Wal-Mart Home Office Facts

Where i work, we get $25 for lunch.

I work at a Walmart in Florida(Brooksville), and while i read your report, i have some information that you might want to re think over.

My store manager makes about 50,000 a year, and yet she works more hours than anyone i know of, including myself.

Walmart doesnt always push the best candidates forward, or, up the ladder so to speak. I applied for a department manager position and 2 days later i got written up for something else. Yet the person who got the position basically didnt even get a slap on the wrist.

When i worked in illinois at Walmart, i constantly went to other stores to help with inventories, or remodels. They paid about 6 for breakfast, 8 for lunch, and 11 for dinner. My friends and i would stop somewhere for lunch, pick it up, and head to the store(this was done on overnights). at some stores, they paid more than the 8 bucks for lunches.

I worked in Walmart for three years as a receiver and also as a department manager. It is true, that while I was a department manager, we would have to go to other stores and scan the UPC of their products for comparison shopping. Also, as a receiver and putting out LOTS of freight, I noticed that sometimes the "was" and "now" prices were the same on the shipping label. Therefore, it is still the same price.Anyone curious? Go while they have pulled the pallets out on the floor and just look at the prices,especially the ones advertised.

Get realistic. Wal-Mart is a love-hate store, at least for me. I get angry almost every time I shop there ---but--- due to low prices (on most groceries 25% lower), and one-stop-shopping, I still am a loyal customer, and a stock owner.

Price comping--- in my area, Target and Walmart have pretty much agreed that if they go in during slower times, and get done ASAP, they can run their scanners at each others stores. So, they cooperate, and get out quicker.

I worked a very short time at "Wally World", but as an employee, I was given a fair wage, and treated well. I left to buy a business of my own.

Working 45 hours a week? How terrible! I am on salary with my current work, and have done 70 to 80 hour weeks quite often. I work in a different field now, but I receive a nice salary package to compensate for the hours, just like Wal-Mart compensates salaried managers well (plus the bonuses).

I also work most Saturdays, and every Sunday, am on call always, etc --- but I know that is part of having a career. Two weekends a month off is very generous of Wal-Mart. No "official" compensation or extra time off-----so to rephrase, they try to be fair, and even if unofficial, try to give you unscheduled days off, half days, and the such, when possible.

I agree, the cheer is ridiculous and sounds like a cult chant.

Lastly, you brought up cheap travel policy. I know years ago, I worked for a Holiday Inn, and a managers meeting was held in my town. Holiday
Inn was not cheap. I also know middle managers that have been lodged at Embassy Suites, Residence Inn, and Hampton. Maybe not the Four Seasons or the Ritz, but not cheap.

What's the big deal with comp shopping? Every retail store on the planet does it. How do you think one store can beat another in price? By sheer accident? Please. Ridiculous.

Every store does their own thing. (I know the folloing from experience, but I won't name competitors) One store just writes down stuff on paper, and another pulls labels (so they have the UPC and price without writing anything). Wal-Mart uses a scanning device. What's the big deal? Wal-Mart just found a way to make things easier.

While I can't argue with anything that has been said (either because I agree or because I don't have enough information to disagree), I want to point out some good Wal-Mart has done for my family.

My 8 month old son died on February 5, 2000. One of the dilemas we faced was what to bury our son in. We had purchased a real cute outfit for him the Christmas before at Wal-Mart that he wore often. My husband wanted him to be buried in it, I wanted to keep it. So, we decided a new outfit of the exact same style to bury him in and I would keep the one he had actually worn while living. We went to Wal-Mart and they didn't have anymore. Spring clothes were already going out. We went to Wal-Mart Home Office and spoke with a vendor and asked if there was anyway they could find one and let us buy it... in time for the viewing the next day. We received a call an hour or so later saying that they had found one and would have it for us at the home office at 8 a.m. the next morning. What we later learned is that one of the employees left the home office at 5 p.m. and drove to Kansas City (a good 4 hours away) to pick up the outfit and drove back and was at work the next morning. AMAZING PERSON! We walked into the home office at 8 a.m. that morning and was greeted by several home office employees. They gave us a card, signed by several if not all of the home office employees, a beautiful green plant, and the outfit. They would not allow us to pay for it. Now, throughout all of this, they were never told that my grandparents were employees of theirs. They just have heart.

Both of my grandparents worked for Wal-Mart. My grandmother worked in a warehouse in quality control for 20 years. My grandfather went to work at the Bentonville store as a door greeter after he retired. He was so proud of his job. He had cancer and most people expected him not to work, but that wasn't my Grandpa. As he neared his five year anniversary with the company, he was so excited. he would go on and on about the plaque he would get. My Grandpa died one month before his 5th anniversary with Wal-Mart. His plaque was delivered to my grandmother anyway. They have heart. By the way, it was also Wal-Mart insurance that covered Grandpa's doctor's appointments, hospital stays, radiation, and even the specialists he had to see in other states (Wal-Mart paid for their trips also! I don't know what the alotment was). They did right by my Grandparents.

