Comments on: Wal-Mart CEO Answers Critics

In Exclusive Interview, Lee Scott Says People Are Attacking The Wrong Company

[jpgandr]

? Let's talk about overtime. You don't get it. If you do work past your 40 hours, you could counseled, then if you do it again, you will have a day of decision ( to think about if you are going to do it again ) , and then you might even be fired. One of Wal-Mart's golden rules is to be there for the customer, just make sure you don't go that minute past 40 hours or you will live to regret it. If you really want to get the attention of public, put a few undercover workers in a few of the stores, Have them work there for a few weeks, then have them report back on what it is really like to work for the all mighty Wal-Mart. You might be surprised.

[jpgandr]

When Sam Walton was alive, he made sure that everyone was happy, the customer and the employee. Now it seems that the Lee Scott's of Wal-Mart are more worried about the almighty dollar than the people who made them rich, and I am talking about the employees. $10 an hour is not the average wage of the employees. A lot of new employees start out at minimum wage and they might get a 50 cent raise a year. How long do you think it will take someone to make $10 an hour at that rate? Those dedicated, long time employees who have worked for Wal-Mart for a number years have gotten a cap put on their wages of around $15. But I am sure the insurance will continue to go up. Now isn't that nice? Then management has the nerve to tell them that even though they are never going to get another raise, and some have another 10 or 15 years to go before retirement, to not stop doing better and better every day. What kind of incentive is that? What will they ever get out of it?

[realpeople4]

Dear Mr. Scott,

Is this $10.00 per hour average for an hourly associate something that you know, or where told to say?

Please go to your nearest Wal-Mart SuperCenter to the Electronics Dept., purchase a $1.00 calculator, use your 10% discount card, pay .90 cents plus tax and do the math:

A) By Seniority Less than 1 year
2-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
25-30
31+

B) By Store/SuperCenter Age Use Same Formula

C) By Division

D) By Region

Now, we get a whole set of new true numbers. Please share them with us, and do tell the truth.

P.S. CBS, there are great ideas here, do implement them.

[lagoon11]

I have worked for Wal-Mart for 17 years. I'm not trying to bash the company but only to state the facts the way they have been stated to us this year. I have never seen as many negative changes as I have this year. Long-term associates are worried about their position with the company. We feel like they are trying to get rid of us. In the past if you moved to another position, you either got a raise or stayed the same, but now you take a chance on losing money. They've eliminated positions, put a cap on the amount of money you can make, started the uniform wearing(and the blue shirts doesn't even have Wal-mart on them, how cheap can you get?). They didn't even order up any khaki pants for us to purchase, so the associates are having to shop at the competitors for their uniform. The company is now stopping layaways so the customer will apply for a credit card. Now they tell us about the absentee policy where if you have 7 unexcused absences in 6 months you will be terminated and doctors excuses are not excused. Also if you miss 3 days, you have to take a leave of absence on the 4th day. What is going on with this company? It's not about the associate anymore, only about the bottom line. It makes me very angry when they talk about all the money they give out, but when sales are down they cut our hours. When you lose 8 or 9 hours on a paycheck its hard to pay the bills for the month.

[cafeblues2]

After 5 yrs I make $10 hr. Now I find out from the local news that my dept will no longer exist. This effects 10,000 associates , we will be sent to other depts and get pay decreases. The company didn't even have the decency to alert us.
As for this latest PR campaign. I have not come across a wal-mart that got a 6% raise. Salary managers got a raise this year, while hourly associates were told they were capped . This are same associates that make wal-mart look good in the books because a new associate makes $6.50 a twenty yr associate make $16.00 it averages out till about $10 .
On another note the store I work at lost 30 people and we have been able to replace them because even the local pizza place hires at $7.25 hr.
Just my 2 cents hope someone listens
[e-mail]

[bettyboop692]

Hello there ceo's
10.00 dollars an hour in what world are you living in??? Where and who. Silver card employees thats who. Thank you for the wage cap also. Open door where in my house, not at any wal-mart where I have been. Managers say hello in the am where? your lucky if they know who you are and even luckier if they know your name. Good thing we have name tags.Harrassement and favortism never not in our store ya right. you million dollar boys better get on your million dollar jets and fly around ole Mr. sam would be rolling in his grave about now if he hasn't jumped out by now and went to a different state. I am so glad I don't have a family to raise and work at wal-mart. It is a very poor reprsentation of family work place. Maybe management family not the workers. Oh ya million dollar boys wheres our bonuses we were promised Management gets them wow surprise surprise and WHO DOES THE WORK EVER THINK OF THAT SEE YA BETTYBOOP692

[strife40]

CBS you let us associates down last night big time. We were all thinking you would be asking Lee Scott the tough questions last night and doing fact finding but no dice. Just more avoiding the real issues about Walmart workers and building up his "greening of WMT program".Why don't you interview real associates that have been there awhile and actually work in the field. People that see where these "phases" that we are currently in are going and what that means for the future of the breed of workers that put Walmart on top. The same people who are probably going to be drummed out of the company by the first of the year. I'll give you a hint CBS...here will be your next big story for JAN.07' and it will probably go something like"WALMART, WITH IT'S SECRET CUTBACKS AND TERMINATION OF OLD HANDS ON THE WORKFORCE IS IT THE NEXT ENRON?" Speculation still... but if you do an interview again you need to get to the bottom of the 7 phase plan that Walmart is currently doing. That's where the story is. Now which one of you guys at CBS has the gut's to go after it?

[red_neck_rob]

Why don't you step back.Quit looking down your long snout,and think about the man that built this company from a 5 and dime store.Sam was a very smart person.How do you think he got his employees to smile at the customers,offer handshakes,and just be a great associate?It wasn't by stabbing them in the back every chance he got.Take care of your people and in turn we will take care of our customers.**** flows downhill and believe me brother,it starts at the top of the pile.

[red_neck_rob]

Mr.Scott...A living wage is a wage where your employees can pay all of their bills in the same month.Do you understand now?????

[torgie41]

Hey there, this is a 16 year Associate of Walmart and am getting very stressed with all the stuff that is coming down from upper management that they think are good ideas, but have never checked with the people that they keep telling, "This is your Wal-mart". They have been dumping stuff for awhile but this one has about capped it off, no more layaway this is just a stupid move with no reasoning at all. And we were told to keep a positive attitude.It continues to get harder and harder everyday. To even keep any attitude, Alot of us are just numb. The 10.00 an hour thing is very few people. And it still is not enough with todays economy, it is still poverty when I and my wife are both working at the same store and still are just making it from paycheck to paycheck. With no savings and living in a mobilehome. I like my job working with people and the people I work with are great and we do not deserve to be treated like we are when Wal-Mart knows that most of us don't have a choice in this economy. And after 16 years of my life being given to this mega company. this statement is to the Walton family, "What about the people who have worked hard to put you where you are?"