UNDER
STAFFING IS
THE WAY IT IS.
MORE STORES
OPEN AND THE
ASSOCIATE
COUNT STAYS
THE SAME.
STORES THAT
NEED 500
ASSOCIATES TO
RUN PROPERLY
HAVE 270 DO
MORE WITH
MUCH MUCH
LESS AND
KNOW THAT
WALMART
CONSIDERS IT'S
EXPERIENCE
STAFF
WORTHLESS.
ASSOCIATES NO
LONGER HAVE
AN IDEA OF
WHAT WILL
HAPPEN NEXT
ANYWHERE
ANYTIME AND IF
YOU ARE A
DEPARTMENT
MANAGER YOUR
DEPARTMENT
STILL IS YOUR
PROBLEM EVEN
IF YOU SPEND
THE WEEK IN
OTHER AREAS
OF THE STORE.
IT IS NEW. IT IS
RETAIL AND IT IS A
LEARNING CURVE.
SO FAR I SEE
SIMILARITIES BUT I
ALSO SEE SO MANY
DIFFERENCES.
TIME WILL TELL
AND I WILL
PROBABLY
EVENTUALLY MOVE
ON.
New York Times Wed, 26
Oct 05 by Michael
Barbaro and Steven
Greenhouse-An internal
memo drafted by M.
Susan Chambers,a senior
executive vice president
for Wal-Mart's employee
benefit
department,proposes
ways to lower benefit
costs on health care. Ms.
Chambers suggested to
the Wal-Mart Board of
Directors,hire more part
time workers, discourage
unhealthy people from
working at
Wal-Mart,reduce
contributions to the
401(K) plan. Ms.
Chambers,according to
the "Leaked Memo,"
voices dismay that
workers with seven years
seniority earn
considerably more than
workers with one year's
seniority,but are no more
productive. Right now
Wal-Mart is trying to
improve its tarnished
public immage because
critics have attacked WM
for being stingy on
wages and health
coverage. Ms. Chambers
proposes cashiers help
push carts for physical
activity.
AFTER CHRISTMAS 65
ASSOCIATES AT ONE LOCAL
WALMART SAY THEY WILL
QUIT...THEY ARE ONLY HOLDING
ON BECAUSE OF THE
UPCOMING HOLIDAYS. TOO
MANY OF THEM FEEL THEY
CANNOT DO A GOOD JOB
BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO DO WHAT NEEDS
TO BE DONE
A CALL TO FOX NEWS IN NY 212-301-3000
CONFIRMS THAT FOX HAS NO INTEREST IN
TELLING THE STORY ON WALMART AND IT'S
MEMO FROM INSIDE THE STORES...CALL THEM
AND ASK...MAYBE YOU CAN GET THROUGH...NINE
MONTHS OF CONTACTING LOCAL AND
NATIONWIDE NEWS MEDIA RESULTS IN WALMART
GETTING A PASS AND NOT BEING HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ISSUES IN THE MEMO
THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN USED IN THE
STORES. NO COVERAGE FOR WALMART
ASSOICIATES.
EMAILS DO NOT WORK...NINE MONTHS OF
CONTACTING LOCAL AND NATIONWIDE MEDIA
RESULTS IN WALMART GETTING A PASS...EVEN
ROBERT GREENWALD'S DOCUMENTARY WILL
NOT RELATE WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON AND
ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE INFORMATIVE IT WILL
NOT BE REPORTED THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA ALSO HAS A PROBLEM
TAKING ON WALMART. ASSOCIATES CALL THE
PRESS CALL THE MEDIA...TELL THEM YOU WANT
THE ENTIRE STORY REPORTED ON FROM BOTH
SIDES.
THE ONLY WAY TO ASSIST AN ILL FAMILY MEMBER IS TO FILE FOR FMLA. THERE
ARE VERY FEW MANAGERS THAT ALLOW A FAMILY TO TAKE CARE OF EACH
OTHER. WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS HOSPITALIZED ON CHRISTMAS EVE THEY
MADE THE ATTEMPT TO COACH ME BECAUSE OF IT EVEN THOUGH THE STORE
MANAGER OKAYED MY GOING TO THE HOSPITAL FOR HER.
THEY ALSO LIE ABOUT WHAT THEY SAY OR ALLOW WHEN THEY FEEL THE NEED
TO AND ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING ON TERMINATING ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN
AROUND FOR A WHILE. SEVEN YEARS IS WHEN AN ASSOCIATE IS FULLY
VESTED. THEY DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO MAKE IT THERE.
