Walmart using 4300 unpaid volunteers in its Mexico stores

[mzkhadir]

Consumerist

 

[mugs]

The United States military does the same thing.

 

[lupi]

Originally posted by: mugs
The United States military does the same thing.

And highly fucking annoying at that.

 

[AMDZen]

I don't see the problem, they know they're only working for tips - they wouldn't do it if they never got anything out of it. Cultural differences here.

 

[manowar821]

Originally posted by: AMDZen
I don't see the problem, they know they're only working for tips - they wouldn't do it if they never got anything out of it. Cultural differences here.

Mmm... Noo.. It's Walmart, they're evil.

 

[Kwaipie]

Originally posted by: AMDZen
I don't see the problem, they know they're only working for tips - they wouldn't do it if they never got anything out of it. Cultural differences here.

This is the same reason Nike (et.al.) do business in 3rd world countries. They don't know better, hell, $.04 an hour is awesome to them.

Exploitation is exploitation, regardless of "this is how we've always done it"

 

[Dunbar]

Also, if they did pay them it would mean higher prices for the customers. I read an article that Walmart is hugely poular in Mexico because the average consumer is very price sensitive (due to low incomes). Gotta love these "do gooders" who want to force higher prices down poor peoples throats...

 

[Q]

Well as long as they are getting paid somehow and they know they are/aren't, not a huge deal IMO. I mean, they did choose to be there. It is crappy though.

 

[imported_weadjust]

Pretty much the same thing as the resturant industry (waiter/waitress) in America. Working for tips.

 

[Kwaipie]

Originally posted by: Dunbar
Also, if they did pay them it would mean higher prices for the customers. I read an article that Walmart is hugely poular in Mexico because the average consumer is very price sensitive (due to low incomes). Gotta love these "do gooders" who want to force higher prices down poor peoples throats...

Cotton was cheap in the south once upon a time. They had a great way of keeping costs down.

Sorry, the Corporation isn't always right.

 

[purbeast0]

after just coming back from Mexico, it is damn annoying how many times I was "reminded" that the people who are helping you out would like to be tipped.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
after just coming back from Mexico, it is damn annoying how many times I was "reminded" that the people who are helping you out would like to be tipped.

Yeah just like that homeless guy who runs up to your car while you're stopped at the intersection and starts "cleaning" your windshield with a squeegie probably dipped in a bucket of piss.

 

[Dunbar]

Originally posted by: Kwaipie
Cotton was cheap in the south once upon a time. They had a great way of keeping costs down.

Sorry, the Corporation isn't always right.

I'm sure the poor Mexicans appreciate wealthy Americans telling them how they should spend their money. What you fail to understand is higher labor costs cause prices to go up. I'm sure you think it's just the evil corporation who would pay these salaries...

Nobody is forcing them into slavery either, nice strawman.

 

[amdskip]

I was in Mexico about a month ago and the walmart/sams club seemed very popular. Lots of the activity in the city was base off of them.

 

[imported_Baloo]

Originally posted by: Dunbar

Originally posted by: Kwaipie
Cotton was cheap in the south once upon a time. They had a great way of keeping costs down.

Sorry, the Corporation isn't always right.

I'm sure the poor Mexicans appreciate wealthy Americans telling them how they should spend their money. What you fail to understand is higher labor costs cause prices to go up. I'm sure you think it's just the evil corporation who would pay these salaries...

Nobody is forcing them into slavery either, nice strawman.

That's what Corporations want you to believe. the truth is, their upper management makes more than all their hourly workers combined. They are what drives prices up, not the hourly workers.

 

[AMDZen]

Originally posted by: manowar821

Originally posted by: AMDZen
I don't see the problem, they know they're only working for tips - they wouldn't do it if they never got anything out of it. Cultural differences here.

Mmm... Noo.. It's Walmart, they're evil.

I don't disagree that they're evil, but in this case I don't personally see the issue

 

[Ktulu]

Originally posted by: Baloo

Originally posted by: Dunbar

Originally posted by: Kwaipie
Cotton was cheap in the south once upon a time. They had a great way of keeping costs down.

Sorry, the Corporation isn't always right.

I'm sure the poor Mexicans appreciate wealthy Americans telling them how they should spend their money. What you fail to understand is higher labor costs cause prices to go up. I'm sure you think it's just the evil corporation who would pay these salaries...

Nobody is forcing them into slavery either, nice strawman.

That's what Corporations want you to believe. the truth is, their upper management makes more than all their hourly workers combined. They are what drives prices up, not the hourly workers.