Comping exists since I was a child. A relative worked at a store that comped stores in the area by writing information in a small notebook. Now there are electronic devices. The Wal-Mart I work in comps other stores with such a device. Target stores also have them and comped us regularly. It is a way of life in business, not just an awful thing only Wal-Mart does. It is not going to go away.

If anyone read their handbooks upon hiring they would know insurance for prescriptions goes into effect a year after you are eligible for and enroll in insurance. I had many scrips filled before then - sent printouts several times directly to the insurance (special address is required) and got back 80% of the costs. You can use your discount card if you don't want to go to the trouble, but you won't save as much. At least it worked that way several years ago.

The cheer is dumb, but no one is ever hurt by it. Gets the blood running and positive attitude to do a better job for the customer.

Several members of family and some friends work at my store. They, like me, were suddenly out of a job when our factory closed or downsized and our jobs ended. Too many of our jobs went out of the country and soon we had too few jobs to keep the companies afloat and/or at present size. We were glad to find a job and do our best to provide good service to our customers for many of them are more family and friends. Salary employees work long, hard days and rewarded with benefits, bonuses. It is work schedule agreee to for the job. Some people work every weekend, some no weekends off, some every other weekend. Doesn't seem balanced or fair, but is what job requires. Some never work day shifts and again they work hours job requires. I think if you are going to criticize a company you should stop, think a bit before you attack it and it's policies. I find many people within a company that don't like it were probably gone now because of poor work ethics, etc or they'd still be with the company. Don't know any company that is perfect. Wal-Mart tries.

I really misjudged you, Karlton. You're a solid analyst and consumer advocate. I'm digging your comments on the chiros, but I would counsel against citing to Dr. Barrett. He's been pretty well discredited (lost his license to practice medicine, etc.).

Consider, however, the history and reasoning of laws such as the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act. Prior to the enactment of these laws, in the "industrial age," laborers were forced to work in deplorable conditions for long hours and little pay. Any challenges to these conditions meant that the laborer was out of work.

The stict capitalist economic model (what legal economists would call the "Posner" approach), summed up succinctly by your comments, is admirable but flawed. And the invocation of the term "communism" is nothing more than emotionally driven semantics.

New Deal politicians recognized that the labor market operates under principles completely opposite those in the commercial market because competition in the labor market is reversed. In the labor market, the consumer (the laborer) competes for a decent job, but the producer (the employer) need only sit back and try to find the best consumers.

In the commercial market the roles are reversed and there is "consumer sovereignty." When consumer sovereignty is absent in the commercial market, we call it anti-trust and nobody complains when the law steps in to deal with it: we recognize that a degree of regulation is necessary to combat unscrupulous producers who attempt to skirt principles of competitive capitalism.

In the labor market, on the other hand, there is a natural "producer sovereignty." This works out perfectly when there is no excess labor pool: the ability of employers to control wages is checked by the ability of laborers to shop around for better employers, to a degree.

When there is an excess labor pool, however, employer sovereignty is absolute. For unskilled labor positions, there is always somebody else willing to take the job. The job will naturally go to the lowest bidder, and the process will drive down wages across the board.

In this situation, which is the situation at hand, organized labor is a necessary evil that works to check overwhelming employer sovereignty with a degree of employee sovereignty.

Also, there is nothing uncapitalistic about labor unions. The whole essence of competition is working to gain an edge. How else can the unskilled labor force gain an edge than by pooling their resources and forcing employers to pay attention to them? And it's not like the union laborers are operating unchecked: there are still strong economic forces limiting their powers.

If todays unions have gone awry then there is certainly a problem demanding attention. But, if such is the case, then the unions need to be fixed, not abandoned. Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water! Unions have done a heap of good for this country, and without them the current class division would be far more pronounced than it is today. The very existence of our robust middle class owes itself, in large part, to the history of labor unions.

Thank you, I will tone down the stooge comments as well ;)

One questing though why? As in why does a company have to re-distribute its wealth as you put it? For profit companies are in the business to make money no other reason, correct?
We all know a company is a living entity like you or I. If someone wanted to take my money (above my taxes) and make me give it to somebody else because they do not have enough, that is communism not a free society. So why should a company be forced to do it?

People who go to work for Wal-Mart in California are AT will employees, they can quit or be fired for any reason any day. Yet Wal-Mart has people lining up for jobs. There is a good reason for that. People need to work and will work for what they think is fair for the labor they put out.

