Wal-Mart is not just another department store, but is instead a huge conglomerate that treads the line of breaking anti-trust laws and labor laws. Its incursion into the American marketplace has made huge negative in-roads into small towns cultural identities, and has unfairly overridden the chances for small businesses to survive. Its practices must be scrutinized and regulated. In as goes this conglomerate goes all free trade.Most average Americans, when asked about Wal-Mart will give a general answer, about its convenience and be nonplussed if conversation is taken to any of the pessimistic intricacies surrounding this retail giant. Or, simply shrug their shoulders, concede that no one's perfect and continue shopping because it is the easy and convenient thing to do. There is no doubting its popularity, and reasons for Wal-Mart's popularity; low cost, wide selection etc. There would most likely be an absence felt were it to go away completely, however, there is also no denying additionally, that Wal-Mart's work ethic is questionable at best. Without any regulated and scrutinized actions taking place, more labor laws will be broken as are the families of its employees as they struggle to survive.
[...] Writer for the Associated Press, Maryclair Dale, exposes an element of this in the life of Verette Richardson: on more than one occasion she was demanded, at risk of being written up or losing her job, to work off the clock, unpaid. In Dale's article in the Arkansas Democrat--Gazette, apparently this is common at Wal- Mart. Their 2006 Annual Report reported that the company faced 57 wage and hour lawsuits (qtd. In Dale 1st par): A Pennsylvania court, also in December 2005, approved a class-action lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. [...]
[...] If the readers are concerned, it only mirrors the author's concern that an inquiry into Wal-Mart's archetype of not toeing the line is relevant to the lives of many. Most, when thinking of Wal-Mart, group it with just another place to buy retail products. It is convenient, accessible, and cheap. Generally speaking, very few people set-aside time to suppose the cause and effect of their shopping habits, or the impact their chosen grocer has on the world at large. Yet, it is key when considering this particular store, and in reference to Federal laws prohibiting commercial companies from owning banks. [...]
[...] Just as National Geographic reports on over-development of agrarian communities causing the extinction of animal species, by threats to bio- diversity, such do we have a similar threat to economic diversity. The species that will become extinct if nothing is done are the sole- proprietors, the family based businesses. To preserve the economic diversity and equality, Wal-Mart has to come under the magnifying glass. One of the effects successful chain stores have is the homogeny in the quality of American life. [...]
[...] by employees in Pennsylvania who say the company pressured them to work off the clock. The class could grow to include nearly 150,000 current or former employees (Dale 1st Although Wal-Mart is a retail-predator in more ways than the average shopper is aware of -like building banks in Mexico to circumnavigate US law H.R still their recent move to be is disturbing. H.R prevents commercial companies from owning banks due to conflict of interests and monopolies which would ensue from such actions. [...]
[...] House of Representatives, George Miller the estimated total amount of federal assistance available to just Californian Wal-Mart employees, eligible in 2004, was $ 20.5 million This came from A Report by the Democratic staff on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. Robert Greenwald, a director known for his thorough whistle-blowing films, revealed from E.P.A. fines against Wal-Mart of $ 3.1 million for violations of the Clean Water Act, to city-funded subsidies, which would've gone towards education, there is a trend clearly shown of disrepute (Wal-Mart:- -The Low Cost of High Price). [...]
APA Style reference
For your bibliographyOnline reading
with our online readerContent validated
by our reading committee
