Wal-Mart's Ad Campaign...what do you think?

Disclaimer...I don't shop at Walmart...I don't like how they treat their employees or their vendors. They bring you lower prices on the backs of the American worker. Some day soon Americans will be selling each other hamburgers and real estate...and oh yeah...working for Walmart. (Seen their new plan for scheduling....based on how many people are in the store? Scheduled to work...too bad...not enough people in the aisles!) All other jobs will be in China.

Meanwhile...not everyone is college material.

And unions. I have worked in union avoidance. I try not to accept that kind of work these days...it is exhausting and too emotional and I am too old for all that. I have battled...and negotiated with the Teamsters, the Machinist, the IBEW.

Do you know that no vacation, holidays, sick time or even meal or break time is required by federal law? (some states have laws on breaks and meals.....NO state has laws on holidays or vacation.) If you get any of those, thank a union.

With that said....in general, most employers are more interested in happy workers than was the case when the NLRA passed in 1936. Today, if an employer gets a union...they deserve it. Less than 8% of American workers today belong to a union. The number one reason employees are interested in joining a union....it is the supervisor... it is supervisors playing favorites, not treating emplyees equitably.

And LH...wouldn't it be nice if the employees of Walmart had the same opportunity for filing grievances as employees at USPS? There are plenty of class action suits pending against Watmart as well.

Although we have more jobs than people to fill them in Canada, I know that, in many cases, getting a better education does not guarantee good-paying work.

In Alberta, wages have not kept pace with housing costs....fully 60% of our "homeless" people are working up to 3 jobs, and have post-secondary ed or apprenticeships...but can't afford rent deposits and the first/last month's rent that landlords often require.

I think it is GOOD to have, in that it shows you finished something you started...but the cliche that an education guarantees good pay, particularly right away with no experience, is a myth that needs to be quashed. My opinion only.

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Originally Posted by Catty1

I know that, in many cases, getting a better education does not guarantee good-paying work.

I think it is GOOD to have, in that it shows you finished something you started...but the cliche that an education guarantees good pay, particularly right away with no experience, is a myth that needs to be quashed. My opinion only.

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A college education is, IMO, the best foundation in which to enter the work force. It does not guarantee you a good paying job, anymore than not having one guarantees you a poor paying job. As a betting woman? I would take the risk, and go with a college education any day of the week.

An education was never thought to guarantee you a good paying job. It was to broaden your horizons, open your mind, show your ability to learn a field, or, put off entering the workforce. It is, in many instances, a bare minimum for advancement into supervisory/management positions.

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Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

Meanwhile...not everyone is college material.

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What does this really mean? That the person can't read? Can't follow a course? Can't sit still for a long lecture? Can't learn new, perhaps boring, things?

I struggle with accepting this comment. I know we say it. But, if you break it down, I can't follow its conclusory "logic". I think we use it to give passes to people that we don't have faith in. When I hear of personal successes of people, that have gone on to achieve higher education (and, I am not talking strictly a four year program), I can't believe that not everyone is college material.

I will always think that a college education is the best foundation for those entering the work force. (I am presuming that people entering the work force are not content on making minimum wage forever.)

There are many jobs which don't require college, but they pay well.
Most traditional trades (carpentry, mechanics, machinists etc.) can be learned through on the job training. While tech schools are available to teach trades, they are not always mandatory. Were I hiring someone for a technical skill or a traditional trade, I would take someone with work experience over someone newly out of college or trade school.

An example of someone who couldn't do well in college? Me. However, I have experience and training (a combination of military training and self-education) which allow me to earn enough to pay the bills for my family and then some.

BTW, skilled craftsmen are well paid.

I agree with Cataholic and Pembroke. :)

I am trying to go to school to be a vet tech, and then a vet, and trying to help support us on 5.15 an hour just isn't cutting it. :(

Marigold,
Wal Mart emplys people who otherwise would not have a job? Yeah, that's pretty much what ALL employers do.

I do not shop at Wal Mart having learned things about them. My husband does not agree with the fact that they are taking away potential jobs for people by putting in those automatic checkers (where you just scan and check your groceries yourself). We also do not agre with other things.

I don't complain about it but I don't shop there. I have found that the quality of things there is not that *great* anyways (regardless of how I feel about them, yes). :)

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

So did almost every other retailer in the US.