Now to the point Unions have been dumping MILLIONS of member dollars into expensive ad campaigns in California many times more then even Arnold can bring in with his left wing fat cats. Why should my union dues go to pay for an ad campaign I do not support?

Why when the California grocery strike was all said and done the rank and file union labor took it in the shorts not the union fat cats? Our neighbor who works for Vons (18 years) will have to work THREE YEARS to make back what she lost on the failed judgment of the union fat cats. She makes $42.00 an hour with good benefits as a CLERK! The contract was the same management offered before the lock out. Sometimes it makes me so angry that the very people who are telling us they are looking out for us, sell us down the river or demand more then we are worth (yes I said it). I would rather see a contract that keeps the company healthy, my family healthy and KEEP my job in the USA, EVEN if I have to work for less. Can you say "United Airlines"? Owned by run by rank and file employees yet voted no confidence in management. They are their own management!

Sure my union boss and I do not see eye to eye but that is what makes America great! I support Wal-Mart no I do not work there nor do I know anyone who does.

Sorry I called you a Limbaugh-listening sucker. And it seems like you do have some valid arguments to back up your assertions. Just remember, the unions wouldn't have to be so aggressive if these companies would step up to the plate and distribute their resources in a fair manner.

Sorry I called you a Limbaugh-listening sucker. And it seems like you do have some valid arguments to back up your assertions. Just remember, the unions wouldn't have to be so aggressive if these companies would step up to the plate and distribute their resources in a fair manner.

Sorry I called you a Limbaugh-listening sucker. And it seems like you do have some valid arguments to back up your assertions. Just remember, the unions wouldn't have to be so aggressive if these companies would step up to the plate and distribute their resources in a fair manner.

Timothy I am from California. Now before you call me a right wing wacko better know how to the left I am first. Hands over the eyes cool-aid drinker I think not. ;)

Greed from unions and greed from management is bad on both sides driving jobs out of the USA.
But you have to face the fact unions kept out a large employer from a section of Los Angeles that really needed it. Unions are spending more money then even Arnold can generate for Ads in
California to keep the fat that bankrupted our state in the budget. Sort of hard to keep spending 1.35 for every $1.00 that comes in.

By the way my grandmother lead the first teachers strike for equal pay for equal work by women. So unions are nothing new to me.

How, pray tell, did the labor costs involved with manufacturing escalate to the point where manufacturers were driven overseas when, over the past 25 years, relevant wage increases haven't even kept pace with inflation?

Typical republican "hands over the eyes" mentality. These manufacturing operations have moved overseas because overseas labor is cheap, not because domestic labor is expensive. When adjusted for inflation, American blue-collar labor has gotten cheaper and cheaper over the past quarter century.

Here's some real stats for you: 1) if minimum wage were to have the buying power today that it had in 1979 it would have to be more than doubled; 2) in 1979 the average CEO earned 40 times what the average non-executive employee earned; the ratio today is about 450:1.

So how is it that the unions are to blame for the inability of mega-corporations to afford domestic operations? The unions haven't even been able to keep wages apace of inflation or to obtain meaningful benefits for their employees. Meanwhile, the CEOs are pocketing billions and crying about how the unions are destroying their viability. The truth is that the failure of American mega-corporations to make ends meet is a product of corporate greed, not agressive labor unions.

But as long as the fat cats have corrupt mouthpieces to spew their propaganda, there will be Limbaugh-listening suckers like you who actually buy it.

John - Hermitage, Tennessee most stores SHOP the competition. And if I saw a person shopping my store I too would ask them to hit the road just as Wal-Mart does. Wal-Mart shopping the competition is all part of business.

As for Wal-Mart Made in the USA. TRUE they started out with made in the USA. But as the prices of American goods went up thanks to greedy unions they like many other retailers had to find lower cost goods like those made in China where the unions do not demand the artificially high wages they do in the USA.

Look what the unions have done to our car industry and our aircraft industry. Light manufacturing has all but been killed by the unions. Oh and why not go see a movie made in Canada because they kick back payroll money that the production company would have had to pay in the USA. THANKS UNIONS! Union Stooges stop picking on Wal-Mart, we know you shop there!

Here in Los Angeles the unions stopped a big box store from coming in to south central because the unions said the wages would be to low. Okay they kept the store out now they have no increase in jobs of any kind! LOL @ UNION STOOGES!

On that note for the China goods; didnt Wal-Mart use to advertise made in usa only when they first opened up more to the world?? Didnt they use to show items on tv that say made in the usa???

