| Author | Message | ||
     Lost_in_ohio |
Anyone else seen it? I had no clue that the chinese workers at the walmart factorys are actually paid $3 a day and then are back charged for dormitory and utilities. 16 hours shifts are expected. Firing one of factory inspectors for telling the truth.... Unbelievable. I cannot believe the shit they pulled to get tax abatements and then moving just as the abatements expire. How about all the unpaid over time? Managers changing time sheet to remove or just cheat employees out of earned over time. Unbelievable I knew about running other small businesses out but no clue how aggressive they are. The anti union swat team with a quick response jet to stamp out any attempts at organizing. WOW. I am done shopping there. As a socially responsible person I cannot shop there any longer. | ||
| Lastcyclone |
I don't know why this suprises anyone. This is the biggest corporation in the world. Bigger than General Motors, bigger even than Exxon Mobil. They got the way pretty quickly and they sure didn't do it by being generous and sharing the profits with all the people that make and sell the products that they earn their billions on. Per Forbes: Five of the Walton Family are among the 29 richest billionaires in the US. Capatilism out of control! Rank Name Citizenship Age Net Worth ($bil) Residence 1 William Gates III United States 51 56.0 United States 2 Warren Buffett United States 76 52.0 United States 23 Jim Walton United States 59 16.8 United States 24 Christy Walton & family United States 52 16.7 United States 24 S Robson Walton United States 63 16.7 United States 26 Alice Walton United States 57 16.6 United States 29 Helen Walton United States 87 16.4 United States My conscience will not allow me to support such a company. <http://walmartwatch.com/> | ||
| Eisanmann |
Are you guys really that jealous? Have you ever been I their realm? Investigate some of the other Fortune 500 companies. I'll bet then you will stop buying American made goods? | ||
| Mikej |
Got a link to the program? A better title to search for? My question: http://walmartwatch.com/blog/archives/2_down_48908 6876394_to_go/
If the workers only make $142 a month, how can someone like H-D even think about selling bikes there? Wal-Mart is the MicroSoft of retailing in an EDLP environment. I go to Wal-Mart, ShopKo, Target, Kohls, Fleet Farm, Farm & Fleet, and other department stores and see many of the same items and brands in all the stores. If the DocuDrama mentioned above is anything like 60Minutes or 20/20 then I'll have to get out the salt shaker. I'm not trying to defend Wal-Mart, but if you think you can do better then open up a store and go for it. I like bicycles and books for example, Wal-Mart sells both of those types of items, I've looked into opening up a store several times in the past, financially it didn't feasably work out, Wal-Mart was not a primary factor in the factoring and figuring. Let me know when Wal-Mart starts selling gas powered mopeds and motorcycles from some of those Chinese manufacturers which are apparently flooding the market here. I worked for a company that had an office in Taipei, a factory they used in Kaoshung, and were opening up a relationship with a factory in Shanghi (complete with dormatories). Kind of funny that they found a group of people who were living in the dormatories who were taking items from the dumpsters and building the parts into clone parts along with their own copied parts and selling them on the market in direct competition with the company. China, Taiwan, Korea, India, elsewhere, none of these countries or places can be judged or compared directly to work conditions in the United States. In fact, rumors and so called investigative reporting shows have found slave labor in active use right here within the United States. How do you folks who hate Wal-Mart feel about people who adopt female Chinese children? Isn't that in a way supporting China by relieving them of their "undesirables"? This thread has the extreme potential to get real ugly real fast, so just consider this a drive-by, I'll be in other threads after this most likely. (I wonder how long it will take for this thread to go to that dark place on the site here, the Backfire Board????? ) | ||
| Blackbelt |
The deal w/ China is messed up. I know of factories that pay .25 and hour, and work monday thru saturday. I have seen this first hand. but that is what you get w/ a Communist society, and the people are scuffed under the carpet. | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
Jealous of what??? I have no illusion about my societal status. I am like cyclone I just can't spend my dollar with a socially irresponsible company. The sad part is not only are they putting small business's out but the distributors who support them are going out too. So the infrastructure is being destroyed so there is no hope of ever going back. | ||
