Canton Walmart In Hot Water Over Food Drive For Employees
By Lisa White in News on Nov 18, 2013 11:00PM
Photograph courtesy of OUR Walmart
The Internet is up in arms (or at least Facebook status angry) about a food drive for employees at a Cleveland area Walmart making the rounds today. That is a food drive to benefit the Walmart employees, not a food drive hosted by the Walmart. In the case of “worst marketing move ever” the Canton Walmart has put out bins asking other employees (not the public apparently) to donate food items so “associates in need can enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner.” You know, in the few hours they have before heading into work Thanksgiving evening in the hopes of not being trampled by idiotic consumers fighting over “Black Friday” bargain deals.
It is no surprise this story is being spread around quickly today, after the National Labor Relations Board general counsel issued a decision to prosecute Wal-Mart for its widespread violations of its workers’ rights. Our sister site DCist has more information on that. It’s a great win for those affected by the greedy and manipulative corporate tactics Wal-Mart has been known for over the years.
That said, we can’t help be notice that the timing of this food drive piece couldn’t have come at a more convenient time. This is painfully obvious when you realize, thanks to the reporting from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, that this local Walmart food drive may have been going on for years at this store. Information many websites are failing to really report. We aren’t taking up for Wal-Mart here, but it is an interesting glimpse into either the most incredible perfect timing or a well oiled publicist spin cycle.
A Wal-Mart spokesperson said the food drive (decided on at a local level) is proof that employees care about it each other. They suggest it is for those employees that want to help out others that might have come across extreme hardship. Extreme hardship for many would be working at Walmart. The Cleveland Plain Dealer spoke to one local worker who claimed to make only $17,000 last year due to corporate pressures on management to cut hours, despite the fact Wal-Mart continues to claim this isn’t true. Another worker, who wouldn’t go on record in fear of losing their job, stated the bins were “demoralizing” and “kind of depressing.”
Given the massive amount of earnings (not to mention the worth of the Walton family themselves) one would think Wal-Mart could do more than make their employees give each other canned goods to help. Perhaps putting even more funding into employee assistance and worker benefit education? Or perhaps paying a more livable wage would help. Whatever it might be, we’ll keep our distance from Wal-Mart as a whole. Maybe instead of heading there Thanksgiving night you can donate to a well deserving charity and shop local the next day. At least be less of a Scrooge than Wal-Mart.