I work for a Wal-Mart store and so does most of my family. As an associate I know for a fact that I make more money than ever before, and my spouse, who is an assistant manager, also makes very good money. You neglect to mention that most associates get bonuses, can quickly "climb the ladder", and have the option to quit whenever they want! They are NOT forced to work there! If you don't like it, leave.

The store I work at is clean, the associates are friendly and courteous, and "Respect for the Individual" is ALWAYS our #1 rule.

My store manager is really great to work with, and if anyone, customer or associate, has a complaint, he listens and responds immediately. Our "open door policy" is fantastic, and when my spouse returned from a WM sponsored trip, he'd gained about five lbs. and told me they gave him way too much for his meal allotments. His hotel stay was very pleasant and he was treated with the utmost respect by EVERYONE he encountered!

Maybe you're just a naturally bad tempered person who complains a bit too much?

One last thing, our "Angel Tree" is for the needy kids of our community. I know for a fact that is where the gifts go, as I know folks who have received this service. We also donate alot of money to other great causes in our community every month including helping with funeral costs, meals, utility bills and much more for those who really need help. We even have an emergency fund for associates.

So please look a bit kinder on some of us. Wal-Mart is a great company, and it's too bad that some people just can't see that.

I love conspiracy theories. But the Evil Walmart conspiracy theroy takes the cake!

FOR EVERYONES INFORMATION... INCLUDING BoB - Philipsburg, Texas. The Comp Scanner does exist, I know for a fact, I have seen it, I have held it, and I have touched the very buttons on one, and was given a demonstration as to how it works. I work at a retail store, and an ex-classmate that I went to school with brought one into my store and I saw him using it. I could tell pretty much what he was doing, but wasn't sure what kind of device he was using. I am sure Telxon/Symbol specially made this device for Wal-Mart. Kind of like how UPS owns the company that makes there handheld computers that you use to sign for a package. So, anyway, I walked over to him and said hello and asked him what he was doing, he told me all the in and outs of it, how it works, I even touched it for a few minutes and played with it. He told me how you walk into a competitor's store, scan the barcode of a product that Wal-Mart carries then use the numeric keypad to enter the price of that UPC, they will fill it up with UPC's, take it back to the store their home store that they work at and upload it to corporate. So before anyone says crap that they dont know what they are talking about on something like this, know your facts before you say something doesnt exist. Also everyone in here knows d**n good and well that if you walk into a Wal-Mart store doing that they will come over to you and ask you to leave...

Later,

Could this be that they fear they will lose control and have to be someone elses b***h for a while? Why is it that of all their 5800 stores worldwide they had one store in Canada that was union and they closed it and just said it wasnt making any money.

Now I will admit, the union for Kroger just totally sucks and I would not recommend anyone to join. However a union for Wal-Mart would cause the associate, the union, and the company every so many years to negotiate on pay and insurance, and why would Wal-Mart want this??? They wouldnt because this would make them lose the big C word, CONTROL!!!

I like shopping at Wal-Mart, but sometimes they can be dirty. There is one town in Alabama who wants to bring in a Super Wal-Mart and everyone in this one area agreed to sell their land to the COUNTY but one man and he is holding up the process, so the town is using EMINET DOMAIN to force him off and pay him for his property and telling him that they need all the area for CITY/COUNTY use and they are really wanting to build a WAL-MART there.

Now shouldnt Wal-Mart be making him an offer on his property and not going through the city/county to try and take it from him???

OH BTW, I notice that the one person that was coming back slashing at the guy for dissing on the guy that worked in the Wal-Mart Corp office had nothing to say about Wal-Mart paying their bills so late until a debt collector called. Pay your bills Wal-Mart, when people dont pay their Wal-Mart credit card bills you tack on a LATE FEE, maybe Wal-Mart should have to start paying late fees on bills...

Could this be that they fear they will lose control and have to be someone elses b***h for a while? Why is it that of all their 5800 stores worldwide they had one store in Canada that was union and they closed it and just said it wasnt making any money.

Now I will admit, the union for Kroger just totally sucks and I would not recommend anyone to join. However a union for Wal-Mart would cause the associate, the union, and the company every so many years to negotiate on pay and insurance, and why would Wal-Mart want this??? They wouldnt because this would make them lose the big C word, CONTROL!!!

I like shopping at Wal-Mart, but sometimes they can be dirty. There is one town in Alabama who wants to bring in a Super Wal-Mart and everyone in this one area agreed to sell their land to the COUNTY but one man and he is holding up the process, so the town is using EMINET DOMAIN to force him off and pay him for his property and telling him that they need all the area for CITY/COUNTY use and they are really wanting to build a WAL-MART there.

Now shouldnt Wal-Mart be making him an offer on his property and not going through the city/county to try and take it from him???