| Ryker77 |
The current politcal system of dirty lieing cheating republicans and democrats are the ones that ALLOW the trade problems. All retail stores in American cater cheap labor items. Be it Wal-Mart, target, or the local momNpop store. www.ronpaul2008.com  | ||
| Mikej |
There is always another side to any issue: http://bobmccarty.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/paul -10x10-1.jpg Came up with the above on the first page of a google image search. Disclaimer: In the spirit of debate I am taking no sides either for or against this Ron Paul person, in fact I only realized recently that he wasn't somebody else with a similar name. Needless to say I view one politician on equal terms with other politicians in that they all have a personal agenda beyond what is publicly stated. YMMV. | ||
| Slaughter |
Who among the group is willing to pay what it takes to actually produce the stuff you are demanding for so little money? Who would rather pay $400 for their cellphone or $1000 for a Blackberry? Who is looking for those bargain motorcycle stands again? T-Rex, I believe? Sure are cheap! | ||
| Ducxl |
Who would rather pay $400 for their cellphone or $1000 for a Blackberry? uhh.....me.The fact is nothing in life is free.Eventually,with all of our money going out and less and less coming in,we'll be flat broke.Except for those BILLIONAIRES above getting VERY rich on our desire for CHEAP products. Why would ANYONE want to employ American labor when we can get labor much cheaper in third world countries.The problem lies with Corporate America and it's insatiable greed for increasing profit margins.Capitalism gone crazy.Some here state we'll DEFEAT Communism.But i think as we SUPERCONSUMERS here in America are the ones who'll be on the short end on the stick in the end. Communism...The new world order.Down with the BILLIONAIRES. If i had 16 Billion,how much per day could i spend for the next 30 years? | ||
| Ducxl |
I had no clue that the chinese workers at the walmart factorys are actually paid $3 a day and then are back charged for dormitory and utilities. 16 hours shifts are expected. How long have i made this statement? I've been screaming for months about living at the factory.WE CANNOT COMPETE AGAINST SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES. | ||
| Tommy_black_shark |
Didn't we have this debate a few months ago? Wal*Mart is a target of the left and their media lackeys because they are non-union. The unions would love to get a foothold in Wal*Mart. Unions see a big payday in dues to offset the collapse of the union movement in the American manufacturing sector. The Stalinists see another large group that can fund their campaigns (with or without member support). Everybody is happy! I applaud the working class heroes who are willing to lower their standard of living by not buying Chinese products. Go a year without buying anything made in China, let us know how that works out for you. | ||
| Ducxl |
If the average Chinese worker could save up and buy an FLHTCUI or even a plain Jane XLH i'd be fine.But it's not a two way reciprocal relationship with China.Their products come here but ours don't go there.And forget with the dispensing of what software they're running.I want to know why they don't buy our widgets that the average American laborer makes. China will never,EVER change and it's folly to believe so. | ||
| Mikej |
"If i had 16 Billion,how much per day could i spend for the next 30 years? " Approximately $1,460,120.46 per day assuming you weren't drawing any interest on the available funds. Or to look at it another way, if you ignore taxes, someone with 16 billion dollars could make 16,000 people instant millionaires. That reminds me, I have to go check yesterday's PowerBall numbers..... ps, China changes on a regular basis, they are in a constant flux of change, always on the verge of complete turmoil and destruction with total anarchy barely a sneeze away. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I can't think of one thing I buy from the local Super Wal-Mart that is made or imported from China. Not the soap, deodorant, shampoo, vitamins, filters, motor oil, flat tire repair kits, magazines, garbabe bags, cleaning solutions, canned goods, meat, fresh vegetables and fruit. None of it, even the Chinese food I buy from there, comes from China. I don't feel guilty at all for buying these products at Wal-Mart. | ||
| Mikej |
(Shhhh, you'll spoil the over-generalizations and stereotyping politicisms and emotionalisms.)  | ||
| Buellshyter |
I, for one, could care less anymore. I figure if I'm lucky I have another 20-30 years to live. It's even odds if the country can hold on that long but what choice do I really have. | ||
| Ducxl |
