Kudos goes to whoever is doing these ads for you guys.  They are simply fabulous.  Lakoff would be proud!

When are we lining up volunteers and handing these out as flyers at metro stops?  Let’s do this. 

Keep the heat on gang!

Where do you guy get the info to fabricate these ridiculous numbers $.17/ hour?  And how does that translate into Chinese currency?  Why does WalMart shop overseas, because Unionized labor is to expensive.  There was a time and place for organized labor but it is not here or now.  Organized labor drives up cost of goods and services, and in a world market drives inflation in our country.  While our inflation is rising and economy is suffering our overseas competitors are doing well.  Labor Unions don’t care about helping the working folk they advertise a shady product with fancy health care, and inflated wages and a promise to keep you in a job.  Fact is they are forcing jobs to go overseas where Us Americans like to shop.  Americans cannot afford to buy “Made in USA”.  Therefore there is less work to be done by American laborers, this trend will continue until Great Depression 2 hits.  Every one will be out of work Labor Unions go bankrupt, and finally we will have labor reform and hopefully our great country will recover just as it did in th 40’S.
We do not need Walmart reform we need to lokk at a bigger picture, we need labor reform.

Good point, Micheal.

Andy, get your facts straight.  Most manufacturing jobs in this country aren’t covered by labor laws anyway.  Wal-Mart doesn’t want to pay workers even minimum wage.  They’d rather pay the 17 cents.

The one thing I do like about this site is that they provide links and sources to most of the facts they post.  Click on the link for 17 cents and you’ll go directly to a report about how crappy the wages are for Wal-Mart’s suppliers workers.

The reason why most Americans can’t afford made in the USA products is because they work at places like Wal-Mart.

Probably the 30% that is not made in China is FOOD.

We can thank Bill Clinton for this....he is the one that opened the China door.....right after he opened the Mexican door with NAFTA. 

Pretty soon the only jobs that will be left in America will be in the un-employment office.

Wake up and BUY AMERICAN.

Congratulations.  You just figured out that we’re in a global economy!!  Name the retailer that doesn’t have every article of clothing made elsewhere than China.  Even the “mom and pop” stores that Walmart is always accused of putting out of business are selling the same made in China stuff, just at higher prices.

Thank Bill Clinton for NAFTA which started that “sucking sound” of all of American industry heading out the door.

Walmart is simply the recipient of government policy and world-wide economic reality which dictates that cheaper production wins.

Since no garment that comes from China basically costs more than a buck, at least the prices should reflect that and be no more than a third of what they are.  Can you believe Banana REpublic selling well-made women’s pants for $60 to $80 when they probably don’t pay more than 85cents at the dock. 

Why pick on Walmart; why pick on China when there is nothing made in America.  If we want American shoes we’ll be walking around barefoot.

Great media blitz!

Consumers need to realize they are paying more in the long run for “Everyday Low Prices.” Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott gets a pay package in 2004 of almost $23 Million, while Wal-Mart is settling legal cases involving child labor violations and hiring undocumented immigrants as janitors.

Keep up the message!

As a Chinese-American who cringes when he reads ‘Made in China’ on everything in all the stores and cringes when he reads comments and ads like yours, thanks for making my day just a little harder. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. Cheers, Klug

It is unfortunate that throughout WM and the mall stores of country, there are very few goods still made in the USA.  Even Levi’s are no longer manufactured domestically.  It sometimes seems that one needs to spend hours researching and shopping online just to buy American made goods.

Hopefully one day, we’ll (we, meaning American consumers) be able to call attention to all the mall stores that are exporting manufacturing jobs, but right now, we can focus on how one company, which portrays itself as All-American, is taking actions that erode the middle class.

Michael,
When Americans are paid fairly to create, distribute and sell goods, they can afford “Made in the USA.”

China sends us boat-loads of junk and we climb into our huge empty gas-hogs to flock to Walmart so we can send them back boat-loads of money that they will soon be using to compete with us for fossil fuel.  And the best that the moron-in-chief can come up with is to dig marginal yield wells in sensitive areas.  Ideas such as trade balance and energy conservation are not even on our radar screen.  What do we deserve more – an idiot like Bush or a store like Walmart…

Give me a break, this website doesn’t care about Walmart employees or American Consumers. This website is sponsored by the union who only cares about getting the biggest retailer in the world to pay them union dues. It’s pc to bash Walmart when in fact they are leaders in innovations and helps the American Economy.

Bill Clinton didn’t open the doors to China, that was Richard Nixon.  There was a little game of ping pong. 

I haven’t shopped in a WalMart in years.  The company does not treat women equally with men; many of its products and especially its clothes are inferior; many of its stores are dirty and the products are poorly displayed; and there are much better places to have shopping experiences.  Also, I have seen them about destroy the shopping areas of towns.  Their stores are ugly amd if everyone shops in them, they will be the only place to shop.  Can you imagine buying everything at a WalMart?  How gross!

Enjoy your life!
Richard

I don’t think this is about the union like you say it is.  Why do wages that people can live on and healthcare that people can afford have to be associated with a union?  It seems to me that as the world’s richest nation, the world’s richest corporation should be able to compensate their employees in a fair and just manner.

There is some great chatter here.  I was thinking what a great thing this website is doing, but truthfully if it is all about PRO Labor Union movement and getting the Unions into Walmart then I think this is a bad idea.  I was a manager with Walmart for two years and won’t go into specifics, but they do have a very fair hiring/firing policy which I think labor unions would destroy.