OH BTW, I notice that the one person that was coming back slashing at the guy for dissing on the guy that worked in the Wal-Mart Corp office had nothing to say about Wal-Mart paying their bills so late until a debt collector called. Pay your bills Wal-Mart, when people dont pay their Wal-Mart credit card bills you tack on a LATE FEE, maybe Wal-Mart should have to start paying late fees on bills...

Could this be that they fear they will lose control and have to be someone elses b***h for a while? Why is it that of all their 5800 stores worldwide they had one store in Canada that was union and they closed it and just said it wasnt making any money.

Now I will admit, the union for Kroger just totally sucks and I would not recommend anyone to join. However a union for Wal-Mart would cause the associate, the union, and the company every so many years to negotiate on pay and insurance, and why would Wal-Mart want this??? They wouldnt because this would make them lose the big C word, CONTROL!!!

I like shopping at Wal-Mart, but sometimes they can be dirty. There is one town in Alabama who wants to bring in a Super Wal-Mart and everyone in this one area agreed to sell their land to the COUNTY but one man and he is holding up the process, so the town is using EMINET DOMAIN to force him off and pay him for his property and telling him that they need all the area for CITY/COUNTY use and they are really wanting to build a WAL-MART there.

Now shouldnt Wal-Mart be making him an offer on his property and not going through the city/county to try and take it from him???

OH BTW, I notice that the one person that was coming back slashing at the guy for dissing on the guy that worked in the Wal-Mart Corp office had nothing to say about Wal-Mart paying their bills so late until a debt collector called. Pay your bills Wal-Mart, when people dont pay their Wal-Mart credit card bills you tack on a LATE FEE, maybe Wal-Mart should have to start paying late fees on bills...

Could this be that they fear they will lose control and have to be someone elses b***h for a while? Why is it that of all their 5800 stores worldwide they had one store in Canada that was union and they closed it and just said it wasnt making any money.

Now I will admit, the union for Kroger just totally sucks and I would not recommend anyone to join. However a union for Wal-Mart would cause the associate, the union, and the company every so many years to negotiate on pay and insurance, and why would Wal-Mart want this??? They wouldnt because this would make them lose the big C word, CONTROL!!!

I like shopping at Wal-Mart, but sometimes they can be dirty. There is one town in Alabama who wants to bring in a Super Wal-Mart and everyone in this one area agreed to sell their land to the COUNTY but one man and he is holding up the process, so the town is using EMINET DOMAIN to force him off and pay him for his property and telling him that they need all the area for CITY/COUNTY use and they are really wanting to build a WAL-MART there.

Now shouldnt Wal-Mart be making him an offer on his property and not going through the city/county to try and take it from him???

OH BTW, I notice that the one person that was coming back slashing at the guy for dissing on the guy that worked in the Wal-Mart Corp office had nothing to say about Wal-Mart paying their bills so late until a debt collector called. Pay your bills Wal-Mart, when people dont pay their Wal-Mart credit card bills you tack on a LATE FEE, maybe Wal-Mart should have to start paying late fees on bills...

Lee,

I found your comments about Wal-Mart not being in the NYC area interesting, so I decided to look for myself to see if your claim was true.

I went to the Wal-Mart website and used the store locator function. I input the zip code 10004 (as I know that is near central NYC), and came up with 10 locations within a 30 mile radius. Sure, most are in NJ, but the one in Secaucus is only 6 miles from this zip code. And there are 2 locations on Long Island.

Sure, there are no locations in NYC proper. It only makes sense as the cost of the property size they would need would be exhorbitant.

This was fantastic reading, I really enjoyed it. Although most of the items mentioned are not illegal( borderline ) they do show the true nature of this behomoth that is killing the American retailing sector, American manufacturing and countless other areas. I do not how someone can feel "good" about buying goods that are usually manufactured in China under real slave conditions and sometimes even relabled as "MAde in America" to convince buyers, then having the goods checked out by a single mom making minimum wage with no health benefits to cover her kids. All the while while doing the above "comp scanning" at the local mom & pop hardware store to put them out of business, its really disgusting. Thankfully when I lived in the US Wal Mart had always been prevented from opening in the NYC area and the area still remains Wal Mart free today.

This was fantastic reading, I really enjoyed it. Although most of the items mentioned are not illegal( borderline ) they do show the true nature of this behomoth that is killing the American retailing sector, American manufacturing and countless other areas. I do not how someone can feel "good" about buying goods that are usually manufactured in China under real slave conditions and sometimes even relabled as "MAde in America" to convince buyers, then having the goods checked out by a single mom making minimum wage with no health benefits to cover her kids. All the while while doing the above "comp scanning" at the local mom & pop hardware store to put them out of business, its really disgusting. Thankfully when I lived in the US Wal Mart had always been prevented from opening in the NYC area and the area still remains Wal Mart free today.

