Walmart strike. Do you support them or not?

[Anastacy]

A lot of misinformation going around. I work at Wal-Mart too, as an overnight support manager (for those who know what that position is).

If your manager yells at you for ANYTHING, that is a problem with the manager, not a company problem. Use the open door policy, and if it happens often, make sure you are "yelled at" with a witness present.

Also, a LOT of people THINK they work hard, when they really don't.

Edit: it took me 3 years to get to my position from starting out as an unloader. I have basically been promoted once a year because I am a damn good worker. Ive seen others move up just as fast, non military.

[Strakha]

My favorite part about Walmart is that they take life insurance policies out on their employees and profit more from their employees deaths than they typically ever pay their employee.

But striking won't solve anything, Walmart will just hire different people, they know their employees don't have any money to launch a meaningful lawsuit. They'll pay some bullshit fines and it will continue, business as usual.

[Yunru]

Only way strike could work is with revolution. Burn all wallmarts in every posible country. If company losses all shops over night they will have too seriosly retink what they are doing.

[Silhouette of Seraphim]

(Is it even legal to force someone to have a 3 hour lunch break? That seems just blatantly cheating.)

Only if they made him report a 3 hour break, but also made him work during it. Otherwise if he was off the clock and free to do his own thing, then no.

---------- Post added 2012-10-31 at 06:59 AM ----------

Also, a LOT of people THINK they work hard, when they really don't.

I would wager this is true, as well.

[moremana]

I agree with the OP, Walmart is a cancer in America, they do every thing they can to avoid paying for better health care and benefits and yes they do use people that are wives of military personnel or retired so they don't have to dish out that money. I don't shop there, its mostly over crowded with indegent and lower class people, if you go to Walmarts, look around and pay attention to what you see and what they sell...Walmart stores promotes decay in most cities and they think hiring 250 part time people in a city is a boost to the economy..

[Kerath]

They are striking for better pay and more benefits for the part timers since that is all they wish to hire and the distribution centers are striking for the same and safer work conditions.

They refuse to hire full timers so they do not have to pay benefits. Actually ask my manager how I could support myself working for them. He said "Food Stamp, Medicare, Low Income Housing the only way you can do it" . And since most of them are making less than $1000 a month before taxes, I believe it. My average take home is about $190-210 a week.

Edit: Also they have a policy where they reserve the right to fire you for talking about them in a negative light. Was told when I started working there, they could even fire you for talking badly about them on your facebook or other sources if they catch wind of it and can track it down to you as posting it.

Absolutely.
Employees in the States seem to be treated like shit in comparison to what I'm used to.

[PizzaSHARK]

They are striking for better pay and more benefits for the part timers since that is all they wish to hire and the distribution centers are striking for the same and safer work conditions.

They refuse to hire full timers so they do not have to pay benefits. Actually ask my manager how I could support myself working for them. He said "Food Stamp, Medicare, Low Income Housing the only way you can do it" . And since most of them are making less than $1000 a month before taxes, I believe it. My average take home is about $190-210 a week.

Edit: Also they have a policy where they reserve the right to fire you for talking about them in a negative light. Was told when I started working there, they could even fire you for talking badly about them on your facebook or other sources if they catch wind of it and can track it down to you as posting it.

Sounds about right. I worked as overnight stocker for a Wal-Mart several years ago and there's no way I'm working for those shitbags again. They made us work overtime and then refused to pay it when it came time to cut the checks.

Fuck those guys, seriously. Ugh.

---------- Post added 2012-10-31 at 06:18 AM ----------

Absolutely.
Employees in the States seem to be treated like shit in comparison to what I'm used to.

That's what I hear, though having never even been out of the south I've got no real idea how other countries do things.

[Primernova]

I agree with the OP, Walmart is a cancer in America, they do every thing they can to avoid paying for better health care and benefits and yes they do use people that are wives of military personnel or retired so they don't have to dish out that money. I don't shop there, its mostly over crowded with indegent and lower class people, if you go to Walmarts, look around and pay attention to what you see and what they sell...Walmart stores promotes decay in most cities and they think hiring 250 part time people in a city is a boost to the economy..

