...its proper name is WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price, and it convinced me not to patronize the chain that many progressives despise almost as much as they despise that other W. The movie's two most thorough arguments described Wal-Mart's despicably aggressive union-busting activities and its strategy of wringing out some extra savings by intentionally keeping stores understaffed.Uggh. Can we accept that type of employee treatment at one of America's largest and most powerful companies?
Both behaviors strike me as significant violations of the good old golden rule, so I'm not going to support Wal-Mart anymore. I hope awareness and disapproval of some of the company's practices will grow and lead to change.
To be honest, I had shopped at Wal-Mart for some Wavelength Clothing supplies in the past, though I only went a couple times, and my purchases totaled less than $100. Back then, I was familiar with some of the general complaints about the chain but was ignorant of details. So I'm grateful to the makers of the movie for their reporting, and for their grassroots, emails-and-neighborhood-meetings distribution approach. I watched the movie with about 50 other folks at an Ocean Beach community center, and the "town meeting" aspect of it felt great.
