Posted on 01/13/2005 7:07:17 AM PST by ZGuy
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, launched a national advertising campaign to counter long-term critics of the company's employment policies.
"Wal-Mart is working for all Americans. Some of our critics are working only for themselves," company president Lee Scott said in an open letter that was published as a full page ad in more than 100 newspapers, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
Scott said it was time for the public to hear the "unfiltered truth" about Wal-Mart, and time for the company to stand up on behalf of a workforce that includes 1.2 million Americans.
Criticisms of Wal-Mart have focused on union complaints that it pays employees less than its rivals with fewer benefits, accusations of promoting men over women, and anger over the impact of Wal-Mart megastores on local retailers and communities.
"There are a lot of 'urban legends' going around these days about Wal-Mart, but facts are facts," Scott said in a separate statement. "Wal-Mart is good for consumers, good for communities and good for the US economy."
Offering to "set the record straight with real facts," the newspaper ads outlined Wal-Mart's plans to create more than 100,000 US jobs in 2005.
It also stressed the company's policy of internal promotion, an average salary for cashiers, stockers and sales associates that was twice the minimum wage, and healthcare insurance with no lifetime maximum.
"Given these facts, it is no surprise that more than half of the associates we surveyed said the benefits package, including healthcare, was a very important factor in their decision to accept a position at Wal-Mart," Scott said.
Together with the advertising campaign, the company launched a special website at www.walmartfacts.com.
One thing I have noticed is that when a company run a whole lot of ads saying they are nice and good like the great walmart of china has, they aren't.
can't wait to read the replies on this thread.
WOW!
I bet they don't tell how much they pay their average workers. I don't know, but I'd bet the farm that it is pitifully low. That CANNOT be good for America OR workers.
Well, it may not be representative of the company as a whole, but they treated my family well. My stepfather started in a pretty low ranking position, and left as the store's safety manager. I have an aunt who was a general manager, after working her way up from cashier.
They were both well paid (even in the beginning, relatively speaking)and weren't treated like bond servants.
As I say, though, that may not be the case for a lot of other stores.
Today Wal-Mart also launched a non-commercial Web site, http://www.walmartfacts.com/ to help its associates, consumers, reporters and others learn the facts about the company.
That and they say the offer insurance, they do but the cost is very high for the lower wage employees. I know a family that the wife works for wallyworld. She pays almost half her check so they have insurance on her, the husband and the kids. He has a small landscaping business.
Do you support minimum wage laws?
You'd lose that bet. From the website listed in the article:
"Competitive pay and benefits. Seventy-four percent of Wal-Mart's hourly associates in the United States work full-time. That's well above the 20 - 40 percent typically found in the retail industry. Wal-Mart’s average full-time hourly wage nationally is $9.68 an hour, higher in urban areas. For example: Chicago, $10.69; Austin, TX, $10.69; Washington D.C./Baltimore, $10.08; Atlanta, $10.80; and in Los Angeles, $9.99."
This being America, folks that don't think Walmart pays them enough are free to go work elsewhere.
See how that works?
And how do you think that cost of her insurance would compare with what the family would pay on the outside, if they just walked up to an insurance agent and said, "Bill me."?
All of a sudden, it's not such a bad deal, is it?
What I've always found interesting is that Wal-Mart gets a lot of criticism for paying poor wages, but this criticism is based on an invalid comparison of retail wages to other sectors of the economy. Sure, the worker in an auto manufacturing plant gets paid a lot more than the Wal-Mart employee down the street or in the next county -- but that comparison is absolutely meaningless.
Wal-Mart is successful because it gives consumers what they want. I still remember my first encounter with Wal-Mart as a freshman in college. Wow! Everything I need right here - no wandering from store to store - low prices - well organized. It definately makes life better (affordable) for the middle income families. Plus, no one is forced to work there - Wal-Mart has to compete for competant employees.
Well, that's one way of looking at it . . . .
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