| Author | Message | ||
     Blake |
Walmart and Autozone are dead to me. The attack of nausea would be too great were I to ever again set foot in their place of business. The inconvenience will be significant concerning Walmart, but every time I shop elsewhere, I'll feel good about my choice rather than ashamed. http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=14319284 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/03/devin-mcc lean-autozone-employee-fired-robbery_n_2220219.htm l Old news I know, but I just learned of it. | ||
| Slaughter |
Blake, It's important to collect receipts for competing stores and every once in a while, send them in. Since Toshiba deliberately FU*KED our Navy, I have ALWAYS sent them copies of receipts for personal and company computer purchases with copies of relevant articles so they KNOW there's a cost to playing along with the Toshiba-Kongsberg John Walker travesty. Good to know about Autozone. I don't frequent Wallyworld so that is not a factor. | ||
| Blake |
The Toshiba issue is news to me. Thanks for sharing. I'll look into it. | ||
| Blake |
Now I remember! | ||
| Aesquire |
That's not new. Southland Corp., owner of 7-11 has long had a policy of firing employees that resist a robbery. Once upon a time that made sense, since A. It's not your money, and B. Resisting a Robbery used to increase your chances of being hurt. However, back in the Early 1990's the statistics changed to a better than 50% chance of getting shot in a conv. store robbery--- resist, cooperate, beg or help carry loot. So those of us on Night shift simply decided that if we were going to get fired for trying to survive, we might as well take it out on the robber. Wish that was a joke. | ||
| Lynrd |
In this case, it would also be a good idea to tell them WHY you have stopped trading with them - for this unreasonable firing, and not because: Walmart store openings destroy almost three local jobs for every two they create by reducing retail employment by an average of 2.7 percent in every county they enter. Walmart cost America an estimated 196,000 jobs – mainly manufacturing jobs – between 2001 and 2006 as a result of the company’s imports from China. Walmart workers average just $8.81 hour. This translates to annual pay of $15,576, based upon Walmart’s full-time status of 34 hours per week. This is less than 70% of the poverty line for a family of four. Walmart pays less than other retail firms. A 2005 study found that Walmart workers earn an estimated 12.4% less than retail workers as a whole, and 14.5% less than workers in large retail in general. A 2007 study which compared Wal-mart to other general merchandising employers found a wage gap of 17.4%. Last year, Walmart slashed already meager health benefits, leaving more workers uninsured. Despite all the damage they have done to US workers and communities, a 2007 study found that, as of that date, Walmart had received more than $1.2 billion in tax breaks, free land, infrastructure assistance, low-cost financing and outright grants from state and local governments around the country. This number has surely increased as Walmart continues to receive additional subsidies. In many states across the country, Walmart is the employer with the largest number of employees and dependents using taxpayer-funded health insurance programs. They have a history of employing illegal immigrants to clean stores They have pressured many formerly US based manufacturers, such as Levi Strauss and Master Lock, to move manufacturing overseas to lower costs. All over the country, independent retailers are going out of business because they cannot compete with Wal-Mart and their super cheap Chinese products. Often communities will give Wal-Mart huge tax breaks just to move in to their areas. But what many communities don't take into account is that the introduction of a Wal-Mart is often absolutely devastating to small businesses.... A study of small and rural towns in Iowa showed lost sales for local businesses ranging from -17.2% in small towns to -61.4% in rural areas, amounting to a total dollar loss of $2.46 BILLION over a 13-year period Glad you finally saw he light about Walmart over this firing , which I agree is typical corporate ass-hattery. It is a shame that it's not because you don't want to support slavery in China, destruction of manufacturing jobs in the states, and the replacement of small town America with giant big-box "SuperCenters". | ||
| Blake |
It's a shame that you speak from ignorance and choose to turn the thread into personal attack. Let me guess... Paying minimum wage is an injustice, but killing unborn babies is a right. :\ | ||
| Lynrd |
Personal attack? Hardly. I don't know you, or care enough to attack you or most people. Why would I bother? Re: Your question - Both are against my sense of ethics and personal code of conduct. I just think Wal-Mart sucks in many dimensions. | ||
| Strokizator |
I don't know, Blake. There's plenty of reasons to dislike Walmart and Lynrd has touched on a few. I've got nothing against minimum wage as it's a good way for teens to enter the job market or for retirees to pocket a few extra bucks but Walmart has destroyed way more American jobs than they ever created. Of course the American consumer created the Walmart phenomenon and is ultimately the guilty party in all this. | ||
| Sifo |