This was fantastic reading, I really enjoyed it. Although most of the items mentioned are not illegal( borderline ) they do show the true nature of this behomoth that is killing the American retailing sector, American manufacturing and countless other areas. I do not how someone can feel "good" about buying goods that are usually manufactured in China under real slave conditions and sometimes even relabled as "MAde in America" to convince buyers, then having the goods checked out by a single mom making minimum wage with no health benefits to cover her kids. All the while while doing the above "comp scanning" at the local mom & pop hardware store to put them out of business, its really disgusting. Thankfully when I lived in the US Wal Mart had always been prevented from opening in the NYC area and the area still remains Wal Mart free today.

This was fantastic reading, I really enjoyed it. Although most of the items mentioned are not illegal( borderline ) they do show the true nature of this behomoth that is killing the American retailing sector, American manufacturing and countless other areas. I do not how someone can feel "good" about buying goods that are usually manufactured in China under real slave conditions and sometimes even relabled as "MAde in America" to convince buyers, then having the goods checked out by a single mom making minimum wage with no health benefits to cover her kids. All the while while doing the above "comp scanning" at the local mom & pop hardware store to put them out of business, its really disgusting. Thankfully when I lived in the US Wal Mart had always been prevented from opening in the NYC area and the area still remains Wal Mart free today.

Thanks for the origianl post.

I worked for a subcontractor for wal-mart for a long time (a couple of years ago) and this is what I remember for our reiembursed costs:

Wal-mart wanted us to stay at La Quinta's which went about 45 - 55 dollars a night and the rooms were nice.

The meal allowances were something along the lines of $11 for B-fast, $16 for Lunch and $25 for supper.

Yeah, I don't always agree with wal-mart, in fact I usually don't agree with them. But in this case, I have to side with them which just makes me puke.

ok, so I'm a Sam's Club associate (and also freelance IT Pro by day, but more on that later), never done the "walmart cheer" (but I've seen some managers do a "Sam's cheer").

First comment: ok, we know that "cheers" are corny, and best left in a high school pep rally, but, at least someone is trying to promote teamwork and a sense of comraderie (spelling?). I say the points for trying outweigh the "devastation" of having to do a cheer.

Second comment: as an IT person, I would like to know where I can go to be a systems manager that only works 100 hours per week. Industry Standard, according to the consultants I've spoken with, is about 45 hours per week for salaried management. Any systems manager that doesn't stay "hooked up and in the mix", and isn't willing to pull a 100 hour week (I've done more, and vacation, as any IT person will tell you, is always dictated by the temperament of the servers), should probably consider switching jobs anyway.

As far as the comments on employee evaluations, I really think any leader considers who the first one off the lifeboat would be (but the good leader also thinks about avoiding the lifeboat senario at all costs), and the mediocre people are always ignored (hence the abundance of cynicism in the world). I consider it a honor to be asked to go the extra mile, most good leaders learn to depend heavily upon their star employees, that is how they get where they are (of course I have a lot to say about managers that move ahead and don't recognize their star employee's, but none of that is related to Wal-Mart or Sam's Club). By your comments, I take it you are not an "A" employee?

The world won't change overnight, you should realize, that you have been given a job (more than a lot of people have) with a company that will probably never "downsize", and are a "Systems Manager", which is a lot higher than most IT people ever get. If you really think you could do better, then, do it. If you have no recourse but to gripe about your employer, then why are you still there?

on Comp Shopping devices, I would just like to say "Isn't technology wonderful!".

on the "Christmas Angel" topic, I am curious, Are you required to donate any of your hard earned money to this fund?

If you can't survive on $14 per day, then I would hate to have to pay your grocery bill every week.

Fleabag Motels? well, maybe there are some in England, never been there. I've never had a problem with the cheapest hovel on the corner in this country though, a bed and a wake-up call is all I need.

Hope you find a way to make your employment experience everything you think it should be, just remember, it could always be worse (sorry about the cynicism there!)

ok, so I'm a Sam's Club associate (and also freelance IT Pro by day, but more on that later), never done the "walmart cheer" (but I've seen some managers do a "Sam's cheer").

First comment: ok, we know that "cheers" are corny, and best left in a high school pep rally, but, at least someone is trying to promote teamwork and a sense of comraderie (spelling?). I say the points for trying outweigh the "devastation" of having to do a cheer.

