Kinja reply list

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Cord JeffersonHamilton Nolan
7/11/13 2:18pm

A week after I joined Walmart, my first child was born. Would you believe that Walmart gave me a week off (without pay of course) and they didn't hold it against me when I returned.

Wow, a whole week off with no pay to take care of your firstborn child. What a blessing.
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  mannequinCord Jefferson
  7/11/13 2:23pm
  The fact that this quote doesn't appear to be sarcastic is so confusing to me.
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  cheerful_exgirlfriendCord Jefferson
  7/11/13 2:26pm
  They should have put her baby in a stroller by the front door and used her as a greeter, then they could tout their great, flexible in-store childcare and "help" that baby get on the fast track to a career in Walmart management.
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lethekkHamilton Nolan
7/11/13 2:11pm
Holy crap am I glad I live in Canada. I don't want to brag, because I don't see this as something to brag about (it's more of a human right), but even Walmart is forced to abide by Canadian labour laws, such as a year off (mix of maternal and either maternal/paternal) for any childbirth.
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  BigStevelethekk
  7/11/13 2:17pm
  I believe it is spelled labor.
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  lmpBigSteve
  7/11/13 2:26pm
  It's Canada. As I type this from work on my Canadian English defaulting, Windows, well, I guess it's UK English technically. It says I'm spelling Labor wrong, but spelling Labour right.
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ObliteratiHamilton Nolan
7/11/13 2:36pm
Holy shit. Logged in with stepson's account, can confirm Walmart is NOT DELETING negative employee stories and comments:

My husband has worked for Walmart for 10 years and I for 8. When our family situationed changed and we found ourselves needing to move, the company would not work with us to transfer and keep full time status, which in turn will delay our new mortgage for 6 months. Some loyalty, glad to see Sams family values still in place. We want to stay with the company but seems we are forced to leave. I will not recommend this company to anyone looking for permanent employment.

I'll say what needs to be said. Now this will probably get deleted but oh well. I feel as though walmart doesn't care about their associates its all about the customers and profit now thats fine i guess but without your associates you wouldn't have customers. We're all hard workers and its a shame that this company doesn't appriciate that.

How about the story of the gal who was told to clock out early in order to not get overtime, and was then charged with 1/3 of a point? How about the story of 820 on 7-10-13, where there were only 3 Cashiers from 2-4 PM and 8-10 PM? How about the story of not getting to full time after 6 years of service? How about the story of quoting Mr. Sam on one sign next to the time clock, then the one on the other side it showing that that quote means nothing as a new policy is contradicting it? These may not be the sensational stories the WM haters are looking to tell, but they sure do make the break room a gloomy place to be.

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  ObliteratiObliterati
  7/11/13 2:42pm
  Some more:
  
  I choose not to tell "The real story". There are many things I am proud of including repeat customers, my higher standards, and the fact that most people look to me (a sales associate) as a manager. I am able to quote rules and regulations, and train in many areas of the store. I DO believe, however, that many things need to be fixed with the company that should not be mentioned in a public forum such as this. This is my opinion, based on the open door policy, and the fact that we, as associates, were asked to tell our story.
  
  Isn't it funny that these stories "aren't true", and yet many of us are too scared to post our disagreement, lest we lose our job? I read the Gawker reports: There's not one bit of that that I haven't experienced myself.
  
  Sadly, the Gawker stories match my Walmart experience. The only thing missing is blatant favoritism going so far as to change schedules so a favorite person doesn't get a 'tardy' or a 'point'.
  
  Or, you could you know, hire a PR team, instead of making us do it for you.
  
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  Hamilton NolanObliterati
  7/11/13 2:56pm
  Send me a screengrab if you can. Hamilton@Gawker.com
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Dear ZeusHamilton Nolan
7/11/13 2:20pm
Either that last one sipped too much Kool-Aid or it was written by an intern. And if it was genuine then where the hell is that Wal-mart located?
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  StenchofaburnerDear Zeus
  7/11/13 2:26pm
  That shit really read like paid corporate shill. Especially this part:
  
  Today, I am currently enrolled in a leadership program within Walmart that recognizes top talent that is capable of performing two levels up. I did not volunteer to be in this program but was recognized by executive leaders within my region because they believed in me
  
  it looks exactly like the kind of bullshit PR would astroturf. Who uses "top talent that is capable of performing two levels up"?! I guess the "positive story" here is that there is some English Major drafting faux positive stories on Walmart's payroll. At least someone is (barely) paying their bills,
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  filmantopiaStenchofaburner
  7/11/13 2:49pm
  What does performing "two levels up" even mean? That this person is not finding the upward mobility their performance deserves?
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vaulyreaHamilton Nolan
7/11/13 2:06pm
People who scoff at low income workers to "just get another job" are privileged assholes. The service industry exists because it is necessary. We all encounter these workers every day of our lives, and anyone who doesn't appreciate the work they do is, again, a privileged asshole.

So yes, any of them can go get another low income job at another shitty company that will also treat them like garbage. This is work that needs to get done. Someone has to do it. Is it so hard to treat service industry workers with a modicum of dignity and fairness?
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  radio.onevaulyrea
  7/11/13 2:53pm
  And by this, you can usually tell who has had to work menial jobs or known someone very dear to them who has...
  