I hate to have to point this out, but no business has the ability to destroy a job, other than those that they provide. Any assertion that they can, simply speaks to the ignorance of the person making that statement. About the ONLY exception to this is a business that temporarily undercuts competition at a loss to drive them out of business. This however isn't the Walmart business plan. The consumer has a choice on where to spend their cash however. They actually have far more power than the seller. Walmart simply provided what the masses wanted, in cheap overseas garbage. I also have some questions about the salaries and benefits quoted. The simple fact that Walmart cut benefits shows that they provide what many retailers don't. Is that reflected in lower hourly wages? Probably so. Was an adjustment for that made in the copy and past Walmart bash? Probably not. Having said that, I doubt that I have spent $100 in Walmart over my lifetime. That's the choice that I've made. That list of issues with Walmart just looks to lack any credibility. I base that on the sources where the list can be found. | ||
| Hootowl |
Walmart is not unique in selling Chinese products. Look around. Target, Home Depot, etc. You can't get away from it unless you're specifically out to do so. Don't hang it on walmart. | ||
| Luftkoph |
You should read the things they said about sears and roebuck back over 100 years ago,you would think it was the end of America and all small towns will vanish in a matter of a few years. Someday someone will kick wal marts ass and everyone will think its an evil empire,and remember the good old days when every town had their own wal mart. | ||
| Blake |
I don't much care for Walmart, never have, nor do I spend much on Chinese made products, but I hate marxism and the deceit of Progressives (neo-Marxists). Let's scrutinize your list of Walmart gripes and see how they hold up in the face of bright light and reason. 1. Walmart store openings destroy almost three local jobs for every two they create by reducing retail employment by an average of 2.7 percent in every county they enter. And Walmart shoppers benefit from reduced prices on the same merchandise. Free market bad? Sorry, unless Walmart is monopolizing, I don't see the problem. Don't blame Walmart for being successful; blame the shoppers who've made them successful. 2. Walmart cost America an estimated 196,000 jobs – mainly manufacturing jobs – between 2001 and 2006 as a result of the company’s imports from China. Cause no other retailer would dare sell Chinese goods? Sorry no, Walmart just does so most aggressively and entered markets that their competitors avoided, American small towns. Clinton granted China "Permanent Normal Trade Relations" status. Prior to that, their trade status had to be renewed annually and was contingent , supposedly, upon acceptable human rights conduct in China. Without the guarantee of ongoing trade, moving manufacturing to China was tough to justify. Clinton opened the floodgates. American consumerism did the rest. 3. Walmart workers average just $8.81 hour. Low pay bothers you? What do you say a stock boy ought to earn in Kilgore, Texas? 4. This translates to annual pay of $15,576, based upon Walmart’s full-time status of 34 hours per week. Again, low pay bothers you? Is 34 hours the avg workweek for Walmart employees? No overtime ever? The full time status number is the threshold Walmart uses to distinguish between part time and full time for the purposes of benefits. It's not the average employee workweek. 5. This is less than 70% of the poverty line for a family of four. Low pay really bothers you! How many families of four depend on a single stock boy or cashier or greeter for their income? In meaningful terms, essentially zero. Solution? Vote to raise the minimum wage? 6. Walmart pays less than other retail firms. Good grief, the record keeps repeating. Low pay bothers you. I think we get that. Stop the presses! Walmart, the king of small town discount stores and super box stores, pays lower wages than Bloomingdale's, Dillard's, JC Penney, Kohl's, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks 5th Avenue, Sears, etc? How do you figure wages at Walmart compare to those at Costco and K-Mart?  7. A 2005 study found that Walmart workers earn an estimated 12.4% less than retail workers as a whole, and 14.5% less than workers in large retail in general. Wait, you mean Walmart jobs pay less than others? Seriously broken record here. This ought not surprise anyone. Mercedes salesmen earn more than Hyundai salesmen. Damn those discount car companies!? And "A study found..." Doublespeak used by deceivers. What are the actual verifiable facts? 8. A 2007 study which compared Wal-mart to other general merchandising employers found a wage gap of 17.4%. Yet again. All shall earn the same for the sake of "social justice"? Ok comrade. I disagree. Marxism is evil. Don't get sucked in by it. 9. Last year, Walmart slashed already meager health benefits, leaving more workers uninsured. Thanks to... Obamacare. Wait, Walmart provides health insurance? How many of those displaced local businesses provided health insurance for their employees? Essentially few to none in meaningful terms. 10. Despite all the damage they have done to US workers and communities, a 2007 study found that, as of that date, Walmart had received more than $1.2 billion in tax breaks, free land, infrastructure assistance, low-cost financing and outright grants from state and local governments around the country. This number has surely increased as Walmart continues to receive additional subsidies. Damage? Baloney. What's the matter? Afraid of change? Subsidies? Tax breaks are not subsidies. Or do you agree that anyone not paying the top income tax rate is being subsidized by those who do? $1.2B spread over 4,200 stores amounts to $286K per store, not much even in local terms, especially when spread out over decades. 