As far as the whole Made in the USA/China debate goes, EVERYTHING is made in China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, India, Pakistan, Mexico...you name it is made outside this country.  You can not dog WM for this alone.  Go after Target, Sears, Best Buy and every other retailer.  Then jump over to the tech and financial industry where American jobs are being farmed out to Bangalore India!  IBM, Intel, Fidelity...they are all moving call centers and engineering jobs out of the country to where labor is more cost effective.

I will say that besides being a former employee of WM I am also a former acct manager for a toy manufacturer.  Try selling toys to WM where you make 5 cents (if you are lucky) and they make 60% profit!!!  If you want to talk about fair business practices and how WM is making money hand over fist and screwing people over....let’s look at the manufacturers that will basically sell their products at breakeven or a loss just to keep their foot in the door.  WM accounts for over 50% of the revenue of most of their suppliers and if WM kicks you out of their stores....basically you are done for.  Now THAT should be the next AD I see in USA Today!!!

All BS. Market should correct itself. Please dont waste your money on ads like these.
Resistance is futile - Karlsagan

“Why do wages that people can live on and healthcare that people can afford have to be associated with a union? “

If you’re dumb enough to seek employment at Wal-Mart, you don’t deserve help.

This website is funded by union representatives.  Unionizing Wal-Mart employees = more money for them.

All this site’s talk about helping America is hypocritical as it’s just looking to profit itself.

Globalization is a 2 way street. As Americans lets learn to make a decent car first!

We need to change our outlook and style of living.
We dont believe in keeping our living costs low.
We have to have a car, SUV, trucks! Crap. Why cant we rely on public transportation. If we had a good reliable public transportation, then the wages that walmart gives is sufficient to make a decent living.
We dont have to live in single family houses, small apartment type residence is enough.
Think twice before we crib about losing jobs to Asia. We have to change our way of living.

WAKE UP IDIOTS!  Look at everything you buy anywhere - NOT JUST AT WALMART - clothes, shoes, electronics.  THEY ARE ALL MADE IN CHINA!

The rise of China as the world’s manufacturer is inevitable, with or without Walmart.

Target actually buys a larger % of their goods from Walmart and is also non-Union.

That 17 cent an hour figure is NOT AN AVERAGE. 

It is the figure from ONE factory of bobblehead dolls, in which, according to a summary prepared by your own labor-allied source, (the writers of the Toys of Misery 2004 report) “Wages are as low as 16.5 cents an hour and just $16.75 for a seven-day, over-100-hour work week.”

Please be honest with the data, and please be honest with your readers.  Start by admitting that you misrepresented the data from your sources, and then take down the faulty “average” right now.

I ride the train from central NJ to my job in Newark.  The train passes a lot of abandon factories that used the railroad once upon a time. 

How many of those factories produced what is now being produced in China?

Any guesstimates?

Great Idea-- wow
let’s pay those china workers $ 5.25/hr !! right ?
that’s fair !-- I won’t mind paying $ 50.00 for my next Walmart
pair of boxers/ or a T-shirt
BUT hey- Don’t ship those jobs overseas

Hey Whatever in LAX, CA....

What business is it of yours if I want to drive a car and live in a modest single family home???  I make decent money, pay my taxes, pay my own healthcare, and will spend my money how I see fit.  This isn’t about the American Lifestyle at all.  Just because you are poor and don’t have nice things don’t crap on the rest of us.

As far as public transportation goes....my wife actually DOES take public transportation to work.  She take the train to Boston everyday and I have to tell you it is NOT cheap.  Costs almost $200 per month for a train pass.

Everybody who works a full week deserves a living wage and healthcare.  It’s apparent that Dan defines “help” as being able to put food on the table and get the healthcare people need.  I haven’t looked at every inch of this website, but haven’t found anything that says “We’re here to organize Wal-Mart employees!” If anything, I think this website and campaign are here to change the business model and to challenge Wal-Mart to give people what they deserve.  That’s not help, it’s what’s right.  Healthcare in this country is a moral right.

“Healthcare in this country is a moral right.”

Call me when it’s a legal right.

Bring it, Dan. 

People in this country deserve healthcare.  Why do you think that they don’t?  Do people who work 32 hours a week (Wal-Mart’s idea of full time) deserve to suffer with preventative and curable diseases because they can’t afford the healthcare and prescription drugs?

“People in this country deserve healthcare.  Why do you think that they don’t?”

You’re targeting Wal-Mart when you should be targeting health care reform.

That’s my point.

Hey Bob in MA,
Its because of guys like you that this country is struggling. No use arguing with me, bud. You pay taxes but dont want to fight for your basic rights like improved public transportation, more govt welfare. Dont want to change your life style so that every one can enjoy equal benefits. Remember, because of your SUV, truck or god damn hummer, I’m paying extra at the pumps!
$200/month is still cheap, bro. Consider insurance on your car, payments, registration, maintainence and gas!

My heart beats for America!

Kevin: “Wages are as low as 16.5 cents an hour and just $16.75 for a seven-day, over-100-hour work week”

Sounds pretty bad to me, brother.  But hey if you don’t believe them, why don’t you take a working holiday in China and let us know how it goes for you.

Or is Wal-Mart the target as a way to begin a conversation about healthcare reform?

The point, it seems to me, is that WM says they stand for one thing, but does another. That, my friends, is the epitome of flip-flopping. The name of Sam Walton’s book was “Made in America” which obviously had more than one meaning, but the gist is that WM is supposed to be the Apple Pie of the Corporate world--and it turns out that it is not.

