Walmart tries to help its employees.

[Stephanie66]

I can't hate on Wal-Mart sorry. They pay their cashiers and floor associates much better hourly wages than most other companies. Yeah, they could be doing better, but they still pay more than most. Why hate solely on Wal-Mart when so many other places pay so much less barely reaching the minimum wage at all ans only because it's the law or they wouldn't even pay half that much.

Exactly. No one boycotts or screaming about Target, but last I heard, they are also paying their associates minimum wage to start.

True story: I used to get my prescriptions filled at Target. There was one by my house and one by my job, so it was super convenient. One day I walked in to the pharmacy by my job, and saw the same pharmacy tech who worked at the one by my house. I asked her if she had transferred locations, and she said, "No, I work 19 hours at each store, so they don't have to give me benefits." I can't speak for ALL Target stores based on that one employee, but at least in that instance, they were trying to not give her benefits.

I can't imagine places like Best Buy or Kmart are any better. They are ALL bad. Wal Mart just gets the blame because they are the biggest and tend to set the trend. But they are not the only big-box retailer that treats their employees badly and pays them minimum wage.

[Rescinded and Mended]

Exactly. No one boycotts or screaming about Target, but last I heard, they are also paying their associates minimum wage to start.

True story: I used to get my prescriptions filled at Target. There was one by my house and one by my job, so it was super convenient. One day I walked in to the pharmacy by my job, and saw the same pharmacy tech who worked at the one by my house. I asked her if she had transferred locations, and she said, "No, I work 19 hours at each store, so they don't have to give me benefits." I can't speak for ALL Target stores based on that one employee, but at least in that instance, they were trying to not give her benefits.

I can't imagine places like Best Buy or Kmart are any better. They are ALL bad. Wal Mart just gets the blame because they are the biggest and tend to set the trend. But they are not the only big-box retailer that treats their employees badly and pays them minimum wage.

I agree completely about Target. I have a friend who has worked there for six years, and during that entire time, the company has refused to let her advance or even increase her hours to give her full-time status.

Another big-box electronics store I know of, Fry's, has been drastically slashing store positions and laying off its employees. The ones who are being allowed to stay are told that they have to take a drastic reduction in pay in order to remain on the workforce. Fry's has been ruthless in bullying its employees into submission, and it's been every bit as bad, or even worse, than what the better known store franchises have been doing.

[ADoyle90815]

Exactly. No one boycotts or screaming about Target, but last I heard, they are also paying their associates minimum wage to start.

True story: I used to get my prescriptions filled at Target. There was one by my house and one by my job, so it was super convenient. One day I walked in to the pharmacy by my job, and saw the same pharmacy tech who worked at the one by my house. I asked her if she had transferred locations, and she said, "No, I work 19 hours at each store, so they don't have to give me benefits." I can't speak for ALL Target stores based on that one employee, but at least in that instance, they were trying to not give her benefits.

I can't imagine places like Best Buy or Kmart are any better. They are ALL bad. Wal Mart just gets the blame because they are the biggest and tend to set the trend. But they are not the only big-box retailer that treats their employees badly and pays them minimum wage.

Kmart is just as bad as Target and Wal Mart in that they keep everyone part time so they don't have to give benefits. Another thing is that everyone has to work on Thanksgiving if they want to avoid being fired, and they don't get paid holiday pay to work on that day or any other holiday. They also don't allow any requests for days off from the week of Thanksgiving to the first week of January. I once worked for Kmart, but at least when I did, they closed at 9pm on Thanksgiving night.

[Mama Mia]

This is nothing but publicity stunt. Wallmat never as and never will care about their employees.

If it's a publicity stunt they are doing it all wrong. All I've seen is a ton of negative reaction, because obviously they should pay their workers enough to buy food, but don't.

[RosyDaisy]

Wal Mart could afford to give holiday basket to all the hourly employees.

Walmart can afford to give every family in America a holiday meal.

[CallmeChaCha]

Kmart is just as bad as Target and Wal Mart in that they keep everyone part time so they don't have to give benefits. Another thing is that everyone has to work on Thanksgiving if they want to avoid being fired, and they don't get paid holiday pay to work on that day or any other holiday. They also don't allow any requests for days off from the week of Thanksgiving to the first week of January. I once worked for Kmart, but at least when I did, they closed at 9pm on Thanksgiving night.

