For years now I’ve been anti-Walmart, but still maintained a sort of quasi relationship with them. I distrusted them, complained about them and decried their employment practices. Yet, I still did about 10-15% of my shopping with them because – well, because it was convenient at times.
That all changed last Thursday while surfing Netflix on demand for a movie to watch and came across “Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices”. This 2005 documentary interviewed many former and current employees of Wal-Mart from all ranks—from cashiers to high-level executives. The story throughout was the same – Wal-Mart considers employees and small, family owned businesses enemy #1.
Tale after tale of tactics by the company to push employees to work longer, harder and many times off the clock. Stories from executives of how many employees were told to use welfare and other public assistance programs just for necessities. Can you imagine being a full time employee and still having to use WIC or Medicaid? Apparently that is common practice with Wal-Mart. Their own employees making below the poverty levels, and Wal-Mart really not giving a damn.
Then there were the stories of the China factories that produce for Wal-Mart. The horrific working conditions these people have to face on a daily basis. Stories of young males and females who should be enjoying their youth working and living in the factories because that was policy. It was nothing more than modern day slave labor.
I could go on, but I really encourage you to watch the documentary yourself and listen to employees tell the Wal-Mart story. You be the judge. If you can watch this film without shaking your head in disgust then perhaps Wal-Mart is the store for you.
As for me, I’m officially 100% Wal-Mart free. The one holdout in our family, my dad, has even switched with me. We now support our local merchants, which we are lucky enough to have quite a few of (the Wal-Mart in Boonville, MO hasn’t managed to put them all under yet – though I am sure they are trying ).
The amazing thing is – even after a weekend of shopping at local businesses, many of which are family owned – I noticed something: I wasn’t paying more. In fact, in a few cases we noted we were paying less – much less than Wal-Mart. What’s more we noticed that many of the goods we were now buying were stamped “Made in the USA”. Something that Wal-Mart has just about managed to destroy completely – American manufacturing.
As for me, and the rest of my family – we took the pledge to be Wal-Mart free. I encourage you to do the same. Don’t be fooled by the high cost of low prices – many of which aren’t really low after all.