We all do have to recognize that the “Wal-Mart issue” is not one-sided, but at some point you do have to form an opinion, and I for one am starting to see why WM is bad for the country.  We were talking about this in church last week, and talking about how we have to put our dollars where our values are, and I am going to start doing just that--as are a lot of others, I suspect. And, big surprise, the more I learn about WM and what it does, the less I am even tempted to take advantage of their low prices. I don’t make a lot of money, but I know I can cut back for what I believe to be right.

Margret (post #5) mentions food as the 30% still made in America.  I come from the packaging industry and know of at least one instance where WM drove a food company to purchase the printed package from China.  These packages are then used to hold your “Made in America” food.  Care to take any bets on whether that package is FDA inspected in or if those facilities even pass FDA standards?  We should also be very concerned about the health risks that these WM buying tactics create.

Sam is dead and you can tell. Sam understood that his company depended on a strong economy in America. The current management just looks at each item and asks “What is my markup!”. A short sighted vision that is helping to destroy our economy.

Do your part. Don’t shop there.

Andy,

Perhaps you misunderstood me.  I pointed out that “As low as” is not the same thing as “on average”, unlike Philip de Vellis wants us to believe.  Do you disagree?  Or are you refusing to recognize a lie because you agree with it?

-----

Clearly 16.5 cents an hour is less than you want the one worker in that one factory to earn.  Again, that is NOT THE AVERAGE WAGE in China or even in that one factory.  In addition, as far as I read, nobody was coerced to work in that factory, even if it flounted labor laws written by the nonelected leaders of the region. 

These jobs offer far better opportunity than the alternative of a lifetime as a peasant.  I don’t see what is wrong with offering Chinese workers an opportunity they had never had before.

I think it is very wrong to want to use legislation to limit imports from China.  That will, in effect, send them back to the farm—to jobs they find less desirable.

Of course, my opportunities are far greater than those of most Chinese, but that doesn’t make me any better than them.

I don’t know anyone who would openly claim that American lives are more worthy or worthwhile than Chinese lives, yet that is what is decided every time somebody chooses to put his dollars into goods that are sure to be “made in America”.  As if the Chinese people have less right to economic development, or less right to produce goods that Americans are allowed to buy!

I think it is wrong to boycott goods made in China, as some elsewhere have suggested.  Boycotting is a great way to further impoverish some of the poorest people on the earth today.  If a large group of Americans face economic pain because they were in jobs that somebody in China could do better, cheaper, and faster, the solution is not to prevent the Chinese person from doing that job. 

-----

“Everybody who works a full week deserves a living wage and healthcare. “

Why doesn’t everybody deserve a five bedroom house and a new car?  Because people don’t deserve anything other than what other people are willing to give them voluntarily.

“People in this country deserve healthcare.  Why do you think that they don’t?””

This argument ignores property rights.  So let’s ignore property rights and national boundaries.  Why do so many people in this country think that they somehow rightfully “deserve” more than most Chinese, Russians, Mexicans, or most Africans?  Even the lowest US wage-earners have a tremendous standard of living compared to them.  If anything like “economic justice” were imposed, our wages should be heavily taxed and sent to them.  Why do “people in this country” deserve top-of-the-line healthcare when others suffer from malnutrition?  Why am I morally bound to pay for your healthcare, but not theirs?  Because I am a US citizen?  Please.

Kevin, get a life.  You are parsing words here.  Everyone knows that people in China are paid peanuts.  So what are they paid according to you?  25 cents?  That’s still nothing.

I guess you think they should be grateful that they aren’t being killed in some Maoist purge.

“Everyone knows that people in China are paid peanuts.”

Source please.

Andy wrote: You are parsing words here.

No, I found out that 17 cents an hour is an extreme lower bound, not an average.  This is not “parsing” anything.  For an example of actual wages, check out this article.

Andy also wrote: I guess you think they should be grateful that they aren’t being killed in some Maoist purge.

I think the Chinese people deserve a constitutionally limited republic with a democratic assembly and executive… but that’s just me.

I think that the only demonstrated path to sustainable economic development is the buildup of capital and human capital, the enforcement of the rule of law, the backing of private property by the government, permission to enter into any business or line of work (even when it competes with the government) and the free flow of people throughout the country.

I think that it is an utter disgrace that the policies of Maoist governments kept people in poverty for so long. The Chinese people live in a country dominated by an entrenched Communist party bureaucracy, and I refuse to punish Chinese workers for the political sins of their great grandparents.

It is disappointing to me that the only way for the Chinese to advance out of such poverty is to be paid such wages (which are already increasing), but nobody has put forward any other path to abundance.  That’s just the way it is.

To anyone who doubts if this website is a union ploy, look at who the head of this organization is.  That’s right, a Union boss!  Why else aren’t they going after every large company? Or retailer?  Target has a higher percentage of foreign-made goods.  Many companies pay less for similar entry-level work.
The people on here bashing wal-mart are sheep following the Union herd.  Most of the anti-Wal-Mart posts I’ve read on here are based on personal opinion, heresay, or at best, misrepresented and biased studies.  I bet this won’t get posted for long…

Where in the constitution does it say people are guaranteed health care, or anything else? So many people waste so much time making their claim of entitlements that it sickens me. This ia America, and if I want to drive an SUV, or buy a foreign car, that’s my right., I will not wait for the Government to give me anything.