I don't like Walmart, but I have noticed that there's a greater general dislike of Walmart compared to some of those other stores. Or maybe it's just my personal bias. Was it that documentary that got people disliking Walmart? Why does Walmart get all the hate?

[Stephanie66]

The owners of Wal Mart are Republicans.

And yes, there was a movie about WalMart a few years ago. When I point out to people that *every other big box store, even your beloved Target* do the same things, they say, "Well, only because Wal Mart does!"

No. It's because Americans do not want to pay a few cents more for something union made in the USA. It's their own damn fault that Wal Mart is in control...if they didn't want the cheapest clothes, food, etc, then we would still have neighborhood markets, hardware stores, etc.

It's like my husband, sister and parents who scream about being pro unions and drive foreign cars. I explain that unions are irrelevant, but I drive a car made in Kansas City. Go figure.

[RosyDaisy]

I beg to differ. Walmart's prices are more than a few cents cheaper. Trust me, if I had other economical options than Walmart and merchandise made overseas, I would use them. Walmart has a stranglehold in many small towns.

[Lillybee]

Here is my Walmart horror story. I went to Walmart to buy my mother adult diapers one day after work. I was dressed professionally. I went through checkout and paid for the diapers. As I was leaving the store, I noticed that the man walking through the doors ahead of me had a skilsaw without the tape that Walmart uses for larger items that had been paid for. Of course, an alarm went off. The greeter stopped me. I tried to tell her about the skilsaw man but she said that we want you. Knowing Walmart policies, I had my receipt in hand. The greeter took my purchase and receipt and waved each package of diapers above her head and loudly asked me if I paid for it. She had the receipt in hand and still asked if I paid for each package of adult diapers. I was extremely embarrassed. Looking back, I guess I should have asked for a manager but I was just grateful that I was allowed to exit the damm store.

This could be a reason why I hate Walmart.

[Peas n carrots]

Wal-Mart gets a disproportionate amount of hate, like McDonald's does for fast food. I guess when you are the king of the mountain you are an easier target to knock down.

I live in a large city, and I often wonder how the folks at these stores make it. Knowing the cost of living, how do they survive (some do get some kind of benefits).

Surely Wal-Mart could easily donate the items for a thanksgiving meal to their employees. The cost to them is hardly a blip on the radar. I guess it's all about making the shareholders happy and filling their pockets.

[Rescinded and Mended]

Kmart is just as bad as Target and Wal Mart in that they keep everyone part time so they don't have to give benefits. Another thing is that everyone has to work on Thanksgiving if they want to avoid being fired, and they don't get paid holiday pay to work on that day or any other holiday. They also don't allow any requests for days off from the week of Thanksgiving to the first week of January. I once worked for Kmart, but at least when I did, they closed at 9pm on Thanksgiving night.

It's been many years since I've worked retail, but isn't that illegal? I thought holiday pay was mandatory for employees.

[FJismyheadship]

my stepmom has been at walmart 13 years as a cashier. she works thanksgiving and gets holiday pay. she is also full time and makes about 11 dollars an hour.

She and my dad (who makes nine an hour) never have any money because they blow it all. I think in some cases like theirs, people should be taught how to manage their money more wisely.

WalMart does start out above minimum wage. A cashier makes 7.65 an hour starting. I do agree WalMart should pay more, but they are better than some.

This isnt news to me. WalMart has a program where an associate in need can privately talk to a manager, and they will set up a dinner during all three shifts. Its like three dollars a plate, everything goes to the associate, and nobody knows who it was. The last one I remember went to a family who lost their seven month old son. I only know that because the woman whos family it went to told me.

The bigwigs may be bad, but the people inside the stores are good for the most part.

[thekate]

It's been many years since I've worked retail, but isn't that illegal? I thought holiday pay was mandatory for employees.

It might be in some states, but none I've ever worked in. Some companies do so willingly. The first place I worked paid an extra dollar per hour on Sundays. I was very disappointed when I went to my next job and found out that wasn't standard!

[Anny Nym]

Just out of curiousity: what is the average monthly netto salary of an Walmart-worker (for a ft 40 hours week)?