Seriously they're already dirt poor as it is and Walmart wants them to volunteer! Fvck Walmart!

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Baloo

Originally posted by: Dunbar

Originally posted by: Kwaipie
Cotton was cheap in the south once upon a time. They had a great way of keeping costs down.

Sorry, the Corporation isn't always right.

I'm sure the poor Mexicans appreciate wealthy Americans telling them how they should spend their money. What you fail to understand is higher labor costs cause prices to go up. I'm sure you think it's just the evil corporation who would pay these salaries...

Nobody is forcing them into slavery either, nice strawman.

That's what Corporations want you to believe. the truth is, their upper management makes more than all their hourly workers combined. They are what drives prices up, not the hourly workers.

Good management costs money. The "little guy" likes to bitch and moan that executives make millions, but it is those executives who keep the "little guy" employed.

 

[bsobel]

For the record all the grocery chains I've been to in Mexico do this, Commercial Mexicana etc. In fact in some of those stores the baggers are as young as 8 but are only allowed to work for a few hours per day after school hours. If they had to be employees they honestly wouldnt get hired (too young). Is it exploitive, dunno, as I suspect the stores would simply not have baggers if the kids weren't there...

 

[jjones]

So what? Soriana uses the elderly.

Now what we really need down here is a Hooters grocery store with hot body, big tittied baggers.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: Kwaipie

Originally posted by: AMDZen
I don't see the problem, they know they're only working for tips - they wouldn't do it if they never got anything out of it. Cultural differences here.

This is the same reason Nike (et.al.) do business in 3rd world countries. They don't know better, hell, $.04 an hour is awesome to them.

Exploitation is exploitation, regardless of "this is how we've always done it"

Paying American wages for unskilled labor in 3rd world countries would do far more harm than good.

What do you think would happen if the shoe stitching factory was suddenly the highest paying job in town (by an order of magnitude)?

Viper GTS

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: bsobel
For the record all the grocery chains I've been to in Mexico do this, Commercial Mexicana etc. In fact in some of those stores the baggers are as young as 8 but are only allowed to work for a few hours per day after school hours. If they had to be employees they honestly wouldnt get hired (too young). Is it exploitive, dunno, as I suspect the stores would simply not have baggers if the kids weren't there...

Exactly. Most places in the US have done away with bag boys, including Walmart. They either put the items directly into the bag after scanning, or they make the customer bag their own stuff.

 

[Kwaipie]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: Kwaipie

Originally posted by: AMDZen
I don't see the problem, they know they're only working for tips - they wouldn't do it if they never got anything out of it. Cultural differences here.

This is the same reason Nike (et.al.) do business in 3rd world countries. They don't know better, hell, $.04 an hour is awesome to them.

Exploitation is exploitation, regardless of "this is how we've always done it"

Paying American wages for unskilled labor in 3rd world countries would do far more harm than good.

What do you think would happen if the shoe stitching factory was suddenly the highest paying job in town (by an order of magnitude)?

Viper GTS

How about they stop employing small children and pay a living wage to those stitching your soccer ball? These places are in fact imposing their own version of slavery, they offer the only game in town, then allow the workers to become indentured to The Corporation where they have no choice but to continue working there, 18 hours a day.

How is having an 8 yr old bagging groceries not exploitive? If it were in the US, the management would be in jail.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: Kwaipie
How about they stop employing small children and pay a living wage to those stitching your soccer ball? These places are in fact imposing their own version of slavery, they offer the only game in town, then allow the workers to become indentured to The Corporation where they have no choice but to continue working there, 18 hours a day.

How is having an 8 yr old bagging groceries not exploitive? If it were in the US, the management would be in jail.

Better being exploited than rotting on the street I'd say. A poor country has to start somewhere.

 

[msparish]

Originally posted by: NanoStuff

Originally posted by: Kwaipie
How about they stop employing small children and pay a living wage to those stitching your soccer ball? These places are in fact imposing their own version of slavery, they offer the only game in town, then allow the workers to become indentured to The Corporation where they have no choice but to continue working there, 18 hours a day.

How is having an 8 yr old bagging groceries not exploitive? If it were in the US, the management would be in jail.

Better being exploited than rotting on the street I'd say. A poor country has to start somewhere.

I agree. Every industrialized country has gone through this phase. Most of us don't realize it because the US and Western Europe went through it so long ago (e.g. the textile industry). Eventually, there will be enough jobs to go around and the people will start demanding and receiving better wages.