WAL MART

[argonaut]

Yes, as long as they are shelling out money, nothing else matters. All corporations are bad, so it’s ok.

What’s really sad is that our communities don’t support drum corps, or even know they exists, for the most part. I think corporate sponsorship is great in most cases. I just don’t think Wal-Mart is an acceptable sponsor.

[felixh]

Could you provide me with a more "unbiased" source..I've heard about this website...and I still didn't find where they have child labor...

But I understand now..a union organizer uh...Nothing wrong with that, but Walmart is not all bad. I had a bad experience with them but I'm not gonna sit here and pick at everything when they have done good things for the community.

I'm sure you could find just as much crap on Target or K-Mart if you wanted too...

Every media outlet is biased to some extent granted....however, the abuses by Walmart are fairly well documented....I do not know what you mean by a "I understand now..a union organizer uh".....but I was recruited as a union organizer as a rank and file union worker and saw many abuses first-hand...there are labor laws in this country that most conglomerates like Walmart easily get around....this is why most good jobs and decent wages in this country have been exported for countries that have little respect for working men and women and their families....hence the child labor....I will find real documentation about the child labor and post it here later if this thread is still open....but look deeper into the "biased" link I provided and you may find it....even in biased news, there is some truth....as far as nit-picking I will not do it either....it is just my opinion that I do not want a drum corps that gets Walmart money and it is my right to oppose it, just as it is your right to support it....as far as Target and K-Mart......they have abuses or "crap" as you state of their own...however, this thread is dealing with Walmart B)

[felixh]

Most huge companies? In your opinion, is big business by its nature bad?

Not necessarily, depends on how responsible they are and how they treat their workers....this is a brave new world and it is getting harder for big business' to compete on a global level, so of course big business' are going to cut a few corners....I am sure it makes sense for them to do what they do,...but it makes less and less sense to me as I put food on my families table...The days of working 25 years and retiring with a good pension have all but vanished....with porous borders and business's closing down or exporting most manufacturing jobs south of the border or overseas, the working middle-class is slowly diminishing....I could go on and on, but I am sure that would take us into another thread

[felixh]

wrote...."I even talked to DCI about this once and tried to pitch the idea to get Walmart to be a sponsor, but it fell on deaf ears..You could possibly pitch that it'd be an advertising tax write off for them if they donate corporate sponorship...so before you start branding Walmart as Evil..hold the phone.."

I guess DCI is pretty wise when it comes to these kinds of things ^OO^

[ekleve]

I don't like Walmart because I just bought two goldfish there and they both died within a week. :(

[Tone Quality Matters]

Ok....how about using child labor to keep their prices down....that may not be tangible to you, but many just do not want to do business with a company that has that type of reputation around the world......if I was a drum corps looking for funding from Wally I would run like %$#@ B)

You are going to blame Wal-Mart for a third world countries use of children? You should stop thinking that we should run the world and be responsible for everyone elses actions. Child labor is dead wrong, but I can tell you that each retailer I have worked for on the coroprate level is very sensitive to child labor, and actually frequently tour the facilities that these vendors use to ensure ethical behavior takes place. We have plenty of sweat shops in America to be concerned about, than to point fingers at retailers that use overseas vendors.

Lets say Wal-Mart discontinues outsourcing their goods. Then let's see how much your clothes cost you? Let's see how much your tennis shoes will cost you? How about that cell phone you are using? How about that DVD player? Without groups like Sam's club, Wal-Mart, Costco, Etcc..., Drum Corps would be allot more expensive to run. The clubs make their margin in volume which allows them to charge less for products, which helps the corps to be able to buy in bulk and save money.

I could get into a juicy debate with you about unions, but the Drum Corps Planet forums aren't the place for them.

Edited March 31, 2006 by Tone Quality Matters

[FrankBeMe]

. I assisted that reporter in interview hundreds of former employees, the city councils of quite a few cities, former executives of Walmart, former CEO's of business that supply Walmart, and off the record some CEO's that currently do business with them.

So you talked to a lot of "formers," but did you talk to any "currents" except the "off the record" folks which a lot of us common folks who don't work for major networks never give creedence to since they want to keep annoynmous?

[ssorrell]

I'm sure what you guys are saying is true, but couldn't the same thing be said about other large companies?

Most large companies do not enter small town America like Wal Mart has. Here in my town, Wal Mart came in and opened up years ago. Within a few years later, quite a few small independently owned local businesses were gone. then, Wal Mart moved and opened a Super WalMart, leaving a large vacant building in town that no other company would touch for several years. Now, a decade later, almost all small locally owned businesses are gone (thank goodness I've survived). But now, Kia is building their first US auto assembly plant nearby, which will employ over 2500 people at wages nearing $65K per year. Top that...WalMart!

[boilerman_05]

Ok, so I just read 8 pages of comments (mostly "walmart is evil" comments) and I have to say that it all sounds like a lot of #####ing with no action behind it. The reason small mom and pop stores close when walmart comes to town is that people stop shopping at the small mom and pops. The problem isn't that there is a Walmart in the area, it's that people (in aggregate) prefer Walmart to small stores. If you want Walmart to stop expanding, or go away, or just change their business model, just don't shop at Walmart. As bad as this sounds, in a capitalistic society the best way to facilitate change is through money. So if you hate Walmart, don't shop there. If you already don't shop there, there is nothing more you can effectively do. It has been made abundantly clear by many people that Walmart is a less than optimal company ethically. Beating that point further is not pragmatic. I have found that opinions are not easily changed if drastically new information isn't presented. People know what Walmart does, yet they still shop there. That is not going to change.

[Dave]

As soon as anyone has a gun put to their head and is dragged kicking and screaming into a Walmart as a shopper or employee, then I'll be concerned about these "abuses." Until then, it's just a bunch of "they won't unionize!" whining. Walmart succeeds because they're putting the customer as their number one priority, giving them what they want: a wide variety of products and brands at low prices. Don't like Walmart? Don't walk in the door.