11. In many states across the country, Walmart is the employer with the largest number of employees and dependents using taxpayer-funded health insurance programs. So what? Why is it a surprise that the largest employer, and one with lower paying jobs, would be the one with the most people on govt assistance? Do you expect Exxon or Microsoft to be the one in that state? What employer should be the one with the most low wage earners? Please do tell. 12.They have a history of employing illegal immigrants to clean stores. They hire independent cleaning companies, some that have had illegals as employees. Your characterization is not honest. You can do better. 13. They have pressured many formerly US based manufacturers, such as Levi Strauss and Master Lock, to move manufacturing overseas to lower costs. Source for that. Sounds quite dubious. Pressure? Like "we can't sell at your current price point, the Chinese brands are half the cost and our customers prefer them"? 14. All over the country, independent retailers are going out of business because they cannot compete with Wal-Mart and their super cheap Chinese products. The beauty of free enterprise. How do you feel about Amazon.com? Who of Walmart's competitors refuses to offer similar if not identical made in China products? 15. Often communities will give Wal-Mart huge tax breaks just to move in to their areas. But what many communities don't take into account is that the introduction of a Wal-Mart is often absolutely devastating to small businesses.... Some may not. I doubt many are that dumb. Free enterprise or do you prefer the state to dictate who can or cannot do business? I don't like Walmart. I don't often shop there. When I do, I choose to avoid most anything made in China. But above and beyond that, I support freedom. If everyone shopped as do I, Walmart would fold up within a month. | ||
| Cyclonedon |
I think that if you check out most employers rules, you are NOT allowed to try and stop a robbery. Employers feel that for every successful attempt there will be more failures and people getting hurt. That's my company's policy and I think most companies likewise. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Every company I ever worked for had the same policy. I also have the same policy with my drivers who carry petty cash. These guys are lucky they didn't get shot, but on the other side of the same coin it's nice to see some guys taking care of business. A shame that they had to be fired, I bet they can all get positive letters of recommendation from their supervisors though. | ||
| Clutchreaper |
Walmart is a company with cutthroat business practices. They enter into contracts with manufacturers and offer a deal that can't be refused. Ex: We will buy one million of this product for this price over x years. The manufacturer then creates the product but has to expand by building more facilities and hiring more workers. When the contract is up Walmart then says that they will buy the product again but at a much lower price. Often this price is too low for the manufacturer to make any money, it may even be at a loss. The manufacturer will disagree and Walmart will then threaten to completely cut ties with the manufacturer and will no longer sell any of their products. Because of the large expansion the manufacturer made due to the first contract with Walmart the manufacturer cannot afford to lose Walmarts business or their company will fail. The only alternative is to move the company overseas where the manufacturing costs will be low enough for them to still remain in business or be profitable. Once they move overseas and Walmart has them in a pinch Walmart then tells them how to manufacture their products with even cheaper components or eliminate parts to keep the cost down even more so that Walmart can sell them even cheaper. There are a lot of products you buy at Walmart that are slight variations of the products you would buy at other retailers because they are made with either cheaper components or do not have all of the functions. They are Walmart only products despite being name brand goods. You cannot buy them anywhere else. Even food at Walmart is played into this. I have relatives and friends that have been involved with Walmart at higher levels. There are a lot of things Walmart will not disclose to outsiders because of the secretiveness of their business practices and their business ethics. When you work in retail long enough you make an interesting network of resources. | ||
| Ducbsa |
Sears did the same thing and everyone big enough does it too. The suppliers know it is being done and aren't blushing virgins being tricked. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
1.3 million people work for Walmart in the USA, making it the largest employer in the Country. Do they know something that the Walmart haters do not? Or do they work there because they have decided that it is the best job that this economy can provide for them at this time? (Message edited by gentleman_jon on July 08, 2013) | ||
| Blake |
Having a policy (rule) is a lot different from choosing to fire employees who in good and admirable conscience fail to adhere to said policy. This goes beyond the lunacy of the "gun free" zones, essentially elevating the idiocy to boldly advertised "gun free and pacifist too" zones. I won't live where such idiocy is embraced, nor will I knowingly frequent properties where such policy is enforced so heavy-handedly. Surely tell employees to never risk their lives to defend mere property. If however they credibly perceive a need to defend life, and they are willing to act, and do so successfully, then they should be rewarded, not punished! The policy of non-confrontation ought not be so rigid. That's all. | ||
| Blake |
