High cost of low price--you decide
The FaithAction International House offers a free of screening "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price," a movie that is selling out in places like New York and Los Angeles and opens this weekend in other cities. Of course Wal-Mart isn't happy with the movie.
"Is Wal-Mart really evil, or is this just overblown hype?" writes FaithAction's executive director Mark Sills. "As a frequent Wal-Mart shopper, I certainly don't know. However, any business that employs 1.6 million people, costs the taxpayers upwards of $2.5 billion for supplementary government services to keep its employees out of poverty and has annual revenues of $258 billion -- bigger than many countries -- deserves close scrutiny."
"The subject is worthy of our attention, and since there will be a national discussion of this matter, we need to be informed enough to participate fully."
Screenings are at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on November 15.
To search for other screenings in your area, go to www.walmartmovie.com.
Comments (5)
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Anyone that has not realized this sad fact regarding how Wal-Mart treats its employees has been living in a fantasy land. This issue has been brought to the public through many different venues. I am just glad that there is finally a screening being held where I will be able to attend.
Regarding the "clip" that can be viewed, I find it absolutely atricious that anyone will wait until leaving before speaking out. Where are the ethics of people like this? And for one of those to profess a Christian faith to me would be useless!
One cannot have a strong Christian faith and treat other humans as the man in the trailer spoke. While he did speak with remorse, AFTER leaving, what good did it do the employees that he was shafting?
However, I realize that it is the GREED that is running our country now, from the smallest to the greatest. Hopefully we will learn before the country goes down the proverbial drain. It will take people of great faith to stand up to these corporate demagogues.
Shalom
Posted on November 9, 2005 12:17 PM
I don't think anyone really wants to know how Wal-Mart gives us low prices. Maybe it's good business acumen, maybe it's low prices at the cost of everything else. We just love a buggy full of stuff for less than $100. So either way, can you really blame Wal-Mart?
Posted on November 9, 2005 2:21 PM
Wal-Mart HAS to take part of the blame! Should the people who HAVE to shop there bear all the blame? If places like Wal-Mart followed good ethics, the employees would not have to scrimp every penny that is earned!
Shalom
Posted on November 9, 2005 6:50 PM
I don't think the issue is blame here. We can argue in circles about blame forever and not get anywhere. The issue is justice.
The larger issue--and the one that people of faith must grapple with--is this: By what set of ethics are we called to live?
If our faith calls us to an ethic of justice, we need to do at least two things:
1. We need to support companies that treat their employees fairly and justly. This includes fair compensation, but so much more (health insurance, access to educational opportunities, non-discrimination policies that have some teeth, etc etc). Organizations like Project Equality (www.projectequality.org) let us know what companies comply with faith- and justice-based criteria. The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations mandates that its headquarters employees use companies certified by Project Equalityt for our purchases whenever possible--other faith groups do as well.
2. We must work for social policies that create justice in this world. This means laws that make sure that people have enough money to live on. That way, nobody HAS to shop at a place like Wal-Mart because it's the only place they can afford food to feed their kids.
in peace,
Michael
Posted on November 13, 2005 3:30 PM
From experience, I think most people do not realize the amount of harm they’ve done until they take a long look back (somewhat of a rarity nowadays).
As a kid my parents and me were litterally expelled from an appartment where we had the best years of our lives. A couple bought the appartment block and did all they could (both legal and illegal) to make sure we moved out. We were good tenants and didn’t deserve this kind of harsh treatment. The funny thing is, this couple was working at the local church! I guess they were convinced they were doing the right thing. Such is human nature, I guess.
So coming back at WallMart, it’s obvious that most people working there have no idea of what they are doing. They do the job they are paid to do and most are convinced that they are doing “the right thing”. And since they are being “trained” it’s easy to see how this kind of thing can happen. If anyone wants to see how easy it is to get (morally) warped, do yourself a favor and go see Das Experiment ... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250258/
Posted on December 2, 2005 12:09 PM