I have read many interesting comments in these pages.  I would like to add a few points.  As someone mentioned on an earlier posting, we all want clean air, clean water etc.  We have laws to force our industries to meet these requirements.  Of course, this compliance does not always come cheaply.  This, combined with direct and indirect labor costs all add up to a greater expense for American manufactured items.  By importing products that are made with no regard for the environment, working conditions and wages, we continue to pound the nail in the coffins of the American worker.  Most of us don’t want to believe that the American worker can’t compete on the global playing field.  As I mentioned above the field is not level.  I would suggest the field needs to be leveled.  We should not accept products on these shores that were made if factories that pollute more than EPA standards allow.  These same factories should meet labor laws similar to ours.  We have already pushed child labor reform in foriegn factories so the precident has already been set.  This reform would only address the playing field portion of this “game”.  Other issues still need to be resolved.  Affordable health care (which ties into insurance rates and litigation issues), wages and employee respect.  Well, enough from me.

This web site makes me laugh.  How can anyone blame one company for the loss of American jobs.  If you want to complain about the loss of American jobs then do so with every company.  Wal-Mart is a company that buys merchandise from suppliers.  Suppliers choose where to make the merchandise.  If anyone wants to complain then do so with the suppliers.

To people who think that unions are a good thing.  Why would I want to give my hard earned money to pay for someone to speak for me.  I’m an adult and can speak for my self. 

The thing with the immigrant janitors Wal-Mart hired a company to clean the stores. The cleaning company hired the immigrant workers.  Not Wal-Mart.

I would like someone to name a company for me that has no employee issues.  Every person that works for that company is happy about everything no complaints.  There is no place.

Wal-Mart is picked on for being the largest company.  If you have problems with Wal-Mart don’t shop there.  I don’t recall reading anything that states you have to shop there.

“I don’t recall reading anything that states you have to shop there.”

Chas, you don’t know what you’re talking about.  There are plenty of rural areas in this country where the ONLY place you can buy anything is the Walmart, including groceries.  Walmart puts everything else out of business within 50 miles in more places than you realize.  Even if you WANT to buy American, if the only place you can shop is the Walmart, you’re stuck.

The frontline story will air on Tuesday around 10 pm on your local PBS station.  It will be a look into how this company does business.

Max,

Please name one store that only sells American. 

Wal-Mart does not put stores out of busness.  People shop at Wal-Mart over the other stores.  That is what put stores out of business. 

Please tell me what I don’t know.

One of the things that I don’t—and never have—liked about Wal-Mart is the way the actual Wal-Mart buildings are constructed: one huge sprawling box with an adjacent, huge, sprawling tar-pit for a parking lot.  Because of the latter feature, on even slightly warm days, one is in for a real roasting because of the huge heat buildup. 

Now if Wal-Mart even “innovated” (as one of those posting claims they do) and started constructing overhanging trellises or some other sort of shading for the parking lot, I would indeed think at least a little more kindly of them.  But they haven’t done this, and never will. 

In the “old” days, a lot of the big department stores constructed huge concrete parking lots next to their stores.  These not only allowed a lot more folks to park in a much smaller area, but also gave some relief from a baking sun or snowy/wet/miserable or other inclement weather.  One could often even drive to the desired floor (if that parking floor wasn’t too crowded already with cars)! 

Likewise, the “old-days” department stores—while more expensive—also followed this model in their main building designs.

Does Wal-Mart even attempt any type of reconcilation with bringing cheap goods with a little bit of this old-time class?  Not as far as I can tell.  I don’t believe that the reason for this is that it would raise the price of the things they sell—if anything, if they built with the idea of conserving energy (or even manufacturing energy via roof mounted solar cells)—in the longer run they would save money.  But the short-term solution is the only one most from the “business school” mind-set understand—and damn the long term outlook.

It gets kind of depressing!

Likewise, if you live in most of the US, you’ll see what having cheap goods does to folks everytime you look at the roadside.  There’s plenty of cheap, “expendable” plastic, paper, glass, and other “waste” thrown all over the place.  People here in the Southeast even litter their own yards in a lot of areas! Yet, these same folks who complain about “not having enough” could care less about where the stuff they throw away came from, or what it is doing to the environment, or the aesthetics, of where they live.  It hardly adds to a feeling of being in a quaint or beautiful area.  One can imagine what it does to the minds of those impressionable minds that grow up in this ceaseless filth.

And the same is true of the large manufacturerers who are happily spewing their wastes into the air, water, and earth, like the methyl mercury compounds from coal burning, chlorine manufacturing(where antiquated methods are often still used), and in offshore drilling(where mercury compounds that are used to lubricate drill bits are dumped over the side of the oil platforms).  The CEO’s and major stockholders of these corporations may be making unbelievable amounts of capital, but they could care less about the poisons they’re wantonly vomiting into the world, and which could be recycled.  (So much for the idea that raising incomes also raises a love and concern for the environment, as capitalist apologists have been claiming for the past few decades.)

It is true, of course, that the idea of small business are the “savior” of mankind is a little bit mythologized.  Anyone remember the reputation of the proverbial “used car dealer”?  Yet he was small business.  And anyone who has dealt with the
provincial small town mentality (or the big town mentality, for that matter) knows that as long as the people in these towns support the same political fools that they’ve always supported, that nothing is going to get any better—not in any fundamental level!  There has got to be a deeper understanding on a much larger level before anything really changes—and I don’t know if that is even humanly possible!

But in the end, I hope Wal-Mart—and many, many other businesses of that ilk—either change their sprawling, insensitive routines—or somehow, miraculously—go broke!  I
wonder if maybe a depression might even be good for this country in a way—as much as I hate to see people suffering.  It seems it is the only thing that might 1) make people appreciate what they have and not be such wasteful, hostile slobs, and 2) make people more sensitive to the conditions that
exist in other areas and cultures.  “Americana” is not the only “valid” or worthwhile culture in this world, nor does its residents have a monopoly on truth, or what is best and good etc. etc. , as some, more intelligent and more down-to-earth citizens of the country have always known (like the great Mark Twain!).

