Low wages

Black Bean Sliders
Picture by Walkingfox

Just as I was beginning a post this morning about a new product that makes my heart sing, bam the door slammed shut on me.

You see in my mail today, was a nifty story about a new Black Bean Burger being introduced at a select number of Wendy’s in Ohio.

But, regretfully when I started reading it, there was also a side story, that pointed to a quite unhappy situation.

It would seem that the about to become newest favorite eatery, Wendy’s, is embroiled in a mess over wages, with ugly insults being hurled, indicating that they may have participated in what amounts to slave labor with their employees.

Now, if the idea of a Black Bean Burger is new to you, please let me share this, my best friend at UCLA was married to the Manager of one of their top Campus eating places and he delighted in letting me know each week when he made them, knowing full well that I hated meat and loved this culinary treat.

I never did learn all of the ingredients of this delicious, decadent burger, but had been a huge fan of Black Beans for many years, so never cared a whole lot about what he put into them.

Moving to Florida basically closed the door on all of my favorite California vegetarian eating places, as I soon learned that they were not high on anyone’s totem pole here.

So, not willing to eat the Morning Star veggie burgers made with soy beans that have been processed with Hexane, a known carcinogen and pretty much a toxin/pesticide, I had given up hope.

That was until a few months ago, when shockingly I found a new Black Bean Burger from a previously unknown Company, at our local Wal-Mart.

Bringing it home was a challenge, as Walkingfox is not huge on doing without meat.

Surprise, he liked them and has become a fan, of sorts.

But being out on a shopping or other trip and hoping to find one was not to be, at least not here.

So, you can imagine my delight this morning seeing/reading this story about Wendy’s.

Joy quickly turned to sorrow, after reading that they are having similar salary and wages problems with their employees as Waffle House is.

Right now the delectable Black Bean Burgers are only being tested in Ohio, near Wendy’s Corporate offices, but it looks like that may change quickly judging from the public responses to them.

Now if they can only get their employee/wages issues fixed, Wendy’s may yet become a new place to eat on the run.

And, if they don’t, then, as with Waffle House, we will not be dining there any time soon either.

So, dear Wendy’s, please treat your employees right, pay them right and this may after all, be only a rhetorical question, et tu Wendy’s?

Places to learn more:

Amid Call for Boycott, Concerns Rise That Eating at Wendy’s Supports Slave Labor

Why Wendy’s Vegan Black Bean Burger Isn’t Masquerading as Meat

Low Wage Workers Fast Food Forward Campaign

Worker wages: Wendy’s vs. Wal-Mart vs. Costco

Wendy’s “The Final Fast Food Hold-out”

Wendy’s salaries

A now typical Walmart Store
Picture credit: Walmart Corporation

For the number one retailer in America and largest Corporation in the world, Walmart, is not really very popular.

Sam Walton who founded the Company in 1962, had a great theory, buy cheap and sell a lot.

Or to quote Wikipedia:

Walmart founder Sam Walton once said, “I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We’re going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, low-benefit model of employment.”

So, then to recap, this Billionaire’s business plan was to pay his employees as little as possible, with the fewest benefits.

Mr. Walton and his Company, Walmart were very, very successful at doing this until his death in 1992, at the age of 74.

When he died, Sam Walton was worth approximately $23 Billion.

We all know why we go to this store, don’t we, to save money, especially those with fixed or low incomes.

But often as I am driving home after shopping, I almost feel dirty, for going there.

I have just supported his tyrannical place with my purchase, therefore giving it my approval.

There are so many reasons that we, you and me and millions of us who shop at Walmart, don’t like this Store, or the Company, or the way that they do business.

The True Cost of Those Low Prices

So here are just a few of the reasons that I have come up with, I know that you will all add your own below:

Unlivable Low Wages for their employees.

Corporation wide failure to promote females.

Deplorable treatment and working Environment for Employees, which in turn causes a high turn over.

Until only recently, a complete refusal to participate in any form of charitable donations.

Buying and selling nearly exclusively with China, to the detriment of millions of American businesses and workers.

Deliberately putting any and all of their competition out of business, by underpricing them.

Countless Environmental damages adding up to millions at their facilities.

The slave labor, or sweat shops where they buy goods from in other countries.

Annoyingly Empty shelves, while stock sits on the floor in carts.

Never can find an employee to ask a question.

Opposition to Unions are an ongoing source of conflicts across the world.

Health Care for employees is poor, to non-existent.

Employees being forced to Work off the Clock has been widely charged.

Vengeful firings, or wrongful terminations, of any who may oppose any company policies.

Hiring and hiding undocumented workers, repeatedly.

More reasons we don’t like Walmart

Walmart’s history of rejecting any and all merchandise that may offend their “Bible Belt key customer base,” while treating their employees like virtual slaves, this is not very Christian!

When a Walmart comes to a town, crime goes up.
(At our Central Florida Walmarts, there have been many robberies, even murders)

Many Walmart Employees are paid so little, that they actually can be on welfare at the same time.

Walmart’s trade deficit with China has cost over 200,000 American jobs.

Continuously demands the lowest price from their suppliers, even at the risk of forcing them out of business.

Kraft Foods had to shut down 39 plants and fire over 13,000 employees for this very reason.

Have more to add to this list, go for it.

Places to learn more:

Criticism of Walmart

Walmart’s Labor Practices Backfire

Research: Crime Stats, Staffing Problems Plague Walmart

Walmart abuses aren’t just a problem for workers. They’re a problem for the rule of law.

Walmart’s Human Trafficking Problem