[BlondeAgent007]

I work for a native american owned casino with 4,000+ employees (three locations). Every damn one of us was offered a free turkey last week for the holidays, regardless of our pay. All we needed to get it was to scan our badge. I certainly got mine, and on weekends I make around 25.00/hour. Why Walmart or other large retailers can't do the same is outrageous to me.

[GolightlyGrrl]

Here is my Walmart horror story. I went to Walmart to buy my mother adult diapers one day after work. I was dressed professionally. I went through checkout and paid for the diapers. As I was leaving the store, I noticed that the man walking through the doors ahead of me had a skilsaw without the tape that Walmart uses for larger items that had been paid for. Of course, an alarm went off. The greeter stopped me. I tried to tell her about the skilsaw man but she said that we want you. Knowing Walmart policies, I had my receipt in hand. The greeter took my purchase and receipt and waved each package of diapers above her head and loudly asked me if I paid for it. She had the receipt in hand and still asked if I paid for each package of adult diapers. I was extremely embarrassed. Looking back, I guess I should have asked for a manager but I was just grateful that I was allowed to exit the damm store.

This could be a reason why I hate Walmart.

Yes, I've had to show my receipt, too, when shopping at Wal-Mart. Hmm, makes me feel so valued as a customer to be pegged as a shoplifter.

And every Wal-Mart I have ever been to has been completely trashed, and not just the store aisles. I've gone into the ladies' toilets and often there is piss and shit all over the seats. Disgusting.

[GolightlyGrrl]

The owners of Wal Mart are Republicans.

And yes, there was a movie about WalMart a few years ago. When I point out to people that *every other big box store, even your beloved Target* do the same things, they say, "Well, only because Wal Mart does!"

No. It's because Americans do not want to pay a few cents more for something union made in the USA. It's their own damn fault that Wal Mart is in control...if they didn't want the cheapest clothes, food, etc, then we would still have neighborhood markets, hardware stores, etc.

It's like my husband, sister and parents who scream about being pro unions and drive foreign cars. I explain that unions are irrelevant, but I drive a car made in Kansas City. Go figure.

Excellent points. We're part of the problem and we need to take a good hard look at ourselves and our desire to save a few pennies and in the process eschewing the Unions and things made here in the states because they are bit more expensive. I really need to take responsibility for my own actions first.

I do hate on Wal-Mart big time, yet, I shop at Target, which probably isn't much better (though the service is usually better and the stores are clean). However, I don't shop at Target as much as I used too, maybe 5 times a year tops visit them 1-2 times a month.

[dairyfreelife]

my stepmom has been at walmart 13 years as a cashier. she works thanksgiving and gets holiday pay. she is also full time and makes about 11 dollars an hour.

She and my dad (who makes nine an hour) never have any money because they blow it all. I think in some cases like theirs, people should be taught how to manage their money more wisely.

WalMart does start out above minimum wage. A cashier makes 7.65 an hour starting. I do agree WalMart should pay more, but they are better than some.

This isnt news to me. WalMart has a program where an associate in need can privately talk to a manager, and they will set up a dinner during all three shifts. Its like three dollars a plate, everything goes to the associate, and nobody knows who it was. The last one I remember went to a family who lost their seven month old son. I only know that because the woman whos family it went to told me.

The bigwigs may be bad, but the people inside the stores are good for the most part.

some of our local Wal-Marts pay 8.25 an hour starting, which is much better than any retailer I ever worked for...I just don't like cashier work personally, so never applied there.

I can't say I have seen Wal-Mart as more trashy than any other store I have ever been in and believe me, women's clothing is the absolute worst when it comes to trying to keep the area clean. When I worked in women's departments anywhere, it was all I could do to keep the damn aisles clear, let alone keep all the clothes on the hangers and not on the racks. It is my least favorite place to work in retail just behind working as a cashier.

[already hungover]

Exactly. No one boycotts or screaming about Target, but last I heard, they are also paying their associates minimum wage to start.

True story: I used to get my prescriptions filled at Target. There was one by my house and one by my job, so it was super convenient. One day I walked in to the pharmacy by my job, and saw the same pharmacy tech who worked at the one by my house. I asked her if she had transferred locations, and she said, "No, I work 19 hours at each store, so they don't have to give me benefits." I can't speak for ALL Target stores based on that one employee, but at least in that instance, they were trying to not give her benefits.

