Low Prices=Low Morals

I recently watched a documentary called "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price", and was shocked to hear some dirty facts. I have never been too impressed with the establishment in the first place. I have never had good service at a Wal-Mart, I've seen people standing near fruit displays literally eating off of them, I always run into long lines no matter what time or day or night, etc. But after this documentary, the "bad feelings" I have had towards the monopoly have led me to the decision to cease shopping there (until I get married and Nathan will probably force me to!).
Top 6 Reasons I hate Wal-Mart

Point # 1: Poor Healthcare for Workers

• ALABAMA: 3,864 Children of WAL-MART Employees are Enrolled in Medicaid. Why, You ask....because Wal-Mart does not pay their full-time employees enough to have their kids on a regular healthcare program.
• WAL-MART Costs Taxpayers $1,557,000,000,00 to Support its Employees. Again, because full-time employees are paid such a small salary they are forced to live off taxpayer dollars.
• Nearly 10,000 workers with Arkansas' nine largest employers receive public welfare for themselves and their families, according to the state Department of Human Services. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., with 3,971 of its 45,106 employees on public assistance, topped the list." ....why are full-time employees living off government checks?

Point #2: "Full-Time" Status?

• Before 2002, Wal-Mart's definition of full-time was 28 hours per week, and was raised in 2002 to 34 hours per week in order to raise the bar for healthcare eligibility for their employees - as the raise in hours coincided with the increase in eligibility requirements for healthcare
• The average income of a full-time Wal-Mart employee is $17,144. Which is well below the poverty line for a family of 4.

Point #4-Anti-Union

• According to a recent report issued by American Rights At Work ("Wal-Mart: Rolling Back Wages, Workers' Rights, and the American Dream"), at least 59 complaints have been issued by the National Labor Relations Board on the basis that Wal-Mart uses illegal surveillance techniques to monitor union activity inside and outside their stores.
• $7,000 ANTI-UNION CAMERA PACKAGE per store
• $30,000 UNDERCOVER SPY VAN per store
• $100,000 24 hour ANTI-UNION HOTLINE
• $7,000,000 Rapid response team with CORPORATE JET
• FYI- Anti-Union is basically being anti-workers rights

Point #5- Overseas Workers

• Cost for WAL-MART Factory Worker to Assemble: $0.18 (average price for any item)
• Retail cost at Wal-Mart: $14.96
• WAL-MART Imported $18 BILLION from CHINA in 2004. They buy 100% of their merchandise outside of the US.

Point #6- Just Plain Wrong

• Lee Scott (Wal-Mart CEO) earnings for 2005: $27,207,799.00
• On average, Wal-Mart sales clerks -- "associates" in company parlance -- pulled in $8.23 an hour, or $13,861 a year, in 2001
• Sam Walton's (founder of Wal-Mart) family is worth a combined value of $90 billion. The WALTON FAMILY Has Given LESS THAN 1% of Their Wealth to Charity.Bill Gates has given 58%

For these reasons and more, I just cant shop at Wal-Mart. I would rather pay the extra few dollars to shop at Kroger, Publix, or Ingles, than contribute to this capitalist monopoly.

*All facts can be verified at www.walmartmovie.com