Muscatine

Yes he was........... Was his previous employer loyal to him? What about his union?

So, you want to talk about Tom's previous employer AND it's union? I assume this because you clearly asked.

Yes. We've had that discussion. He's even stated such on here.

QOUTE:

"First of all, I retired from the City of Muscatine, with 30+ years of service.  We have been unionized since about 1980 by the Teamsters Local 238.  When I retired, the union had NO provisions for retirees, like covering a part of the $1032/month to maintain Blue Bross/Blue Shield health insurance (higher now, in 2008).  My health insurance (Blue Cross/Blue Shield), through Wal-Mart, costs me less than $75/month, for the same coverage!" By Tom

Chosen,

I hate to say it so bluntly, but you're wrong. My first post was, contrary to what you believe, "just about supporting local business by shopping local." Hence the reason I said things like "I'm perfectly content paying more for goods and services elsewhere and supporting local employers whenever possible" and "I'll support my local companies..." (Notice those words "whenever possible. Some times it's simply unavoidable.) But I'll argue with you over the "walmart is evil" mentality that you've assigned to me, if you wish.

I said "So you can keep your China-supporting, sub-par quality, anti-employee stock, thank you very much." Allow me to clarify.

China supporting - Wal-Mart is one of the largest importer of Chinese made goods. From PBS:

"Wal-Mart has a very close relationship with China," says Duke University Professor Gary Gereffi. "China is the largest exporter to the U.S. economy in virtually all consumer goods categories. Wal-Mart is the leading retailer in the U.S. economy in virtually all consumer goods categories. Wal-Mart and China are a joint venture."

When trade agreements were signed between the U.S. and China in the 1990s, bringing China into the World Trade Organization, American political and business leaders embraced the idea. China's 1.2 billion people were viewed as an enormous untapped market for American-made goods. The reality, experts say, is the opposite. China's exports to the U.S. have skyrocketed.

At a salary of only 50 cents an hour or $100 a month, Chinese labor is an unbeatable bargain for international business. And the Chinese government is doing everything it can to be sure the country's infrastructure supports the export business. Ten years ago Shenzhen's main port did not exist. Today it's on the verge of becoming the third busiest port in the world.

Wal-Mart estimates it imports $15 billion of Chinese goods every year and concedes that the figure could be higher -- some estimates range as high as $20 or $30 billion.

[...]

Some experts contend Wal-Mart's "everyday low prices" are causing a clash between the interests of Americans as workers and the desires of Americans as consumers.

"If people were only consumers, buying things at lower prices would be just good. But people also are workers who need to earn a decent standard of living," says economist Larry Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute. "The dynamics that create lower prices at Wal-Mart and other places are also undercutting the ability of many, many workers to earn decent wages and benefits and have a stable life."

From the Economic Policy Institute: (pdf)

"Last year, the retail giant Wal-Mart imported $26.7 billion of Chinese goods into the United States. The cost of those goods to Americans went far beyond the sticker prices, however. Wal-Mart’s reliance on Chinese goods cost the United States over 308,000 jobs in 2006 – or about 77 jobs for every Wal-Mart store in the United States.Last year, the retail giant Wal-Mart imported $26.7 billion of Chinese goods into the United States. The cost of those goods to Americans went far beyond the sticker prices, however. Wal-Mart’s reliance on Chinese goods cost the United States over 308,000 jobs in 2006 – or about 77 jobs for every Wal-Mart store in the United States.

[...]

The United States buys imports from other countries, especially China, at a much higher rate than it sells exports, causing a trade deficit and the loss of domestic jobs. Wal-Mart was responsible for 9.3 percent of U.S. China imports from 2001-2006, and for 11.2 percent of U.S. job losses due to the trade deficit with China. The growth of Wal-Mart’s share of the trade deficit with China alone eliminated nearly 200,000 U.S. jobs in this period.

[...]

Ironically, Wal-Mart markets its cheap wares to some of the same people who may have been laid-off because their jobs moved to China.  Job losses in manufacturing account for 68 percent of total jobs displaced due to growing imports from China between 2001 (when China joined the World Trade Organization) and 2006.  The manufacturing sector in the United States pays higher wages and provides better benefits than most other industries.  More than one-third of manufacturing workers displaced by trade dropped out of the labor market, and the average wages of those who found new jobs fell by 11 percent - 13 percent."

Sub-par quality - It goes back to the Chinese made goods. I'm sure you're aware of the recalls. From USA Today:

"In recent years, American consumers eagerly snapped up an ever-widening array of Chinese-made products, from Wal-Mart T-shirts and Dell  laptops to Black & Decker power drills and Ethan Allen cabinets. It's no secret why multinational companies increased their reliance on Chinese factories: lower production costs. The recent spate of suspect Chinese imports, however, is raising troubling questions about the trade-offs involved in the relentless pursuit of rock-bottom prices.

"Sometimes, it's a shock to discover how poor the quality processes are," says Sebastien Breteau, chief executive of Asia Inspection, a Hong Kong company that audits Chinese factories for 158 U.S. companies. "It's very, very common that the goods you receive are not exactly what you ordered, either because the factory can't deliver or because the definition of the product is not clear enough."

Anti-employee - You can see the document I linked to in a previous post.

Be insulted if you like, Chosen, but I was giving my opinion of Wal-Mart. I'm not making these statements to garner any approval from nedl or anyone else. I'd make the same statement regardless. It's all part of an "honest discussion."

You are right about one thing, though: I don't like the company. In fact, I put them right up there with other companies like Exxon. They're both making a ton of money at the expense of America. Sure, they employ thousands of people and they throw out the obligitory philanthropic gift to the community so that they can claim some level of respectability. Just like Wal-Mart. But at what cost to America?

Simply put, I don't agree with the way they conduct their business and therefore I avoid doing my business with them.

Honest enough, Chosen?

Then why do YOU keep bringing it up?