Second comment: as an IT person, I would like to know where I can go to be a systems manager that only works 100 hours per week. Industry Standard, according to the consultants I've spoken with, is about 45 hours per week for salaried management. Any systems manager that doesn't stay "hooked up and in the mix", and isn't willing to pull a 100 hour week (I've done more, and vacation, as any IT person will tell you, is always dictated by the temperament of the servers), should probably consider switching jobs anyway.

As far as the comments on employee evaluations, I really think any leader considers who the first one off the lifeboat would be (but the good leader also thinks about avoiding the lifeboat senario at all costs), and the mediocre people are always ignored (hence the abundance of cynicism in the world). I consider it a honor to be asked to go the extra mile, most good leaders learn to depend heavily upon their star employees, that is how they get where they are (of course I have a lot to say about managers that move ahead and don't recognize their star employee's, but none of that is related to Wal-Mart or Sam's Club). By your comments, I take it you are not an "A" employee?

The world won't change overnight, you should realize, that you have been given a job (more than a lot of people have) with a company that will probably never "downsize", and are a "Systems Manager", which is a lot higher than most IT people ever get. If you really think you could do better, then, do it. If you have no recourse but to gripe about your employer, then why are you still there?

on Comp Shopping devices, I would just like to say "Isn't technology wonderful!".

on the "Christmas Angel" topic, I am curious, Are you required to donate any of your hard earned money to this fund?

If you can't survive on $14 per day, then I would hate to have to pay your grocery bill every week.

Fleabag Motels? well, maybe there are some in England, never been there. I've never had a problem with the cheapest hovel on the corner in this country though, a bed and a wake-up call is all I need.

Hope you find a way to make your employment experience everything you think it should be, just remember, it could always be worse (sorry about the cynicism there!)

ok, so I'm a Sam's Club associate (and also freelance IT Pro by day, but more on that later), never done the "walmart cheer" (but I've seen some managers do a "Sam's cheer").

First comment: ok, we know that "cheers" are corny, and best left in a high school pep rally, but, at least someone is trying to promote teamwork and a sense of comraderie (spelling?). I say the points for trying outweigh the "devastation" of having to do a cheer.

Second comment: as an IT person, I would like to know where I can go to be a systems manager that only works 100 hours per week. Industry Standard, according to the consultants I've spoken with, is about 45 hours per week for salaried management. Any systems manager that doesn't stay "hooked up and in the mix", and isn't willing to pull a 100 hour week (I've done more, and vacation, as any IT person will tell you, is always dictated by the temperament of the servers), should probably consider switching jobs anyway.

As far as the comments on employee evaluations, I really think any leader considers who the first one off the lifeboat would be (but the good leader also thinks about avoiding the lifeboat senario at all costs), and the mediocre people are always ignored (hence the abundance of cynicism in the world). I consider it a honor to be asked to go the extra mile, most good leaders learn to depend heavily upon their star employees, that is how they get where they are (of course I have a lot to say about managers that move ahead and don't recognize their star employee's, but none of that is related to Wal-Mart or Sam's Club). By your comments, I take it you are not an "A" employee?

The world won't change overnight, you should realize, that you have been given a job (more than a lot of people have) with a company that will probably never "downsize", and are a "Systems Manager", which is a lot higher than most IT people ever get. If you really think you could do better, then, do it. If you have no recourse but to gripe about your employer, then why are you still there?

on Comp Shopping devices, I would just like to say "Isn't technology wonderful!".

on the "Christmas Angel" topic, I am curious, Are you required to donate any of your hard earned money to this fund?

If you can't survive on $14 per day, then I would hate to have to pay your grocery bill every week.

Fleabag Motels? well, maybe there are some in England, never been there. I've never had a problem with the cheapest hovel on the corner in this country though, a bed and a wake-up call is all I need.

Hope you find a way to make your employment experience everything you think it should be, just remember, it could always be worse (sorry about the cynicism there!)

ok, so I'm a Sam's Club associate (and also freelance IT Pro by day, but more on that later), never done the "walmart cheer" (but I've seen some managers do a "Sam's cheer").

First comment: ok, we know that "cheers" are corny, and best left in a high school pep rally, but, at least someone is trying to promote teamwork and a sense of comraderie (spelling?). I say the points for trying outweigh the "devastation" of having to do a cheer.

Second comment: as an IT person, I would like to know where I can go to be a systems manager that only works 100 hours per week. Industry Standard, according to the consultants I've spoken with, is about 45 hours per week for salaried management. Any systems manager that doesn't stay "hooked up and in the mix", and isn't willing to pull a 100 hour week (I've done more, and vacation, as any IT person will tell you, is always dictated by the temperament of the servers), should probably consider switching jobs anyway.