  There is value in all work, no matter if someone defines them as 'shit jobs'. All employees deserve respect, and any working person deserves respect. Most of these 'shit jobs' aren't usually shit jobs because of the actual work involved; but because of the attitudes of the people who employ them and use their services.
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  Joe Hansbargervaulyrea
  7/11/13 3:07pm
  And little does it occur to them that the more people who leave Walmart and try for more "meaningful jobs" means more competition for their own "meaningful jobs".
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panaceasarsaladHamilton Nolan
7/11/13 2:28pm
Serious question: is Target better? There aren't many specialty stores around me, so for random items I can't buy at grocery stores or mom-and-pops, I have to go to either Target or Walmart unless I want to make a day trip out of minor shopping. I've gone out of my way to avoid Walmart for a while, but I'm not altogether sure Target's much better. I haven't heard horror stories from Target employees.

Regardless, if half of these stories are half-true, then every executive at Walmart who's known about shit like this and done nothing deserves to be skullfucked with a rusty railroad spike.
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  Hamilton Nolanpanaceasarsalad
  7/11/13 2:31pm
  Re. Target, see for example:
  
  http://gawker.com/5807359/slowly…
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  appleflip88Hamilton Nolan
  7/11/13 2:36pm
  Generally speaking, working in big box retail is hell. I worked at Best Buy for 5 years and it was horrible.
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SarahLetterHamilton Nolan
7/11/13 2:19pm
The District of Columbia tried to force Wal-Mart to pay a living wage to all employees in the six new stories they're building in DC, but now Wal-Mart is threatening not to build any of them. I usually side with labor, but I don't know. Unions are SO needed in retail. That way it's not a one store at a time fight, but a national showdown with the right to strike.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-polit…
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  cheerful_exgirlfriendSarahLetter
  7/11/13 2:39pm
  Walmart, as demonstrated above in the story about the employee talking about a family reunion, is very aggressive in their anti-uion stance, employees cannot form a union in any easy manner, it's not an option available.
  
  Another retailer, or several will take over where Walmart refuses to build if demand/need allows and I'm sure Washington DC can craft some accommodations for any retailer wanting to swoop in an benefit from Walmart's decision to not build those stores. I doubt Walmart will close the stores they do have in the are though.
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  SarahLettercheerful_exgirlfriend
  7/11/13 2:55pm
  Yeah, I agree with you. Right now, DC's City Council is insisting WM pay a minimum wage of $12.50 to all employees. The DC minimum wage now is $8.25. Wal-Mart is planning six stores in the underserved urban core of the city. Three stores are already being built, Meanwhile the other three have just been canceled by WM.
  
  Like you said, I hope some other big company comes in and DC doesn't lose the jobs. I'm sure Wal-Mart could afford the $4 extra per hour, but I bet it doesn't want to set a precedent that local governments can set its wages.
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StenchofaburnerHamilton Nolan
7/11/13 2:32pm
I guess this is as good a time as any to share a link to a PDF of the academic research undertaken by two economists on why Walmart failed in Germany. It's a fascinating read but basically, the TL;DR version is this: they ignored every warning about cultural differences (because some hard headed CEO wanted to do it identically to the way Walmart is in the US), they tried to prevent employees from joining unions (something actually illegal in Germany where unions can be quite strong) and the German consumers responded with "LOL GTFO".
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  shamus_carterStenchofaburner
  7/11/13 3:00pm
  wow if only we in the US did not demonize unions and actually encouraged the growth of unions. unions are not evil they are necessary to prevent the exploitation of workers.
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  Stenchofaburnershamus_carter
  7/11/13 3:03pm
  In most of Europe unions are quite strong and they sit on tables with Ministers to negotiate pay raises for their sector (not just for the people who are unionized but for the whole sector).
  
  Incidentally, my favorite part of the study I linked above is the title of this chapter: "Neither “everyday low prices” nor “excellent service”".
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Graby SauceHamilton Nolan
7/11/13 2:18pm

A week after I joined Walmart, my first child was born. Would you believe that Walmart gave me a week off (without pay of course) and they didn't hold it against me when I returned. You see, Walmart cares about their associates and their families more than any other company that I know.

Holy shit, I thought HamNo highlighted this portion because the writer was being sarcastic. HE OR SHE IS 100% SINCERE. Good Lord! What is this, Stockholm Syndrome?
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alvinstraightHamilton Nolan
7/11/13 3:12pm
People bitch about Walmart, yet they continue to make billions. We need better wages for working people. But it won't happen unless there is a unified boycott of Walmart. Right now America likes lots of choices for cheap shit. Until we don't, Walmart wins, and all the bitching in the world won't change it. Oh, and Walmart brought lots of consumer choice to rural America where it never existed before. A lot of people in the hinterlands love Walmart because they actually have inventory. It's cheap, but it's shit no one ever thought to offer rural America for like... a century.
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  JohninLAalvinstraight
  7/11/13 3:30pm
  Amazon's come under fire for shitty conditions in their distribution centers, but other than that, they're miles (and miles) above Wal-Mart. If anyone will be able to under-cut even Wal-Mart, it will be them one day. And I'll be sincerely happy when they do.
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  no1onthecorneralvinstraight
  7/11/13 3:49pm
  "Right now America likes lots of choices for cheap shit."
  
  This is some bullshit reasoning invented by corporate overlords. Everybody likes to get things cheaply. Everybody. The difference is, in America, the purchasing power of our wages has fallen over the past fifty years and cheap consumer goods mask this while giving corporations a reason to keep wages really low. So people then need cheap goods and food to keep food on the table and clothing on our backs.
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