Fast Company The Wal-Mart You Don't Know

"Wal-Mart priced it at $2.97--a year's supply of pickles for less than $3! "They were using it as a 'statement' item," says Pat Hunn, who calls himself the "mad scientist" of Vlasic's gallon jar. "Wal-Mart was putting it before consumers, saying, This represents what Wal-Mart's about. You can buy a stinkin' gallon of pickles for $2.97. And it's the nation's number-one brand.""

"To survive in the face of its pricing demands, makers of everything from bras to bicycles to blue jeans have had to lay off employees and close U.S. plants in favor of outsourcing products from overseas."

The New York Times The Wal-Martization of America
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"Wal-Mart's prices are about 14 percent lower than other groceries' because the company is aggressive about squeezing costs, including labor costs. Its workers earn a third less than unionized grocery workers, and pay for much of their health insurance. Wal-Mart uses hardball tactics to ward off unions. Since 1995, the government has issued at least 60 complaints alleging illegal anti-union activities."

"Wal-Mart sales clerks make about $14,000 a year, below the $15,060 poverty line for a family of three."

Alternet How Wal-Mart is Remaking our World

"Behind this manufactured cheerfulness, however, is the fact that the average employee makes only $15,000 a year for full-time work. Most are denied even this poverty income, for they're held to part-time work. While the company brags that 70% of its workers are full-time, at Wal-Mart "full time" is 28 hours a week, meaning they gross less than $11,000 a year.

Health-care benefits? Only if you've been there two years; then the plan hits you with such huge premiums that few can afford it--only 38% of Wal-Marters are covered."

North County Times A return to sweatshop days?

"Even more disturbing is Wal-Mart's widespread use of global suppliers to bring down costs and maximize company profits. In one 58-page report titled "Toys of Misery," the National Labor Committee describes sweatshop-like conditions in China's Guangdong Province factory, one of Wal-Mart's toy suppliers.

At this sweatshop, workers are expected to work 13 to 16 hours per day, seven days a week for 13 cents per hour. They are expected to pay for their own medical care and are fired if too sick to report for work. In addition, workers live in 7-foot-by-7-foot squatter shacks or in factory dormitories which they may rent, further depleting their low wages. Finally, there is no health and safety enforcement, thus employees (mostly young women) are exposed to harmful glues, paint thinners, and other solvents used in manufacturing toys."

The Washington Post Retailers forced to follow Wal-Mart

"Some economists argue that the Wal-Martization of the American workforce is simply the free-market system functioning as it should. Gary Stibel, founder and principal of the New England Consulting Group, said Wal-Mart has saved consumers more than $20 billion through its discount pricing. Figuring in Wal-Mart's pressure on other retailers to lower prices, savings top $100 billion, he said.

"In this day and age, the United States needs more companies like Wal-Mart to create jobs, even if not at the highest pay," Stibel said."

The News-Press Wal-Mart World

"Retail Forward forecasts that Wal-Mart's domestic grocery sales could reach $162 billion by 2007. Sales already total $82 billion. That's $30 billion more than the state of Florida's 2003 budget. "In the process, Wal-Mart will consume almost a third of the expected growth in U.S. spending on grocery and drug products during 2003-2007," its report said."

Such growth would give Wal-Mart control of 35 percent of food store industry sales and 25 percent of the drugstore industry -- and put many established retailers in jeopardy, according to Retail Forward."