Posted on 10/28/2005 5:57:25 PM PDT by El Conservador
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., under a new barrage of criticism for how it treats its workers, is going on the offensive a week before the launch of a documentary that attacks the retail giant. The company alleges that director Robert Greenwald's movie "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices" gets basic facts wrong.
The world's biggest retailer and largest private employer in the United States, with 1.2 million domestic workers, is also touting a rival DVD release, "Why Wal-Mart Works: And Why That Drives Some People C-R-A-Z-Y".
"I'm a bit surprised at the amount of money that they are spending in attacking me," Greenwald told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Thursday.
In a media packet sent to news organizations this week, and on its Internet site, Wal-Mart says it has only seen trailers for the Greenwald movie but dismisses it as "a propaganda video".
"We have seen the trailers and some 'bonus' footage, and it's already obvious that Mr. Greenwald has a careless disregard for the facts," Wal-Mart said in a news release.
Greenwald's movie will have a limited release on Nov. 4 in New York and Los Angeles and then go to a week of screenings across the country organized by Wal-Mart critics including unions. Greenwald, who produced and directed "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism," says none of the $1.8 million in private financing for the film came from organized labor.
Organizers expect about 40,000 people at 7,000 DVD screenings in the week starting Nov. 13 in churches, homes, libraries and universities nationally.
"The movie Wal-Mart doesn't want you to see" is what campaign group Wake-Up Wal-Mart calls Greenwald's film in a national ad campaign that starts next week. The group funded by the United Food and Commercial Workers is helping promote the movie with a series of print, online and broadcast ads.
The film uses interviews with small business owners, ex-Wal-Mart workers and managers, community activists and workers in overseas factories to allege that Wal-Mart's low-cost, low-price business model is bad for communities, the economy, its employees and their families.
Wal-Mart said that it has no plans to sell DVDs of the positive film on Wal-Mart in its stores, but they can be purchased on http://www.whywalmartworks.com. DVDs of Greenwald's movie can be purchased on http://www.walmartmovie.com.
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On the Net:
Wal-Mart: http://www.walmartfacts.com
"High Cost of Low Prices:" http://www.walmartmovie.com
Wake Up Wal-Mart: http://wakeupwalmart.com
hahahahahaha... I find walmart haters funny...
I rarely go to zoos like Wal-Mart they drive me batty. But last time I checked no one has been conscripted to work there.
I can understand some the concerns about Walmart coming into areas. In my area where there is a big fuss about a Walmart coming in I find most of their concerns are about "we don't want those type of people coming to our area"...seems more snobby than anything else
I save at least $40/month at Wal-Mart on the same brand name products other stores sell for much more.
"Zoos" like Wal-Mart drive me into a higher standard of living. And I like it.
"I rarely go to zoos like Wal-Mart they drive me batty."
As half-time RVers, we do most of our shopping at W-M. Store layouts are almost universal, they have motor carts (I don't walk well) and prices are good. They treat us well, and go out of their way to assist.
I wish all stores were so disposed.
What a dumbass! With gross sales in the hundreds of billions of dollars possibly affected, the amount they are spending is virtually nil.
Well, the eldest child is off right now, applying at Walmart. I told her when it opened down the street a while back that she ought to get a job there, but she thought Walmart was evil (indoctrination from her lib friends).
Glad to see the kids come around to my way of thinking, once again.
Is this true?
And one important thing your failed to mention is WalMart is a cheap place to stay overnight in your RV. It's free and they provide security for you.
"and workers in overseas factories to allege that Wal-Mart's low-cost, low-price business model is bad for communities, the economy, its employees and their families."
I guess its better to be starving and unemployed in other countries.
"They treat us well, and go out of their way to assist."
I second that
"large corporations are shifting costs onto taxpayers by forcing employees to rely on publicly funded health care programs and for other public assistance services."
Would you rather have them unemployed and fully subsidized?
"WalMart is a cheap place to stay overnight in your RV. It's free and they provide security for you."
Yes. We have never had to stay there as I prefer to 'lite' for 2-7 days at a time. Baring breakdowns, I hope we never have to.
I hope for your sake she doesn't get hurt on the job, trust me.
No.
Is this true?
Yes it is, they also refuse to pay work comp claims for major injuries(they are self insured (AR-CMI is owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.)).
"By paying sub-standard wages and benefits in order to increase profitability, large corporations are shifting costs onto taxpayers by forcing employees to rely on publicly funded health care programs and for other public assistance services."
Nobody is forcing anyone to work at Walmart. Retail has never paid anything. The left hates Walmart because it is putting the unions out of business and it makes the poor have a higher standard of living, which only the government has the right to do.
No.
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