Premium Essay

Up Against Wal-Mart

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Submitted By
Words 388
Pages 2
Alyssa Palmer
Writing 121
Sears
9/30/15

In her essay, “Up Against Wal-Mart”, Karen Olsson claims that Wal-Mart does not benefit their staff members. Olsson states, with confirmation from Wal-Mart employees, that Wal-Mart does not support unions and, due to being underpaid, does not provide an affordable health insurance.

Although Wal-mart is the worlds largest retailer, with $220 billion in sales, and having over 3,000 stores in the nation, the average hourly Wal-Mart employee barely makes $18,000 a year. One associate, Sarah McLaughlin, a twenty-two year old single mother, tells Olsson that after working for her local Wal-Mart for over three years,only makes $16,800 a year. At Wal-Mart, that’s considered high-paid, according to McLaughlin.

Due to workers being underpaid, many of them can not afford the health insurance benefits that Wal-Mart provides. Olsson states that Health insurance through the Wal-Mart plan would deduct $85 from McLaughlin’s $550 biweekly paychecks, therefore, she goes without and relies on Medicaid to take care of her one year old son.

Olsson’s main issue with Wal-Mart, appears to be their drastic efforts on being anti-unionized. Wal-Mart strongly believes that unions are not for their company and those that supported a union were told they don't belong at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is so against supporting unions, that management monitors anyone who is under suspicion.

McLaughlin’s boyfriend, Eric Jackson, started working for Wal-Mart as an evening cashier but was quickly asked to perform the duties of a customer service manager. He asked for a promotion, but after three months, he was still doing extra work for no extra pay. He fought for the promotion, but he had already contacted a union office by the time he had won. Jackson arranged for an organizer of The United Food and