Walmart putting it to the people again

cowboydoc · Nov 20, 2002

Walmart has just announced that they are reducing all of their employee benefits. They are cutting alot of medical coverage to bare bones, raising copays and deductibles, etc. Betty Strout, customer relations dept, claims that they are just going to be providing insurance for catastrophic medical events and not preventitive or ancillary care. This from a company that is still seeing excellent profits and on the same page they boast about last years $1.25 billion record sales day, ONE DAY. They are hoping to best that this year on the day after Thanksgiving. Do these people have no shame? Really unbelievable to me.

Thomas · Nov 20, 2002

Sounds like there more brewing behind the doors,than what there saying. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

Kinda what K-Mart did??

RoyJackson · Nov 20, 2002

Sooner or later, they'll unionize Wally World.

Frankly, I don't shop there too much..just don't care for their attitude (company, I mean..not the employees.

I see they're trying to make inroads in New England...again.

RobertN · Nov 20, 2002

Another reason to boycott them. It's kind of ironic that that cut med bene's to American's workers, while they sell sell sell import goods. Take a look sometime and see how long it takes to find a US made item there.

Mrwurm · Nov 20, 2002

I've heard that WalMart moves into geographic areas, puts all the competitors out of business, then, if the profits are'nt what they hoped for, they shut down and move on. This leaves the community without adequate retail options and really messes up the local economy. I heard about this during my business education.

northcreek2624 · Nov 21, 2002

GREED pure and simple.........Mike

BB_TX · Nov 21, 2002

Not defending WalMart, but they are no different than most companies, just more visible. Ask your friends and neighbors what their companies are doing with regard to health care insurance. You will find that most all are cutting back on benefits and reducing coverage. This is an insurance and health care problem, not a company problem.
Increased medical cost drive up insurance. Increased insurance costs drive a lot of people to drop it. People with no insurance are a burden on hospitals and drive up medical costs. Not to mention the abuses of the system by medical providers. Of course everyone also wants the lastest and greatest and most expensive technologies for their treatment. Round and round it goes.

looch · Nov 21, 2002

I don't go there. They don't do any one thing really well except sell cheap stuff.

I research my more expensive purchases beforehand. Finally when I do go to make the purchase I want to talk to a salesperson that knows more than me - rare for a clerk who's only been there a month and is making a hair over minimum wage.

Scary to me is their automotive repair facility. Never would I get my vehicle serviced in a McGarage (you want fries with that?) In fact, when it comes to garages, I avoid all places that make the mechanics punch in and out on a job.

Mosey · Nov 21, 2002

I've been trying to stay out of the "way off tractor subjects", but just can't bite my tongue on this one! Yes, the company I work for (Cummins Engine) is one of the ones that has reduced employee benefits for 2 years straight. But, they have also been losing money for 2 years straight. Walmart on the other hand, has been raking in the bucks like mad! They just built a new Superstore here in Columbus to replace the regular one, which is now a vacant building. Walmart is making money hand over fist and there's no reason for them to cut their employees benefits. Northcreek2624 got it right - GREED!

This puts me in kind of a tough spot. Walmart prices are so low and I feel like I'm wasting money if I pay more for the same stuff at another store. Plus, they'll match any lower price that another store has (if you can find one, which is hard). I bought a computer game for the kids at KB Toys on sale for $10 and when I got it home and tried it, it was defective (I've learned to always test toys before giving them to the kids at Christmas and then finding out it's defective). I went to exchange it and they didn't have any more, so I got my money back. I went to Walmart and they had it for $20. So, I told them KB Toys had it for $10 and they sold it for $10. I didn't have to show proof, they took my word for it. Yet, I hate to patronize them when they do stuff like this benefits deal!