Chas,

Back in the days when Walmart USED to buy American, they were able to drive everyone out of business due to their ability to buy in far more bulk than anyone else.  Once they killed off all the competition, they then switched tactics and started forcing suppliers to sell to them for even less per unit, which forced the suppliers to go to China.  Pretty simple, huh?  Hopefully you can follow that.

NOW consumers who have no choice but Walmart have a harder time buying American.

I didn’t say there were stores that only sold American, so don’t put words in my mouth.

Kevin, like a lot of intellectual libertarians who’s ideas work fine in books and in papers but fall apart in the real world, ignores a very painful truth about how great Wal-Mart is for Chinese workers.

China is an authoritarian country that uses police and army power to subdue any independent effort by workers to improve their pay or advocate for a better life.

Wal-Mart—a conservative Republican company—relies on a degenerated communist dictatorship to keep the people who make most of its products in line.

Here’s yet another example from today’s Washington Post. Chinese police arrest workers who lead a strike against an electronic company that supplies wireless phones to Wal-Mart:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/25/AR2005042501555.html?sub=AR

Roger,

You are entirely mischaracterizing my views.  Actually, the pillars of libertarian theory—if you want to call economic development “libertarian”—including the common law, constitutional rules, limited majority voting, and property rights “work” in practice, and are very messy in both theory and practice.

I recognize that Chinese people live in a deteriorating authoritarian regime.  I still do not believe they would be better off if people stopped buying the stuff they produce.  In fact, neither do they:

“Some labor officials told us we had to cooperate or else the investors might withdraw and move to other places to invest, and we would all get thrown out of work.”

That’s precisely what would have happened, had the Chinese government not committed several severe human rights violations by locking up union organizers and having the cops beat protestors.

If they want to unionize, they should be allowed to do so under Chinese law, without the type of crackdown you’ve linked to.  But given that the authoritarian regime is in place, what would you have us do, punish Uniden AND the workers by not buying from Uniden?

There is no easy solution.

Kevin,

Your “it’s complicated” explanation is what ordinary people who are dealing with the real human costs of globalization find so exasperating about ivory tower pontificators such as yourself.

There are some basic

truths at work here:

Wal-Mart benefits economically from having a massive workforce that is kept in line by an authoritarian regime. This is a moral concern that the company has to be held accountable for. It’s not free trade if the workforce of one of our major trading partners is routinely prevented from excersising basic human rights.

You seem convinced that we are helpless before the market and that human beings are silly or even wrong for trying to influence the behavior of a gigantic economic actor like Wal-Mart. Quietly buying more Uniden phones and staying quiet about Wal-Mart’s business practices is not going to change anything—but speaking out will push Wal-Mart to be a more responsible corporate citizen.

But the workers and consumers can nudge markets in a different direction—we’re not all helpless cogs in a machine.

[A final thought: during the apartheid era in South Africa, conservatives who favored that regime opposed to economic sanctions against that country by claming that they would end up hurting black South Africans. In retrospect, those sanctions played a major role in forcing South Africa to change.]

Hey Roger Hardin and folks alike,
What WM has been doing is nothing different from what US has been doing for ages.

When we get oil from outside US its okay, but if we get consumer products from outside its bad.

When we cut down trees in South America for paper its okay, but if we get consumer products from outside its bad.

Please remember - what goes around comes around! Simple !!

I happen to like Wal-Mart and shop there.  I don’t blame them for doing making a profit.  I blame the US government for allowing NAFTA and other trade agreements to take place.  If you don’t like the way they do business, go shop somewhere else.  If you don’t like your government officials, vote for someone else.

I think I understand why WMWatch went with this ad campaign, but ultimately I think it is hurting the cause and the credibility of the organization.

I think they chose this issue b/c so many people have a visceral reaction to the jingoist, “Made in America” prononucement.  And there is obviously some serious hypocrisy in the fact that WM rose to power on that mantra.

The responsibility for manufacturing moving to China so rapidly (and the speed of the move is the real problem- the long term migration of manufacturing overseas is inevitable and good) lies with the US govt.  Of course retailers are going to buy from the cheapest source, that’s capitalism 101.  [They could pretend to be unhappy about it at least.]

Unfortunately, the real issue that needs to be dealt with does not make such striking ad copy.  The real issue is that the richest company in the richest nation does not provide health benefits to it’s full time workers!

[BTW, I believe that WM is rightfully singled out, b/c as the largest single employer IN THE WORLD, they have a special role and a special responsibility.  They set the standards, by which others will follow.]

I am not pro-union or anti-union, I am pro-tension.  Pro-tension is the state where management has a healthy fear of unionization and so behaves responsibly to avoid unionization.  I hold WM responsible for their strong-arming, illegal, anti-union practices.  Their powerful tactics and propaganda have created a situation where employees are fearful of unionizing and this is ultimately the injustice that needs to be corrected.  This is where the government should intervene (but won’t).  This is where WalMartWatch et al. should concentrate efforts.

p.s. watch out for WM shills on this and other boards- it is common practice for companies (not just WM) to pay people to argue their case under the guise of a regular citizen.
Of course, they outsource this to “pr firms” or “guerilla marketers” so they are not responsible, just like they aren’t responsible for the outsourced Mexican clean up crew.