As far as the comments on employee evaluations, I really think any leader considers who the first one off the lifeboat would be (but the good leader also thinks about avoiding the lifeboat senario at all costs), and the mediocre people are always ignored (hence the abundance of cynicism in the world). I consider it a honor to be asked to go the extra mile, most good leaders learn to depend heavily upon their star employees, that is how they get where they are (of course I have a lot to say about managers that move ahead and don't recognize their star employee's, but none of that is related to Wal-Mart or Sam's Club). By your comments, I take it you are not an "A" employee?

The world won't change overnight, you should realize, that you have been given a job (more than a lot of people have) with a company that will probably never "downsize", and are a "Systems Manager", which is a lot higher than most IT people ever get. If you really think you could do better, then, do it. If you have no recourse but to gripe about your employer, then why are you still there?

on Comp Shopping devices, I would just like to say "Isn't technology wonderful!".

on the "Christmas Angel" topic, I am curious, Are you required to donate any of your hard earned money to this fund?

If you can't survive on $14 per day, then I would hate to have to pay your grocery bill every week.

Fleabag Motels? well, maybe there are some in England, never been there. I've never had a problem with the cheapest hovel on the corner in this country though, a bed and a wake-up call is all I need.

Hope you find a way to make your employment experience everything you think it should be, just remember, it could always be worse (sorry about the cynicism there!)

I work at large volume store in Sioux Falls, SD. The whole meal thing has to be a joke. at our store (and I thought that it was company directed)you get $6 for breakfast, $8 for lunch, and $11 for dinner. That is enough for me and my husband both to eat at for all of the meals!

You mentioned them putting you in crummy hotels...I am not sure what kind of hotels you are used to but when we have people stay in a hotel, it is usually a Best Western, Ramada, or Comfort Inn. Usually, they are all pretty nice.

As a manager, you have responsibilities. It is that way in any company. I have never heard of a salaried manager that doesn't work more than there 40 hours a week. Did they tell you it would be less or are you just that nieve? Why would you expect more than two weekends off a month. The majority of our managers don't get a weekend off a month and they aren't crying about it either.

I do however agree that the Walmart cheer is very embarassing and I try to avoid it at all costs.

I just want to comment on the walmart cheer. I had the misfortune of being in the valencia ca. store during one of these cheer sessions. I felt bad for the employees and felt assaulted just having to hear it.

I really feel for these people that *can't* get a better job and have to put up with such things as the walmart cheer. It's embarrasing, and degrading to their selves.

Having been exposed to the world of the Walmart Associate, I have a few questions which I feel are necessary to understand and verify a few things about your Walmart report, if you please

I understand that a store manager can make,at least in the Northeast, as much as 200,000 dollars a year and that a district manager is in the 300,000 dollar bracket, if this is true I must belive that the people at the home office make much more, hence if the Home Office sends you on a trip, I could understand them figuring that you can pick up the tab for anything extra or just giving you a base line for expenses. Perhaps as a systems manager you didn't make that kind of money, but I would like to know if the above is true or not. This also explains why you are expected to work the hours. Doctors and lawyers don't all make that kind of money and at least doctors are working 24/7 putting in all kinds of crazy hours. (note: the above figures were in one of the finance statements from about 3 years ago and I realize that it's the store level where the money is made, so they may take care of these people a little better or the store sales may be tied into the salary. Some stores do a million a week.)

Also I understand that while Sam Walton was alive, he did not spend his money and expected most of the people related with the business not to spend money exorbitantly. It was not until Sam died that all the people( associates ) that had become millionaires having stock in Wal-Mart since the begining, started knocking down there old Ark. farm homes and building mansions, so, I am trying to investigate your credibility,and I want to know cause I am nosey. I would have e-mailed you privately off list(the rip report) however there was no e-mail address or contact. If you wish to remain anonymous and are or were a systems tech and or manager you would of course know all you need is a hotmail account or several accounts...

Your point about 'Comp' shopping; of course all companies practice comparison-shopping, it's even in the dictionary sn-shp) v. intr. comparison-shopped comparison-shopping comparison-shops 1. To shop for bargains by comparing the prices of competing brands or stores. As to having a device to do it, well, no one I have spoken with is aware of a machine, but so what? That's called competition, the prices are not seceret and you have to understand market share etc..

Your point about:
>All managers are required yearly to complete a >survey in which they list their employees in >order of who they would kick off a lifeboat >first.

As you should know, but didn't mention, is that the employees also fill out a similar report about their bosses, all companies write evaluations about employees. It is unique for companies to allow their employees to write evaluations about their supervisors. And the employees do not and are not required to sign these surveys.

Supervisors are evaluated on the 'Pipeline' of course I don't have to explain what that is to you right.

Just a few things that I am curious about.
Thank you for this opportunity to get the real scoop.