Wal-Mart dogged by bribery allegations in Mexico (What about Auto Zone?)

Market Watch ^ | 23 April 2012

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Wal-Mart is alleged to have paid bribes to get stores open in Mexico. Read article at link.

[Rembrandt]

“I was a naive Southern boy when I got my first “real” job and was flown to Chicago to help man a booth at McCormick Place (back when the Consumer Electronic Show had a summer show there)

Well I may have been naive but the owners were old hands.

I was amazed that we were the first booth that got to tear down and get the trucks loaded to get out of town while others waited hours (and a few, days) until I found out we had bribed the correct Union workers.

Just another reason to hate Unions.”

---

I don’t know what year you were there but I was one of the original 12 people in that union - The International Stage Hands Union, a Teamsters union group.

That was in 1966, I think.

Yes, you would have had to pay money to get your preference. If you had just waited...two hours, two days, whatever it would have been cost-free. But anyone who wants to save time, a trucker, an exhibitor, anyone, had to come across with money or merchandise or both.

I’m sure it’s still that way, especially with the Head Union Steward now occupying the White House.

[jimsin]

Why resort to bribes when Walmart can just BUY the place?

[eddie willers]

But anyone who wants to save time, a trucker, an exhibitor, anyone, had to come across with money or merchandise or both.

This was in the 70's. We also had two hookers on retainer (they were gorgeous Ridge Tool Calender models) for the big hitters from K-Mart etc.)

Being from the South, I had never dealt with Unions before and I got "caught" putting up a first aid kit on the wall of the booth. (requirement for installation....a screw and a screwdriver). I had to quit until some worthless slob finally got around to it.

[Son House]

Yep, some Fender guitars are Made in Mexico, and operating a factory can’t be easy.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Bribes are part of the cost of doing business in Mexico. Corruption is just an everyday fact of life down there.

You are very knowledgeable about life in Mexico.

[DH]

In Mexico everyone is corrupt and bribes are a standard business expense. It’s not a secret...it’s publicly known.

Here in the U.S. most everyone in government (on any level) is corrupt (or will be) and “deals” are made behind closed doors and the politicians get wealthy even though they have meager salaries paid to them.

However, no one asks how they got rich. It just happens.

[Rocinante]

Yup, my boss did the same thing at the CES at Mosconi Center in SFO. He found the union boss, gave him a $100 bill torn in half. He got the first half for putting our booth up first and the second half for breaking down our booth first.

[2001convSVT]

Bribes are part of the cost of doing business in Mexico. Corruption is just an everyday fact of life down there.

I think that you are right, many companies do back room deals to get the go ahead. Wal-mart could be, being targeted because it is NOT a union shop.

[FreedomPoster]

Chicago never got any of the big Comdex computer shows back in the heyday because of the unions. Atlanta and Las Vegas got them. You can’t have union electricians be the only ones to wire up your computers for display.

[FreedomPoster]

Chicago never got any of the big Comdex computer shows back in the heyday because of the unions. Atlanta and Las Vegas got them. You can’t have union electricians be the only ones to wire up your computers for display.