Oh sure...Be a defeatist.we'll all be dead anyways so F'it.I'm going to get all i can while i'm here and screw the rest. It's not about "The labor movement".It's about saving the American citizens who are losing jobs to the "Peoples Democratic Army of China". | ||
| Slaughter |
Ducx1, Good on you. There's another thread where folks are bragging about the virtues of the chinese rip-offs of the Pit Bull stands. The TRex are half the price of Pit Bulls. Wonder why???? I own 'Murican cars, except for Sunny's vintage Interceptors, own 3 'Murican motorcycles. I know personally people who work at Buell and HD - I've even met the MAN Erik out at a few different bike events and was SHOCKED that he remembered BOTH my and Sunny's names the second time we met the man. I raced and rode the Suzuki but never met Irving P. Suzuki or whoever runs the show. Great machinery but not my style. I have to admit to trying to buy domestic whenever possible - though it is damned near impossible to get domestic consumer goods any longer. | ||
| Buellshyter |
I'm going to get all i can while i'm here and screw the rest You put words into my mouth. I am not for the wholesale destruction of our middle class by outsourcing everything under the sun but I'm also tired of the fight. The wall of stupidity grows larger everyday. I recently was looking at some solid wood furniture and discovered that this particular manufacturer no longer made their furniture in the U.S. but in China. The salesmen chimed right in "...but it's still the same high quality" Well, gee, thanks, considering it cost just as much but probably cost half as much to manufacture. I wonder if he would be as enthusiastic if they eliminated his job and replaced him with a talking display made in China. | ||
| Chasespeed |
Who would rather pay $400 for their cellphone or $1000 for a Blackberry? }uhh.....me.The fact is nothing in life is free. Dude, no offense, but, i am glad you can afford that. Personally, there are enough problems in THIS country, that need to be solved, and NO, Walmart is NOT responsible... Simple fact is, without these department stores, alot of us couldnt afford to clothe our families, feed our kids, etc. Think I walk around in nice designer jeans? HA, not even if I could afford it... All that nice fancy crap, is the same quality, just 4 times as expensive.... REGARDLESS... We are an extremely rich country.... You cant compare our payscale with that of China....or most other countries... I have been to countries, and had 20 bux in my pocket, drank, gambled, partied, ate in a place that the equivilant I couldnt afford in the states, and still had change at the end of the night.... Why are we so concerned for others, when we cant even help ourselves?????? Oh well, what do I know? Chase} | ||
| M2me |
This is just another example of the problem with top down globalization and the trickle down theory. For 30 years we've been told that we need to get government off our backs, that government is "stealing our money" and the best thing to do is slash taxes and let the private sector solve the publics problems through the trickle down theory. The private sector is not going to look after the public's interest! That's not their job! That's our governments job and we need to stop electing candidates who say that government is bad for the people. That's been a self-fulfilling prophecy. So now we can buy furniture and toothpaste at super low prices. Meanwhile, the middle class has been beaten up and any ideas of affordable health care, affordable higher education or a secure retirement have been eliminated for millions of Americans. But the Walton family just keeps getting richer and isn't that what government of the people, by the people and for the people should be about? | ||
| Aesquire |
Walmart, too cheap to avoid, too big to ignore. Just because they are the target of stalinists, does not mean they are all good. On the other hand, they are the target of people I massively don't want to rule the place. Gotta give them kudo's for that. I own ,buy, & will buy, cheap Chinese crud. I have no choice. I prefer buying stuff from free countries, but where do I get them?.....I do have a Cyclone. Tell the companies you buy from to make stuff in free lands. The Red Army Secret Police were big contributers back in the '96 election, as I recall. Guess who got off scott free while the guy's who laundered the money went to prison. Never mind, unless they are big contributer's this year as well. I'm not sure about Ron Paul. Is he a full-o-crud politician going for the conservative vote? Or an idealist who will bring doom to society? I know no way to know. Is he really a supporter of the constitution? We should have voice stress analyzer meter displayed above each politician's head on tv. AT ALL TIMES! It would be funny as all get out, IMHO. I am of course, Union. I could not pay dues, not be in the Union, and I'm sure they would represent me just as well, just as enthusiastically, if I didn't. Right? | ||
