Thursday, December 26, 2013

Walmart -- those bastards!

Folks, right now I'm working a longer post about a different topic, which I won't get around to posting until tomorrow. And on this blog, I will have much, much more to say about Walmart and its impact on wage inequality in the weeks and months to come.

But for now, please read this recent story from Bloomberg Businessweek about the retail giant's latest shenanigans, and kindly note the following points:

1. First, Walmart pays its workers poverty-level wages. But of course!

2. Next, they cobble together a "charitable" organization called "Associates In Critical Need Trust" (ACNT). The ostensible purpose of said organization is to pressure their marginally better off employees into contributing to a charitable fund to help Walmart workers who are impoverished. Because you know Walmart -- they're all heart!

Let's be clear here: contributions hardly seem voluntary. “We’re going to be relentless in encouraging participation," said one corporate memo.

3. Only it turns out that the ACNT is actually an elaborate scam -- little more than a money-laundering scheme to funnel donations to "pro-business" political candidates

4. Finally, to square the circle for you, and translating Walmart-ese into plain English:  "pro-business" means anti-worker -- most notably, these days, anti-minimum wage. The article even mentions the minimum wage as the issue Walmart has been "most vocal" about.

And so, to summarize: Walmart strong-arms its employees into contributing to a so-called "charity" for impoverished workers. But this alleged charity is actually a slush fund for political candidates who will vote for policies -- such as a lower minimum wage -- which will make those workers even more destitute. It's pure evil genius!

Walmart, of course, doesn't so much as bat an eyelid about any of this. The article quotes the usual kool-aid-chugging Walmart flack burbling the standard Walmart happy talk about how the ACNT is "a great way for people who contribute to the PAC to also do good for fellow associates."

But there are also hints that even the sleepy FEC might not be so amused. And the sleaziness of the ACNT scam is so repulsive that even one of Walmart's former employees expressed "discomfort" with it, according to the article.

I have written about Walmart before, and suffice it to say, I will write about it again. It is the modern American Leviathan, our corporate heart of darkness. How much more dark could Walmart be? The answer is none. None more dark.

27 comments:

  1. acnt is paying for my apartment and nobody strong-armed me.

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  2. This dude is the heater of Walmart

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  3. This dude is the heater of Walmart

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  4. I don't qualify for this (not worked long enough) and am homeless and starving in the middle of a Wisconsin winter.I also work full time as a cashier.

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  5. After reading all of the reviews about how applying for ACNT was bogus.I decided to try it anyway as it was my last resort to seeking assistance due to a high utility bill & a lost of a partner’s household income.Things happened just as people said it would.10 days later that request information about my ex’s incarceration I supply that,5 days later that requested information on how long will he be incarcerated.Really ? Did y’all not read NOT RELEASABLE NO BOND ON THOSE DOCUMENTS? Are y’all trying to bail him out, assist me or neither?

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  6. I'm a Walmart employee and I need to straighten this fell out of something I get way way above minimum wage I'm paid very very well and have good benefits I don't know about other stores but our store gets paid way above minimum wage and I'm not going to tell you when I make it is no one's business but I'm paid very well and we did get bonuses for the the virus as well so this guy needs to check his facts or shut his mouth

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