacinto]

20. I understand

But those are the dyanmics unfortuantely.

[AP]

28. "It was the only place open on Sunday"

You were busy all day on Monday?

People have got to stop thinking like they're obligated to buy things from whomever is out there.

People have to think of how they spend their money as sponsorship of the companies they buy from. Don't sponsor a compayn if you don't think it's doing good things for society. You don't owe them your business. They're not entitled to your money.

Every time I spend money, the first thing I ask myself is whether I endorse that company.

[jiacinto]

30. Look

I understand your point, but frankly I didn't have time on Monday to get it done.

[theorist]

10. What would happen if I...

started passing out anti-Wal-Mart pamphlets in front of my local BigBlueBox?

[Touchdown]

23. I'd join you.

:-)

[TSIAS]

11. Copyright reminder

Per DU copyright rules, please post a maximum of 4 paragraphs from a copyrighted source.

Thanks,
Taylor
GD Moderator

[JI7]

15. what if ?

it's a VERY long article cut up into different sections. i quoted about average of 4 though, it's just long because it's separated into few sentences rather than entire paragraphs.

[Touchdown]

12. My co-worker is chief union steward for our group.

She shopped at Hick-Mart, and even brought those insipid blue bags in for pot lucks. I worked on her for awhile.

One day I printed out that article about Vlassic pickles in the gallon jar that bankrupted Vlassic, because Hick-Mart wanted more, more, more, for less, less, less. I think it cam from a link...."the Wal-Mart you never hear about" or something like that.

Anyhow, she enthusiastically agreed with me, and said that article was shocking, and so true. She has since denounced her Wally ways, and is now a fully recovered consumer, free to live a life of religious fullfillment.;-)

My other co-worker was (he just retired last week), and ardent Sam's Club member. I told him about the sweat shops and raped 12 year old girls and he'd just make jokes about the jeans he bought, and that even 12 year old girls who get raped need to be supported by his purchase. Eh' you can't win 'em all.

We wear red shirts every Thursday as a show of solidarity. The story is that in the 1980s, or 70s, the CWA struck against The Bell System, and one striker was killed in a skuffle on Thursday, and to commemorate that, we still wear red every Thurs.

So anyhow, we have a support group, called the Pioneers, made up of 30+ year employees and retirees, who do a few promotions and what not in our buildings. About 4-5 times a year, they invite Sam's Club out to peddle their Sweat Shop/union paranoid membership cards.

Take a wild guess which day of the week they always show up at!:grr:

Edited for clarity

[BuckeFushe]

16. The ultimate predator

[jarab]

17. And just in time for the holiday shoppers. How timely !

An A & E special on Sam Walton tonight at 8 ET.
...O...

[Pastiche423]

24. That banner is just

so sad.

[solinvictus]

18. Wal Mart

The locations here are operating regular business hours. So much for their workers having any time with family. I'm sure that they aren't being paid any more for working a holiday either.

[Touchdown]

19. Kicking.

this should be on page one for Tommorow.

:kick:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

27. twice i have almost been arrested at WalMart for causing a scene....

and talking to employees about WalMarts policy of taking Life Insurance out on all its employees....and reaping the benefits of those employees deaths :puke:

[Catshrink]

31. What? They take out life insurance policies on employees

and Wal-Mart itself is the beneficiary? That's wrong. Wonder if the do anything for the family? Oh wait, we're talking about Wal-Mart -- they'll make the employee pay out of their meager wages.