And when/if, anyone ever calls them out on exploiting veterans to avoid offering benefits... "We're the patriotic superstore! What do you mean exploiting?"

Call Walmart just a US problem all you like, but it's very global.

[Deleted]

From what you say I'd support you. That said, being on the other side of the planet, I can't help you much. Good luck though, hope you do get better conditions!

[Deleted]

They really do Facebook checks on people??

[vindicatorx]

Remember that you are getting the story only from one side.

But yes, generally 'fuck walmart' is appropriate.

Lol it's pretty common knowledge that Wal Mart is a huge piece of shit. Intentionally keeping people under 35 hours a week so they don't have to offer them full time benefits like insurance. They post how to get all the government aid possible documents in the break room. They have professional teams they send in to help keep employees from organizing things like unions. Etc, etc, etc I haven't bought a thing from Wal Mart in at least 5 years.

[Kerath]

Lol it's pretty common knowledge that Wal Mart is a huge piece of shit. Intentionally keeping people under 35 hours a week so they don't have to offer them full time benefits like insurance. They post how to get all the government aid possible documents in the break room. They have professional teams they send in to help keep employees from organizing things like unions. Etc, etc, etc I haven't bought a thing from Wal Mart in at least 5 years.

Do you not have any general worker's unions in the States?
Like we have http://www.gmb.org.uk/about_gmb.aspx and http://www.unitetheunion.org/about_us.aspx in the UK.

[Primernova]

They really do Facebook checks on people??

You put it out there, they will check it.

Almost every business does this BTW.

[PizzaSHARK]

Do you not have any general worker's unions in the States?
Like we have http://www.gmb.org.uk/about_gmb.aspx and http://www.unitetheunion.org/about_us.aspx in the UK.

None that I'm aware of. We've got plenty of unions but they're specific to certain job types.

You put it out there, they will check it.

Almost every business does this BTW.

This. First thing we do when we consider a new employee is to Google them and see what they've been up to.

[evilman]

You put it out there, they will check it.

Almost every business does this BTW.

Indeed.
A buddy of mine works for Apple and has some 20 people under him (call center work).
When he got the job he made a Facebook account and uses it for work to check on people who call in sick.

[uncannyllama]

Funny see'ing this thread as i just quit my job yesterday as an electronics associate. I didnt hate my job. It was alot of fun. The associates i worked with on a daily basis were great. I think the main think that really pissed me off about the place was lack of help. To be so under staffed with how busy of a store we are is very frustrating. i also agree with the above poster that said "Also, a LOT of people THINK they work hard, when they really don't." I think that is extremely true.

So many days coming home from work pissed off and angry because of so many lazy people. I busted my ass 40 hours a week to everyday feeling like going 2 steps forward then 4 steps backward. Because if you didnt write simple instructions out step by step. Shit never got done. Most of the people that didnt do anything were new hires or younger people that just looked at the job like "Hey its just Walmart. I dont have to do shit at this job."

Ill miss the good people and such but i wont miss being the only person in Wireless and Electronics on the first of the month trying to do everything all the time.

[poser765]

I didn't realize someone at wal-mart was striking. Traditionally they have always been SEVERELY anti union. I remember stories of store trying to organize only to be decimated with terminations. So if they are union and strike power to them...if not, they are going to get canned.

[Waaldo]

Walmart is a milti-billion dollar company... They can definitely afford to hire full time, or just give part-timers benefits, they are just greedy assholes. List of the world billionaires; the numbers 11, 16, 17, 18 are all billions due to to Walmart. So yes, I do support people striking against walmart. I hope enough people who do work for walmart start striking because these billionaires won't give a rat's ass about anyone until they start losing money.

[Rukentuts]

Personally I avoid Wal-Mart (and the general populace that shops in there) like the plague. I support anything that brings them down.

[Dasffion]

Wal-mart has always treated their employees, at least the low level ones, like crap. I support the strike.