CLEVELAND, Ohio – Mega-retailer Wal-Mart, always on the front edge of cost-cutting innovation, unveiled their new Employee Begging Program this week. To pilot the program, a Canton store is holding a food drive for its own employees, using signs that read ‘Please donate food items so associates in need can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner.’
The new program is intended to save the company millions of dollars while at the same time helping to better integrate individual stores with the communities they serve.
“Wal-Mart celebrates the giving spirit,” said Wal-Mart spokesman Kory Lundberg. “Studies have shown that people who donate to charity feel good about themselves, so we felt this program was a fantastic opportunity to offer our customers a chance to feel good by helping the neediest within their own communities- their local Wal-Mart employees.”
He also defended the food drive in an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer, saying that it was evidence that Wal-Mart employees care about each other. “This is part of the company’s culture to rally around associates and take care of them. When we brought the new policy to the Cleveland store, our associates were thrilled,” he said. “They loved the idea of begging our customers, who are saving so much money shopping at our stores, to give some of that savings back to the people working in the store. Also, I think a lot of our employees are excited at the thought of having Thanksgiving dinner.”
Other industry giants are watching Wal-Mart’s new program closely. “My fingers are crossed, frankly,” said Jeffery J. Jones II, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Office for Target. “If this works, you better believe we’ll have donation baskets out in the blink of an eye. Can you imagine the savings?”
Wal-Mart has often been accused of not paying its employees a living wage, something the company disputes. Spokesman Lundberg claimed that nationally, associates make $12.87 an hour and that the average full-time employee works 37 to 38 hours a week, which amounts to an annual salary of around $25,000.
OUR Walmart- group of associates holding strikes in Cincinnati and Dayton, says the average hourly wage is really between $8 and $10 an hour. This number was compiled from outside organizations which compile salary data. Based on these numbers, the average full-time employee’s salary is somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000 a year.
“Wal-Mart has always been about offering our customers the lowest prices possible,” said Bill Simon, President and CEO of Wal-Mart U.S. “In order to do that, we haven’t always been able to pay our associates as much as some would like. But obviously we care enough about them to ask our customers to help feed them. I think our new Employee Begging Program says a lot about our company.”
Wal-Mart turned a profit of $15.7 billion last year.
9 comments
I think it’s called “How much lower can the Wal-Mart 1% go. What goes around comes around, & I think eventually it will happen to the big wigs at Wal-Mart. It’s called the employee revolution “Off with their heads!”
If you cared about the employees you would share the Manager bonuses at this time of the year. Shame and dishonor are all that Wal-Mart is contributing to with this type of program.
Pay a living wage, that is what you need to do, You are worth Billions spread the wealth and help your workers. Greed is not good !
. “Studies have shown that people who donate to charity feel good about themselves,” so I’m taking that to mean Wal-Mart doesn’t have any first-hand experience in that regard, hm?
It looks bad when a company ask for help for their workers
I feel like it may be a reality that some of their associates can’t afford a meal. I think the company should look at why that it is and make adjustments on their end. However it’s nice they are trying to still get them a meal some how. Maybe they should give them the items walmart throws out everyday for no real reason. For example eggs by to do the dozens just because one egg is damaged the whole carton goes in the trash. I also think it’s highly degrading to call it an employee begging program. Horrible!
On a scale of 1 to 10 the Wal-Mart slime factor is 11. There is no interest in helping their employees, if there were they would pay a decent wage, it is and always will be “The new program is intended to save the company millions of dollars”. Begging for your employees, SHAME on YOU.
Too bad Walmart doesn’t give a damn about their ‘associates’. Pay a living wage and get their employees off public assistance.
Sounds like,Subsidizing Capitalism to me.