Jeff wrote:

“p.s. watch out for WM shills on this and other boards- it is common practice for companies (not just WM) to pay people to argue their case under the guise of a regular citizen. “

Didn’t the union do the same thing with this website?

Wake up guys! You are barking up the wrong tree. Wal-Mart is not breaking any law. If you want better wages, demand a higher minimum wage from the government. If you want to stop outsourcing, demand higher import tarrifs (enforced by the government). If you want insurance for everyone, demand universal healthcare (from the government).

Blaming a single company for a national, if not global, problem is ridiculous. This “Wal-Mart only” discussion is retarded and will be fruitless. It will, at best, get half of the 1.6 million employees layed off. Then what?

Roger,

You seem convinced that we are helpless before the market and that human beings are silly or even wrong for trying to influence the behavior of a gigantic economic actor like Wal-Mart. Quietly buying more Uniden phones and staying quiet about Wal-Mart’s business practices is not going to change anything—but speaking out will push Wal-Mart to be a more responsible corporate citizen.

I object to using threats and lies and smear tactics to change the perception of Wal-Mart.  I have not objected to facts and honest discussion.  As people have noted, WMW is not dedicated to honest dispassionate discussion…

No, I wrote that when you stop buying Uniden phones, you put Chinese workers out on the street.  If I wanted to mischaracterize your views, as you do mine, I’d say that you’re in favor of the Chinese suffering so Americans formerly in manufacturing can get their jobs back.

You’re not helpless to change things a little to benefit some, it’s just that you cannot do so without imposing costs on others who are far less able to bear them than those in the US. 

You ARE helpless from quickly increasing the per-capita GDP in China or any other poor country to anywhere near U.S. levels, which I gather we would all find desirable.  There’s simply no policy, no movement, no shift in “corporate responsibility” capable of doing this.  In fact, there’s no quasi-political movement—including unionization—that can increase the real wages of some without imposing costs on others, and retard the rate of economic growth to those who desperately need such growth.

Some people make valid points about the current situation of the global economy, relating Wal-MartWatch to the Dutch boy with his fingers in the dike. But they miss the point. Wal-Mart has created an image that enforces, however subtly or not, the idea that, in buying their product we are buying US and supporting US workers. This is the problem. In this world market it is somewhat inevitable to sell Chinese product. All I ask is that if they sell primarily Chinese products, they should drape themselves in the Chinese flags, then let free market capitalism do its thing. Or is that too burdensome for one of the world’s richest companies?

You have done a very nice job with your website, I enjoy reading the various posts and opinions of your other visitors.
Refinance, Mortgage, and Second Mortgage.

SHAWNY: MOBILEunlocked. We also sell mobile phones in wholesales. We deal on all brands and models of mobile phones such as Treo CDMA, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sagem, Nextel, Side kick II, Sprint and many more at very affordable price. We are using this opportunity to look for buyers of mobile phones so that we can supply to them any where in the world. Do kindly reply back if you are interested and as you do you will be glad you did business with us. You can reach us through our email address: shawndt2004

BORNY: MOBILEunlocked. We also sell mobile phones in wholesales. We deal on all brands and models of mobile phones such as Treo CDMA, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sagem, Nextel, Side kick II, Sprint and many more at very affordable price. We are using this opportunity to look for buyers of mobile phones so that we can supply to them any where in the world. Do kindly reply back if you are interested and as you do you will be glad you did business with us. You can reach us through our email address: borrnysway@yahoo.com

SHAWNY: MOBILEunlocked. We also sell mobile phones in wholesales. We deal on all brands and models of mobile phones such as Treo CDMA, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sagem, Nextel, Side kick II, Sprint and many more at very affordable price. We are using this opportunity to look for buyers of mobile phones so that we can supply to them any where in the world. Do kindly reply back if you are interested and as you do you will be glad you did business with us. You can reach us through our email address: shawndt2004@yahoo.com

i just want to be a member of this private company under your reputable company.

Interesting website!!!! As for me I don’t understand why the masses have to flock to WM to buy junk produced in China that will last for a short time and have to be replaced by more junk and so on and so on and so on. Don’t you remember the basics of econ 101,economic externalities!!!!  Of course the buying public wants to have everything now, God forbid they should save for awhile and buy a better made long lasting item. Of course we need a place to dump all of the junk that falls apart coming from WM.This of course raises waste disposal prices and uses up valuable real-estate.Oh, don’t forget about the cost of the fuel it takes to take this junk to the landfill. We are consumption based economy with what???? as our final goal. I guess we won’t be satisfied until we have no petroleum,our air and land are polluted and there is a WM on every block. At least the elite can move on to greener pastures and keep selling thier wares.Long live WM, just as long as I don’t ever have to enter thier doors.

play poker online best online casinos free casinos online ranked craps online play craps online games best internet blackjack play blackjack on the internet play internet poker online internet poker game play keno online free online keno games online blackjack casino play blackjack online online black jack game play black jack online online craps play craps online games free online poker

video poker online best online casinos free online slot machines play slot machines online progressive online slots games free online slots online video poker game best video poker online play poker online poker rooms online casino slot machines free slot machine games progressive slots no download slots casino slots online casino slots online texas holdem poker game online texas holdem poker free texas hold’em poker game play hold’em texas poker three card poker strategy free three card poker video poker online game

nice site here, for other quality sites check these out....poker tournaments las vegas casino - casinos best casinos - online las vegas casino - casinos gambling casino online - on line casino slot - online slots casino poker - online best casinos online - casino on line casino on line - online casinos poker online - on line

nice site here, if your looking to play three card poker, here is some good infoplay 3 card poker three card poker three card poker 3 card poker free three card poker three card monty tri card poker

uk online casinos best online casinos free casino games play casino games for free casino games casino online games to play casino bonus free casino bonuses casino on net casino on the net free online casino free online casino games internet casino internet casino gambling casino poker casino poker chips on line casino best casino on line uk casino best casino best online casino gambling free casino free online casino games

If you’ve ever wanted to know about investing, these are for you:buying penny stocks buying penny stocks stock picks small cap oil stocks top penny stocks pennystock investing

Hi, please exchange link with my site.

