Walmart strike

[BigPapa]

I have read a lot this week about Walmart workers going on strike this week to negotiate better working conditions. I don't shop Walmart because I don't like their business practices and I support the workers in this. Will a strike keep you from shopping there this holiday season?

 

[polamalu43]

No! I am all about fair working conditions but I am also about finding the best deals. Getting more bang for my buck. Are they angry over having to work Thanksgiving? I will be shopping Thanksgiving night!

 

[Michael]

I probably won't be going to Walmart unless I know I can get through the checkout lines. If the employees are striking, why are they doing this awful thing to the hand that feeds them? It's really like shooting yourself in the foot. I would want my employer to have good sales going into Christmas and make money. Profit trickles down better than bankruptcy.

 

[Don]

After the Hostess twinkie debacle, the workers might want to think twice about going out on strike.

I read the Walmart workers are suppose to walk out on Black Friday. Is that right?

 

[Michael]

That's what I've heard, too. I just don't understand biting the hand that feeds you. If people don't like the way their employer does business, they should find another job. There are plenty of people who would love to be working their job for them.

 

[Mel]

That many people deciding to walk off the job can't be wrong. There must be something legitimate to their complaints, or they couldn't get a whole group of people to decide to take action like this. I think management should be more proactive about addessing their concerns.

 

[polamalu43]

Proactive? They are angry that they have to work on Thanksgiving. I get it, I do. Its not just Walmart that is opening up on Thanksgiving. In order to get their piece of the Black Friday sales they have to follow suit. I will be going at 10pm on Thanksgiving night.

 

[BigPapa]

It isn't about working the holidays at all. The strike is going on because of unsafe working conditions, bullying by management and employees not getting a living wage. The average full time employee at Walmart makes $25,000 while the CEO is making a total compensation package of $18 million. What is wrong with this? The full time employees are not getting full time hours because if they did Walmart would have to pay benefits and when they complain about hours or lack thereof the are threatened and bullied.

 

[Victor]

I figure working on Thanksgiving is the catalyst to protest all the other unfair practices that have been going on for years at Walmart. I hope the workers can get some negotiating power here but I'm afraid they won't.

 

[Salazar]

It isn't about working the holidays at all. The strike is going on because of unsafe working conditions, bullying by management and employees not getting a living wage. The average full time employee at Walmart makes $25,000 while the CEO is making a total compensation package of $18 million. What is wrong with this? The full time employees are not getting full time hours because if they did Walmart would have to pay benefits and when they complain about hours or lack thereof the are threatened and bullied.

I agree with this. I think the reason the employees picked Black Friday is because it will make the biggest impact, but I don't think it has anything to do with the holiday. I know a number of people who work for Walmart and I've heard a lot of stories from them about unfair treatment. I'm not a big fan of union practices, but I think Walmart has gotten too big for its britches and they need to revamp their policies when it comes to their employees.

 

[BigPapa]

I agree with this. I think the reason the employees picked Black Friday is because it will make the biggest impact, but I don't think it has anything to do with the holiday. I know a number of people who work for Walmart and I've heard a lot of stories from them about unfair treatment. I'm not a big fan of union practices, but I think Walmart has gotten too big for its britches and they need to revamp their policies when it comes to their employees.

Exactly. If you are going to strike then you have to make sure it makes an impact on the people you are striking against, right? I think Walmart has mistreated it's front line workforce for years and now they are reaping what they have sown.

 

[Mel]

I just read that government assistance to Walmart employees averages $420,000 per store. This is because Walmart will not pay its employees a living wage, yet Walmart's profits are some of the highest of any corporation.

 

[Don]

Did the workers actually walk out at any of the stores on Friday? We had to go in WalMart on Sunday and everything seemed to be running as normal.

 

[Salazar]

Did the workers actually walk out at any of the stores on Friday? We had to go in WalMart on Sunday and everything seemed to be running as normal.

I may have missed it, but I didn't see any big news stories about it. I think the only way for it to impact a corporate giant the size of Walmart is if all the employees get on board and refuse to work at the same time, thereby crippling retail operations. Without a union, I don't see them getting organized enough to do that.

 

[BigPapa]

There were walkouts in about 1,000 stores across the country. And yes, Walmart employees do contribute a large part to our welfare bill across the country because they can't a living wage. Salazar,there are stories all over the place were Walmart employees were bullied and threatened when they tried to unionize.

 

[Andersson]

I think in the past ten years I may have been to their store twice and that is it. I do not like the idea of not buying American, nor the way they have always treated their staff. A friend of mine works for them and I have no idea how she puts up with it.