THEY DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO GET A PERSON TO QUIT PRIOR TO
THE SEVEN YEAR MARK.
THEY WILL USE THE ASSOCIATES CRITICAL NEED TRUST FUND FOR ANYTHING
THEY LIKE. THEY TRIED TO PAY EXTRA RELOCATION REIMBURSEMENT TO ME
WITH A CHECK FROM THE FUND...SHORTLY AFTER I SAID I WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT
MY PROBLEMS INCREASED AT MY STORE. LEE SCOTT SAID SENDING IT FROM
THE FUND WAS "BAD JUDGEMENT" BUT TOLD ME NOT TO RETURN THE CHECK.
MIKE DUKE ANSWERED AN EMAIL I SENT WITH A CALL. I WAS NOT HOME SO HE
LEFT A NUMBER FOR ME TO CALL HIM. WHEN HE ANSWERED THE PHONE HE
SOUNDED OUT OF IT...I WON'T SAY WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE EXCEPT HE REALLY
SOUNDED PREOCCUPIED AT THE MOMENT AND WAS BASICALLY UNABLE TO
TALK ABOUT ANYTHING...HE REALLY SOUNDED VERY MUCH LIKE A PRE
OCCUPPIED BILL CLINTON.
THAT IS MY OPINION AND NOTHING WAS ACCOMPLISHED ... I HAD TO HANG UP
THE PHONE ... IT MADE ME FEEL ILL. I HAVE NO IDEA OF WHY HE ANSWERED IT.
MAYBE HE WAS EXPECTING A CALL AND HAD TO PROVE HE WAS THERE...HE'S IN
CHINA NOW...ISN'T HE?
I WANTED TO HELP. TO EXPLAIN HOW THEY COULD RECOUP THE KIND OF
DEDICATION THAT THE ASSOCIATES FELT WHEN THE COMPANY FIRST STARTED.
NO ONE WOULD EVEN ATTEMPT TO LET ME TALK...TO LET ME EXPLAIN.
THE OVERALL ATTITUDE IS THAT WALMART ASSOCIATES AT ANY LEVEL ARE
STUPID AND DESERVE TO BE TREATED AS IDIOTS. SPECULATE, LIE TELL THEM
ANYTHING. RE HIRE THIEVES BECAUSE YOU CAN HOLD IT OVER THEIR HEADS?
STORE MANGERS THAT STOLE, AND LIED ARE VALUED BY WALMART.
I'VE SEEN IT...I'VE BEEN THERE.. ASSOCIATES, CASHIERS, STOCKERS, ASSISTANT
MANAGERS JUST ABOUT ANYONE...EVEN SOME HANDICAPPED WORKERS AT TIMES ARE
EXPECTED TO RETRIEVE SHOPPING CARTS FROM THE PARKING LOT.
WALMART FOR ANY NUMBER OF YEARS MAKES NO DISTINCTION AS TO YOUR JOB CODE.
IF YOU WORK FOR WALMART YOU SELDOM SIT AT A DESK. OFFICE WORKERS ARE
EXPECTED TO STOCK SHELVES AS NEEDED. THEY DO WORK IN THE BACK ROOMS AND
RECIEVE FREIGHT. ANYONE WHO REFUSES TO DO MANUAL LABOR HAS TO PRESENT A
DOCTOR'S NOTE THAT SAYS YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO AND IF YOU REFUSE YOU ARE
COACHED...THIS OF COURSE IS DEPENDING ON THE DISTRICT AND STORE MANAGERS. I
HAVE SEEN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE STORE EXPECT MUCH MORE OUT OF ASSOCIATES
THAN THEY WERE EVER TOLD WOULD BE EXPECTED. WORKERS COMP CASES ARE
USUALLY ALLOWED SOME KIND OF WORK THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE MANUAL LABOR AND
IF THERE IS NOTHING AVAILABLE THE ASSOCIATE IS TOLD THEY CANNOT WORK.
IF IT ISN'T LAW...WALMART COULD CARE LESS. IT IS NO LONGER FAMILY FRIENDLY AND
THE MEDICAL INSURANCE DOES NOT HELP ASSOCIATES BECAUSE PREVENTIVE
MEDICINE IS USUALLY NOT AN OPTION.
IF FOR ANY REASON YOU ARE ILL THEY USUALLY MAKE IT SO UNBEARABLE THAT THE
ASSOCIATE QUITS.