Thank you.

online casino games - gambling best casinos - online casino baccarat - online game baccarat game - online games best casino - online casinos best online casino - games best online casinos - game black jack online - blackjack games casino blackjack - online game casino download - software casino gambling - online casinos gambling online - casino internet blackjack - play online internet casinos - play games online baccarat - game online blackjack - casino game online casino - gambling online casinos - best gambling on line casinos - best gambling online gambling - casino

nice site here, for other quality sites check these out....poker online - on line las vegas casino - casinos best casinos - online las vegas casino - casinos gambling casino online - on line casino slot - online slots casino poker - online best casinos online - casino on line casino on line - online casinos poker tournaments

adult dvd
http://www.adultdvdmovieshop.com

best casino on line best online casinos best online casinos free casino games play casino games for free casino games casino online games to play casino bonus free casino bonuses casino on net casino on the net free online casino free online casino games internet casino internet casino gambling casino poker casino poker chips on line casino uk casino uk online casinos best casino best online casino gambling free casino free online casino games

Excellent blog, very helpful, thank you for sharing, keep up the fine effort and excellent job.  Click out: mortgage and <a href= ‘http://mortgage-loans.i-mortgage-rates.com/’>mortgage loans</a> site or by visiting at: http://www.i-mortgage-rates.com/

nice site here, if your looking to play three card poker, here is some good info3 card poker three card poker three card poker play 3 card poker free three card poker three card monty tri card poker

nice site here, for other quality sites check these out....casino on line - online casinos las vegas casino - casinos best casinos - online las vegas casino - casinos gambling casino online - on line casino slot - online slots casino poker - online best casinos online - casino on line poker online - on line poker tournaments best online casinos slots

Nice site you have here, for more info on casinos online please visit these sites...free casino bonuses - bonus casino on line - casinos on line casino - casinos best online casinos free casino bonuses - bonus free casino bonus - bonuses on line casinos casinos on line best casinos best casino best online casino internet casinos - casino online gambling free online video poker on line video poker slots slot machines free casino games online casino gambling online gambling games

Hi, how are you?
Please exchange link with my site.

Have a nice day.

nice site here, if your looking to play three card poker, here is some good infothree card poker three card poker 3 card poker play 3 card poker free three card poker three card monty tri card poker

Nice Site Keep It Up. My sites are
Breast Enhancement
Natural Breast Enhancement
Breast Enhancment
Breast Success
Pheromones
Euphoria Pheromones
Pheromones Perfume
Pheromones Cologne
Hoodia
Herbal Medicines
Max Willy
Penis Enlargement
More Sperm
Sperm Enhancement
Hoodia Gordonii
Hoodia Diet Pills
Generic Levitra http://www.natural-enhancement-breast.com http://www.euphoriapheromones.net http://www.medsherbal.net http://www.levitrabuy.com http://www.buyviagrageneric.com http://www.natural-enlargement-breast.com

Please, exchange link with my site.

Thank you and happy a new year.

Nice articles and comments on poker party http://poker-party.p6.org.uk poker party and other related issues. The greatest poker party of all.

Live well after retirement, see how here...viatical life settlement broker life settlement life settlement life settlements viaticals life insurance settlements life insurance settlement senior life settlement - settlements viatical settlement - settlements selling a life insurance policy - sell viatical senior settlements - settlement life settlements alliance - settlement viatical life settlement viatical assistance life insurance viatical viatical life settlement provider - providers viatical life settlement brokers

nice site here, for other quality sites check these out....best casinos online - casino on line las vegas casino - casinos best casinos - online las vegas casino - casinos gambling casino online - on line casino slot - online slots casino poker - online casino on line - online casinos poker online - on line poker tournaments best online casinos slots

nice places to visitthree card poker online casino gambling three card poker online three card poker bonus play three card poker play three card poker free three card poker black jack on line on line black jack casino gambling on line

great website here, other good onespoker rooms poker online on line poker texas holdem on line on line texas holdem on line video poker video poker online texas holdem on line on line texas holdem texas holdem bonus poker on line gambling bonus online poker rooms online poker

Check out these On Line Gambling, <a href="http://onlinecasino-bonus.com">On Line Casinos and Golden Palace Casino I found.

lmaoon line video poker slots casino gambling on line on line video poker slots bonus free slots video poker online online gambling gambling bonus play gambling

Great winning chances http://poker.rtq2.com/superstars-poker.html you choice. The biggest http://poker.rtq2.com/superstars-poker.html http://poker.rtq2.com/superstars-poker.html http://poker.rtq2.com/superstars-poker.html of all is you best bet on betting.

