We don't shop at Wal-Mart. My husband worked for them for 2 years and had a horrible experience. We transferred to NC from Chicago with his job. One week later they laid him off. The first job he got offered was with Wal-Mart. It was that, or not pay bills.
He was treated badly, had his pay cut by $1 and hour (the manager promised one thing, then said too bad), and the working environment in one word...sucked.
But his experience is not the only reason we don't shop there. Here's some more.
1. Employees on average take home about $250 a week. That's under the poverty level. 1/3 of those employees are part time, only allowed to work 28 hours a week, therefore not eligible for benefits.
2. Wal-Mart is anti-union. They stress their open door policy instead. When my husband tried the open door policy about his pay decrease, he was told to see the store manager. The same man that cut his pay! (Kevin was never late, took 1 sick day in 2 years, had no marks on his report, received great reviews -- no reason at all to be cut in salary).
3. In order for Kevin to get their health insurance, it would have cost him one week's salary each month! Employees actually pay 35% which is twice the national average.
4. Don't believe the Made In The USA signs! 85% of the stores' items are made overseas. It is the largest importer in the country of goods made in China. Here's some items (surrounded by controversy) carried in Walmart: Kathie Lee Giffords clothing line, Disney's Haitian made pajamas, child produced clothing made in Bangledesh to name a few.
5. I've seen the textile mills here in NC go out of business. The local (US) companies bought their products overseas - and helped to push the textile mills out.
A friend of mine in Iowa owns a small bookstore and was going to put in a photo developing machine. The manager of the local Walmart came to her and told her if she did, Walmart would put the same machine in their store and charge a dime a picture (versus 29 cents) and run her out of business.
There's a movie called Walmart- the high cost of low prices. On their website http://www.walmartmovie.com/facts.php are some facts from the movie. Great read.
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