Saturday, January 14, 2006

Not So Long Ago, In a Galaxy Not So Far Away

First K-Mart fell, and I just saw on the news the other day that Toys R Us is going to start closing down stores. I'm not up to speed in the business world or anything, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that it's most likely because those stores could no longer compete with Wal-Mart.

Then yesterday I came across an article on msn stating how Wal-Mart is taking over the world. It seems that the spread of this corporate giant is unstoppable (except maybe the new rulings that they have to provide employees with better benefits, actually give them lunch breaks or pay them for missed ones). I wonder how much longer until Wal-Mart controls everything and becomes an 'evil empire' complete with its own Death Star.

I should probably stop shopping there, but it's just so damn convenient.

3 comments:

flieswithoutwings said...

A day after Walmart did their media-blitz for better PR about extending their health benefits, they released a company memo saying that more workers should be pushed into part-time positions (as not to qualify for benefits at all) and that most positions at Walmart will now require physical labor (like pushing carts) to discourage people who are not physically fit from seeking a job at the company. Walmarts request for a boost in the minimum wage was not for the benefit of their employees, it was Walmart's solution to their own complaint that typical Walmart customers were running out of money to spend in their bigbox store.

flieswithoutwings said...

Sorry, I'm too lazy to find a link to the actual memo, but here is the first thing that came up in a google search that says something to the same effect:

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/news/20051026-nyt.html

Evil is still evil, no matter how you dress it up. We don't shop at Walmart. Even when I've had desparate moments of weakness I've found that similar bargains could be found at other retailers. I am right not to shop at Walmart.

ShootingStar said...

Besides Wal-mart being the evil empire incarnate (or maybe perhaps BECAUSE they are) they are notoriously unfair to their women employees. You probably already know that they are in the middle of the biggest class-action lawsuit in history, because they promote men over women--their rational...? Well it is something to the effect that women are traditionally 2nd income earners so they don't need as much money (ugh can you say red herring!)--besides not being true,what does that have to do with work quality/quantity? These days I only go to Wal-Mart to protest (and to turn in all the gifts my mother in law buys me). I want to respect you N.M. so I hope your "convenient" comment was humor :).