"Walmart is a company with cutthroat business practices." So Walmart murders people as part of their operating policy? Wild exaggeration instantly discredits your message. The lack of factual content only further diminishes credibility. Demonizing large successful business is the Marxist way, until they manage to gain unionization (control) over said large successful business. Then, once they are in on the fix, they very much approve. And with the aid of a corrupt govt, they'll even drive the business into the ground, then take control. See GM. | ||
| Crackhead |
Wait, so people still shop in stores? USPS will deliver the packages straight to my door and I don't have to see any People of Walmart stuff. http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/ | ||
| Spiderman |
And if one of these employees got shot and the families sued I bet you would have been bitching about that too Blake. | ||
| Hootowl |
They would have been shot while breaking company policy. Walmart can't be held liable, which I suspect is the reason the policy is what it is. | ||
| Thumper74 |
Aren't there laws limiting or removing employer's liability in the event someone is injured during a robbery? | ||
| Ak_addict |
I wonder if he would of been fired or just reprimanded if he called in sick and then the boss sees him at a restaurant with his girl, I'm sure that would be against company policy. Zero tolerance for weapons??? They sell razor blade knives, just in case you forgot that is what the 9/11 hijackers used as weapons. Sounds like Autozone is an anti second amendment company to me. (Message edited by AK Addict on July 08, 2013) | ||
| Blake |
Hahah! Walmart here sells AR15's. They don't sell handguns anymore though. Boy Tony. You obviously don't know me at all. The only one deserving of blame is the criminal. Nice to see you looking in on the place though. | ||
| Ak_addict |
Fixed it Blake, I was talking about Autozone. FYI just because a company is willing to make a profit off of firearms doesn't mean they are not anti second amendment. | ||
| Clutchreaper |
Blake, They are not wild exaggerations. Cutthroat is a term used in business where the business man has no mercy for the other businesses, even if they destroy the businesses that developed their core customer. Words can have more than one definition, and in the business world the term is legit. There is no need for creative writing. The former employees of companies that went overseas demonize Walmart. I just paraphrased how Walmart works. Marxism? Please. This isn't a sociological attack on capitalism, and I'm not going to do leg work to provide anything to diminish your ignorance. The facts are available to anybody willing to educate themselves and are free to do so. Walmart is one of the most efficient and streamlined companies in the world. Their investments in inventory tracking have shown amazing results down to the point where if you buy products A+P+G they know you most likely are going to be buying product F as well. Walmart didn't get to where they are by changing their processes alone but by changing the processes of their vendors as well. Walmart not only impacted retail, they impacted manufacturing. The number one rule in corporate retail is that no product, or amount of money, is worth risking your life over. Money and merchandise can be replaced. Your life cannot. I have had former colleagues in retail die horrible deaths over trying to be brave. How would you like to explain to a woman that her husband died by getting dragged from being trapped in a car door while his body was slammed between the pillars of the building and car as the vehicle took off? Do you think she will say that he died for a good cause? What about the woman who gets shot in the face because she refused to open the cash drawer? I have no problem terminating associates for putting themselves at risk of injury or death just to save the company some money. The message must be clear and what Walmart and Autozone did was the right thing. You cannot allow the policy in a dangerous situation to be broken or others will do the same until somebody gets killed. | ||
| Aesquire |
Unfortunately that is based on false preconceptions. If they are going to kill you even if you cooperate, how does letting them have the cash drawer do any good? I'm not saying the typical walmart clerk should be packing a cannon and blow away any customer that looks funny...... It's Walmart! You've seen the pictures! I'm not even saying it makes any sense to save the cash in the till. It's not only not yours, but it's a tiny fraction of the payroll, since most of it goes to buying the stuff you sell. It's only money, let him have it. Certainly not worth your life to protect some cash, your job, even. ONLY protecting yourself and others from harm is worth that, and it's corollary, harm another. So the idealism you preach isn't bad, it's just not adequate for the day's reality. Let me make it clear. You don't know if the robber is going to kill you or not. In some places, notably Conv. Stores, the odds are now that he will. Given the choice of being murdered or defending myself and possibly living, what rational choice do you make? If it was overwhelmingly true that cooperation was the plan that saves you, by all means cooperate. It's just not so. Even worse, in Modern America, even if you just broke the robber's hand with the cash drawer, making him drop the gun, and dash crying into the arms of the police arriving for donuts, YOU would get sued and life destroyed for hurting the precious little mama's boy. | ||
| Blake |
So good old fashioned hard-nosed business is now to be considered "cutthroat"? Baloney. That's just a tactic to smear and demonize. What Patrick said. Telling employees that they are prohibited from doing what they feel is needed to protect their lives is ludicrous. Firing them after they do so successfully is obscene. It is dishonest to characterize their actions as if intended to defend property. They were defending their lives against a madman with a gun. |