| Court |
More drama than docu . . . . We have one of our badwebbers who spends a good deal of time doing business in China. Always interesting to compare his observations with the drama. | ||
| Tommy_black_shark |
The private sector is not going to look after the public's interest! That's not their job! That's our governments job What ever happened to individual responsibility? Don't like Chinese products? Don't buy them. Don't like Wal*Mart? Don't shop there. That is the American way. Don't expect the government to step in and fix things because they can't and won't. The standard of living in this country is the best it has ever been. The availability of manufactured goods to all levels of society is fantastic. A large part of that prosperity is the availability of cheap to buy foreign goods. | ||
| Ducxl |
A large part of that prosperity is the availability of cheap to buy foreign goods. Tell that to the last 300 employees of Quaker Fabrics.You know,the last of the hundreds of textile mills in and around Fall River Massachusetts.The one that had 5 manufacturing facilities in that city? True story,they had tried consolidating operations and downsizing.I've got a good friendly Badwebber affected by the sudden shuttering last week.Tell her this is the price of prosperity.Again..true story. Court...Please tell us again about those lovely General Electric 10 Googlawatt generators you installed recently and how they were made...where? Oh,how lovely,now they're made in China.Remember...they used to be made by American labor....But.."That's the price of prosperity". Am i "Puffing my chest" now? | ||
| M2me |
The availability of manufactured goods to all levels of society is fantastic. A large part of that prosperity is the availability of cheap to buy foreign goods. Is that all our country is about? Consuming cheap foreign goods? Is that how our prosperity should be measured? What kind of country is that? To me it seems empty and hollow. Prosperity to me means more than just accumulating a bunch of junk. What about availability of affordable, quality education? What about availability of affordable, quality health care? What about being leaders and innovators? I want to raise the bar and challenge my country to be about something more than just consuming massive amounts of cheap foreign merchandise (and massive amounts of oil too, but that's another subject). I don't look to Wal-Mart for help. It's got to come from we the people of the United States. | ||
| Az_m2 |
What better incentive to improve leadership and innovation than foreign competion? | ||
| Hdbobwithabuell |
Holy f'ing crap. If the US wasn't, well, the US, most of us wouldn't be able to sit around and cry about how bad everything is and have it published for most of the free world to see. We complain that we don't make enough $$ and at the same time complain about "big business". Do you think anyone would make more than $30k a year without "big business"? Could you afford to ride or even have internet access without "big business"? STFU | ||
| Slaughter |
I'm also a big believer in the free market and as long as people are demanding cheaper goods, they'll be getting them. I guess that I don't buy stolen goods for the same reasons I don't buy goods from companies who do not honor copyrights or intellectual property or blatantly rip off and reverse engineer other people's products. That is not a new thing - it's just that now it's "THEM FURRINERS" doing it instead of home-grown unscrupulous businesses. Buy what you want and buy it from whom you want, just do so with your eyes open. Yes, I am fearful for companies like Pit Bull because of companies like T - Rex. Yes, the consumer does get a usable product and half the price of the original. It matters to me. Doesn't matter to most folks. If I am looking to buy almost anything except for front-line military hardware, I'm going to have to deal with mostly foreign content. If I'm looking to buy consumer goods, it's really rare to find something not entirely produced elsewhere. Look at the graduating classes of engineering schools - Asians dominate - and yes India is Asian, Arabs, but if you think "UhMericuns" are represented in large numbers, you're not looking. Our culture no longer values designing, developing and producing. We value consumption. So buy what you want, where you want - the Government should not become involved (except when the foreign companies practice predatory operations at the expense of their own taxpayers) WE've brought this on ourselves, we're becoming a nation of consumers, NOT producers. WalMart is not the problem, WE are the problem. We're getting what we're DEMANDING. |
