[extropy-chat] Seven cents an hour? (was: Riots in France)

[Olga Bourlin]

From: "Gary Miller" <aiguy at comcast.net>

> Walmart opens many of their new stores in rural areas that have no other 
> large department stores or malls within short driving distances.  This was 
> one of the keys to their success.  In doing so they are usually the first 
> to displace the small mom and pop type businesses.  This created I'd say 
> 40% of the negativity.

Yes, and often the former employees of those mom-and-pops were the ones who 
reluctantly went to work for Wal-Mart -  Wal-Mart was virtually the only 
employer in town.

> ...  After they were open a few months though management came through and 
> told everyone they were cutting out overtime and by the way all the work 
> that we did in 60 hrs still needed to be done in 40 hours.  Being the 
> night shift, we had to receive all the trucks and have all the shelves 
> restocked by morning.

> The intention was to let people know if you didn't want to be fired.  You 
> were to punch out and then stay and work until all your work was done.

Yes, one of the suits against Wal-Mart was over this practice.  (That's is 
how Wal-Mart got around having to pay minimum wages - employees worked 
another shift part-time off the clock ... i.e., for free!):

http://www.sullivan-county.com/id2/wal-mart/not_paid.htm

Olga