I know people who work for Wal Mart. They have no complaints with their jobs or their salaries/benefits. Compared to other retailers they are at least on par.

The truckers who drive for Wal Mart in many cases leave union jobs to work for them.

Wal Mart isn't perfect, but then again, no other company is, either.

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LOL I was gonna say the same thing.

Walmart isn't the only BIG WIG company that pays minimum wage. McDonalds for one. Plenty of "family" people have to work at McDonalds and they don't pay any better.

I worked for Walmart and they treated me great and I had no complaints.

You show me a big name company like Walmart and McDonalds that pays high wages and top notch health benefits.

My local Grocery store has self check out scanners as well. Should I boycott them too? Where should I shop?

yes other jobs hire people that are o ut of work but if Walmart is so bad then why does anyone work there if everyone is handing out jobs to people who have none? I would say working at Walmart is better than nothing ;)

for crying out loud, look at tim Hortons (Canadian coffee shop) It is almost a RELIGION in Canada. They make so much bank it's insane. You know how much I made when i worked there? Minimum wage. They treated me like crap. I got two fifteen minute breaks and the rest of the time I barely had time to get a drink of water or pee.

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Originally Posted by Cataholic

What does this really mean? That the person can't read? Can't follow a course? Can't sit still for a long lecture? Can't learn new, perhaps boring, things?

I struggle with accepting this comment. I know we say it. But, if you break it down, I can't follow its conclusory "logic". I think we use it to give passes to people that we don't have faith in. When I hear of personal successes of people, that have gone on to achieve higher education (and, I am not talking strictly a four year program), I can't believe that not everyone is college material.

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I think someone who cannot commit to going to school through four years
while makeing good grades (enough to pass the courses) are not college
material. You have to commit for the long haul & there are not that many
people willing to do it.

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Originally Posted by sparks19

You show me a big name company like Walmart and McDonalds that pays high wages and top notch health benefits.

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Many companies take their cues from places like Walmart, who is so big they practically own the industry. If they don't provide healthcare, etc, then the other places won't either. If Walmart improved their employee benefits other companies would be pressured to follow suit.

PC< if you read the original post, or talked to people who work at wal mart, they DO offer benefits, including health care. It ain't great, but it's better than welfare.

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

PC< if you read the original post, or talked to people who work at wal mart, they DO offer benefits, including health care. It ain't great, but it's better than welfare.

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I know that some people get benefits, but what about all the countless "temps" or people they hire only part time? I know at quite a few retail establishments there is schedule fixing to make sure people don't qualify for insurance.

Wal Mart offers benefits to all employees, full or part time, according to their website.

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Originally Posted by sparks19

You show me a big name company like Walmart and McDonalds that pays high wages and top notch health benefits.

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I rest my case. Corporate America is hamburgers and discount chains to others...forget GE, Boeing, IBM, Microsoft, Cisco, Cummins, Citicorp...etc....etc

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Originally Posted by Pembroke_Corgi

I know that some people get benefits, but what about all the countless "temps" or people they hire only part time? I know at quite a few retail establishments there is schedule fixing to make sure people don't qualify for insurance.

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What Walmart does often is subcontract work. That is how they avoid responsibility. Example....the people who were cleaning the stores...the ones who were being paid $2.50 per hour? Walmart skated on it as they were employed by a subcontractor.

A business is a business. If you don't like it don't patronize it. I love walmart. I go there all the time. Not for the low prices (I don't see much difference) but because they carry so many items. I also like Apet Inc. who supplies Wisconsin walmarts with nice quality fish, but that's a whole new can of worms.

Walmart right now is going through a huge change, as far as employees go. First off they are requiring uniforms for teir employees, that was supposed to start jan 1 2007. The uniform will be blue shirt, khaki pants. Pretty much just like target. They are also changing the Dept. Manager scheduling. instead of dept. mngr. working mon-fri, they are now requiring them to work a swing shift, ie. working different hours and diff. days of the week. Also they are trying to remove all full time employees, and making them part time. ie, only working 34 hours a week as oppossed to 40.

i used to work at Wal-mart years ago, and I was a dept mangaer, as a dept. mngr. I only made 50cents and hour more than your average employee. If you wangted to make any money, you ad to be asst. mngr, but then you would get shifted from store to store. The benefits were good, but the pay itself was not. in my opinion. I know many people who styill work there, and they are not happy with all these new changes.