Nice site! If you want some more information on online casinos and sportsbetting, I advise you to
casinos and Online Casinos or do some betting online here. casino gambling
http://www.free-casinos-online.info
http://www.hypercasinos.com
http://www.officialsportsbetting.com

Hi, you - heard of foxsports poker http://poker.rtq2.com/foxsports-poker.html foxsports poker? Nevertheless, I encountered yesterday a great foxsports poker site. Check and see forr yourselves!

take this under considerationplay keno online casino online casino gambling play casino gambling keno online keno bonus online keno free keno blackjack on line online blackjack play blackjack

It is, indeed, a great Pacific poker reviews site - and can be seen at Pacific poker reviews. Only at Pacific poker reviews http://pacific-poker.p8.org.uk/ Pacific poker reviews you can find the best. Pacific poker reviews http://pacific-poker.p8.org.uk/ Pacific poker reviews is in town and all is awaiting.

Casino
Online Casino
Online Casinos
Casinos

We are mobile phones wholesalers,we have all brands and models of gsm,tdma and cdma phones for sale at very cheap prices.We also have all models of Nextel phones for sale also at very cheap prices.We sell our phones at very cheap and reasonable prices.We do ship all over the world.Do kindly contact us on our email reliablephonesltd@yahoo.com or our contact phone number 2348023206813, if you are interested in buying some phones from us,thank’s and God bless.

Nothing really compares the full version of free poker http://poker2poker.bravehost.com/ free poker - the best I have ever seen on the net. I also said that free poker is my recommended URL for free poker. As the process of playign more and more free poker strengthens - we can see more and more free poker sites.

no deposit casino
|
best online poker
|
poker rooms online
|
texas poker online
|
online betting tips
|
sports betting sites
|
free online poker room
|
online soccer betting
|
texas holdem poker online
|
internet casino bonus
|
internet casino gambling
|
internet casinos online
|
sports betting information
|
free casino
|
casino games
|
internet casino
|
betting online
|
sports betting
|
free casino games
|
best online casino
|
playing poker online
|
free online poker game
|
online casino betting
|
play free poker online
|
online poker tournament
|
online sports betting

nice site here, for other quality sites check these out....casino poker - online las vegas casino - casinos best casinos - online las vegas casino - casinos gambling casino online - on line casino slot - online slots best casinos online - casino on line casino on line - online casinos poker online - on line poker tournaments best online casinos slots

Pls, cjeck my place too:

Penis Enlargement

Thank you dude…

Cialis is a popular oral pill to treat the erectile problems in menas it stays effective for as long as 36 hours. Men who need to fix up their love life, buy cialis.cialis is also available as cialis online. If you need many cialis pills you would definitely think of getting cheap cialis. If you buy cialis online do keep an eye on the authenticity of the online offers.For more visit http://www.cialiswonder.com.

nice places to visitplay three card poker casino gambling three card poker online three card poker bonus three card poker online play three card poker free three card poker black jack on line on line black jack casino gambling on line

great website here, other good onesgambling bonus poker online on line poker texas holdem on line on line texas holdem on line video poker video poker online texas holdem on line on line texas holdem texas holdem bonus poker on line poker rooms online poker rooms online poker

Watson19 is back with Joy! Daddy is upset and grumpy! Have a

lmaofree slots slots casino gambling on line on line video poker slots bonus on line video poker video poker online online gambling gambling bonus play gambling

I thought I have already seen anything but empire poker truely puzzled me. I do agree with John: empire poker http://poker2poker.bravehost.com/empire-poker.html empire poker is, indeed, the leader.

The advantages of betting in an best gaming http://888.typo7.com/ best gaming site are far better and more attractive than visiting a regular poker or casino. Yep - I have seen other best gaming - and nothing can compare this best gaming. You can look for best gaming http://888.typo7.com/ best gaming there!

Excellent blog, very helpful, thank you for sharing, keep up the fine effort and excellent job. Click out: mortgage calculator or and mortgage calculator blog site or by visiting at: http://www.a-mortgage-calculators.com/

Viagra, Soma, Celebrex, Cialis, levitra, zocor, lunesta, meridia, wellbutrin, lipitor, norvasc, retin-a, finasteride, glucophage, strattera, Zantac , [url="http://www.ngmeds.com/imitrex-generic.php" ]Imitrex

[/url]Nexium, <a href="http://www.ngmeds.com/generic-prilosec.php"

Strange Melbourne Crown Casino wi http://poker.rtq2.com/fox-sports.html Melbourne Crown Casino wi - great online site! Why wait? Have Melbourne Crown Casino wi fun. Play more, gain more, Melbourne Crown Casino wi http://poker.rtq2.com/fox-sports.html Melbourne Crown Casino wi never no more.

news resourceshome loan - mortgage loans free slots poker online - games online slots - slot machines life settlement - life insurance policy

While the American Medical Association doesn’t have a specific policy on such services, there are some concerns for the patient (gold ring tradition), said AMA president He also gave the best answer we have heard when asked about symmetry ( Pendant [URL=http://www.natalia-diamonds.com/Diamond-Necklaces/Diamond-Necklaces.aspx] ) and its importance in the value and beauty. The world’s biggest display of priceless diamonds has been abandoned

great website here, other good onespoker on line poker online on line poker texas holdem on line on line texas holdem on line video poker video poker online texas holdem on line on line texas holdem texas holdem bonus gambling bonus poker rooms online poker rooms online poker

Love, like a river, will cut a new pathwhenever it meets an obstacle.
casino ::: online casino ::: casinos ::: roulette ::: online casinos ::: casino games ::: online casino ::: casino chips ::: internet casino ::: casino ::: casino poker chips ::: casino games ::: casino online ::: poker chips ::: gambling ::: online casino ::: blackjack ::: blackjack ::: online blackjack ::: poker ::: casinos ::: online poker texas holdem ::: poker ::: online casinos ::: roulette :::