I saw it tonight... Wow.. very well done, and if you ask me, it's a must-see!

The movie goes into how Wal-Mart treats its employees; how it affects the economy of towns it moves into; lack of health benefits and low pay forcing employees to utilize social services programs; fair trade issues and work conditions in China, Bangladesh and Honduras; and many other issues. All the while, it counterposes the view of Wal-Mart's CEO and founding family (who are worth billions and billions).

I learned a lot... and need to learn more so that I can discuss this intelligently. Have any of you seen it?

http://www.walmartmovie.com/watch.php


Go get it everyone!! It's cheap. Support it. Give it to everyone you know for Christmas and make a difference with your shopping this year.

Havent seen it yet, but sure will, thanks for thr heads-up!

What breaks my heart about this store, is at time Mr. Sam Walton 1st started the chain. he was bound & determined to build only in the smaller communities.

I worked for Wal-mart while in High School. We had great benifits,decently good pay, good bosses, etc. Sam would stop by each of his stores, & personally tell all of his staff how much he appreciated each of us & the good, hard work we were doing.

I've had a feelin' for lotsa years, that Sam, the good hearted old man, regrets having his family & the CEOs run the place any way they see fit.

I cant wait to see the movie. Do they tell about the early years, in the flick?

I haven't seen this movie but have heard of it. It seems go me Walmart was better when Sam Walton ran it. We didn't have a Walmart for yrs. We finally got them in our area in the 90's I think. Hillbilly areas of KY had them before we did. Walmart is a necessary evil. I dislike how they do their workers but have to shop there as they have some better deals on stuff than other places like budget brands of grcoery items...

I havn't seen it, but I'd be interested to. Wallmart own Asda over here, I don't shop there anyway on princiele. Though I have mentioned before that basicaly all the leading supermarkets are bad, it's just some are more bad than others. i can fully understand all the reasoning behind 'a necessary evil' Cheryl and we too are on a tight budgit, but were ever we can a do only get organic or fair trade items. We look at it as those who arn't paid faily for their crops are a lot worse off than we are and I feel too guilty of them and the enviroment to buy cheep so that I can have a slightly better living, in short sighted kind of way.

Sometimes it is a small sacrifice that does the most good.

Use the power of the £/$ wisely and fairly.
<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/peace.gif" width=16 height=16>

Go Maryland!

Maryland Legislature Stands Up to Wal-Mart, Sets Example for U.S.
http://www.now.org/press/01-06/01-13a.html

I'd like to know what other states are considering similar legislation.

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Sounds like an interesting movie. I have no idea if it's playing around here or not...

It might be available from Wal-Mart Watch.
http://walmartwatch.com/

I don't think it's sold at Wal-Mart.

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Years ago I read Sam Walton's autobiography - the one that is sold at WalMart - and enjoyed it. It was a story about someone with great focus and passion for what he did. He'd take the family on vacation and stop at various department stores along the way.

In it, Walton said something about if he had one thing to do differently he'd have treated his employees better.

I guess this is evidence of the old axiom, "Talk is cheap."

I think it's Wal-Mart's impact on the larger economy that's really had a negative impact in the country. In getting the lowest prices for their customers and being such a big market unto themselves, they push their vendors to cut costs and of course, labor is always the first to get cut.

What's interesting is that Wal-Mart's beginning to have problems. They're not growing the way they used to. Their December sales were down. My theory is that the lower income people who make up the majority of their customer base are getting poorer as a result of companies like Wal-Mart and have even less money to spend there. What goes around might not exactly come around - Wal-Mart executives won't be needing Medicaid or Food Stamps any time soon. But at least their getting hurt a little by the situation they helped to create.

Of course, their response is to look at a slightly more upscale market and try to abandon the lower income shoppers. Hopefully, it won't work.

An opinion article by Kathleen Parker of the Orlando Sentinel about the environmental cost of raising salmon off the coast of Chile to sell for $5 a pound at Wal-Mart. It perhaps reinforces what Pat mentioned earlier.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/columnists/orl-parker2506jan25,1,3292039.column

I also agree that Wal-Mart does much more harm than good when you look at the whole picture. I don't shop there.