I can't imagine places like Best Buy or Kmart are any better. They are ALL bad. Wal Mart just gets the blame because they are the biggest and tend to set the trend. But they are not the only big-box retailer that treats their employees badly and pays them minimum wage.

It makes me NUTS when people are like, "Oh Walmart is terrible! I boycott Walmart!" and then explain how they shop at Target.

[1004srs]

I work at another big box store. We all start as seasonal workers at $9 and it goes up from there. You do get benefits once you go part-time.

...whatever you do, please don't yell at or mistreat the cashiers. If something isn't priced or the tag is missing, it really isn't their fault. If one line open and there needs to be 3 or 4 - again not the cashier's fault. You bought so much that it can't all fit in your car - again, not the cashier's fault. Asking for ID when you write a check...again, corporate policy. Credit card declined? Returning a USED furnace filter, floor tiles that you cut incorrectly, or a garden hose caddy that you broke after a year or so, don't yell at the cashier. You wouldn't believe that stuff that our cashiers have to put up with for $9/hour.

[Rescinded and Mended]

^ I've definitely heard plent of horror stories from my Targert friend. A customer once reported her to management for disagreeing with him about the return policy on something, I think he'd had it too long with no receipt. Another big complaint was people deliberately abandoning merchandise at the register/all over the store. Makes more work for everyone involved, and hard to get home on time if the bosses keep you at the store later to clean up. If the customer doesn't want an item, how hard is it to go put it back where they found it? Personally, it drives me crazy when someone decides they don't want a box of sushi, and then leaves it in the clothing section. It goes bad and stinks up the clothes, so why not just return it to the refrigerated section?

One of the earliest lessons I taught my son about department stores is that if we don't want an item, we put it back where we found it, because store associates are hard-working people who have better things to do at work than clean up after us.

[1004srs]

I love it when rude customers tell management because they don't get their way. Do they not realize that we go back and review the video? Not to mention, everyone in mgmt has been in Customer Service for years. Every so often, the employee is rude and that is dealt with. But more often than not, the customer is the one who acts silly.

When you call my cashier a name for following corporate policy, you aren't getting him/her fired by calling management.

[Beb]

Here is my Walmart horror story. I went to Walmart to buy my mother adult diapers one day after work. I was dressed professionally. I went through checkout and paid for the diapers. As I was leaving the store, I noticed that the man walking through the doors ahead of me had a skilsaw without the tape that Walmart uses for larger items that had been paid for. Of course, an alarm went off. The greeter stopped me. I tried to tell her about the skilsaw man but she said that we want you. Knowing Walmart policies, I had my receipt in hand. The greeter took my purchase and receipt and waved each package of diapers above her head and loudly asked me if I paid for it. She had the receipt in hand and still asked if I paid for each package of adult diapers. I was extremely embarrassed. Looking back, I guess I should have asked for a manager but I was just grateful that I was allowed to exit the damm store.

This could be a reason why I hate Walmart.

I don't shop frequently at Walmart any more; in my town they are too rude, and customer service is deplorable

They used to want PAYING customers to provide a receipt upon exiting the store. I always just walked right on by. Small matter of principle, I guess.

If a business suspects you of shoplifting, legally they must wait until you're outside their building/premises before "detaining" you, because as long as you are in the store, there may be the presumption that you intend to pay.

After enduring the agony of shopping in Walmart's hell hole and choosing to spend MY money there, I felt justified in saying screw you at the door.

[bionicmlle]

I don't shop frequently at Walmart any more; in my town they are too rude, and customer service is deplorable

They used to want PAYING customers to provide a receipt upon exiting the store. I always just walked right on by. Small matter of principle, I guess.

If a business suspects you of shoplifting, legally they must wait until you're outside their building/premises before "detaining" you, because as long as you are in the store, there may be the presumption that you intend to pay.

After enduring the agony of shopping in Walmart's hell hole and choosing to spend MY money there, I felt justified in saying screw you at the door.

Then why do they queue you up at Costco to check your receipt before exiting? I've never understood that….

[PennySycamore]

I don't know if anyone's pointed this out, but WalMart does all their banking at their bank in the town where the HQ is. WalMart tends to run all the small local businesses out of business.