WakeUpWalMart.com just released the following letter, addressed to all Wal-Mart store managers, at a press conference in Kansas City, MO, where Wal-Mart managers are currently meeting.
Much like the hard-working Wal-Mart Associates in your stores, we know that Wal-Mart managers, like yourself, are good and decent people, who work hard to support their families and make Wal-Mart a successful and profitable company. But, we also know that much has changed at Wal-Mart stores over the last few years and not for the better.Unfortunately, under the leadership of a small group of Wal-Mart executives, led by COO Eduardo Castro Wright, Wal-Mart has abandoned Sam Walton’s dream and implemented a series of new anti-Associate policies. These ‘flights’, as you know, have negatively impacted Associates, reduced morale, and threaten to undo Sam’s dream where workers, families, communities and our beloved country came first.
Sadly, these anti-family and anti-Associate policies, concocted by Mr. Wright and a bunch of consultants and accountants who have never run a store, have not only hurt Wal-Mart Associates and their families, but have even negatively impacted Wal-Mart’s sales.
Worst of all, as we have heard all too often from store management, these anti-family policies have caused many of you to struggle with the moral dilemma that you are now being asked to implement policies that many of you believe are unfair and hurt the very people who work so hard every day to make Wal-Mart a success.
As Wal-Mart rolls out these unpopular policies - from salary caps, to open availability scheduling, to the elimination of low deductible health care plans, to a restrictive attendance policy – it is you who has been asked, again and again, to use canned talking points in order to try and explain how losing hours, losing full-time status, or losing wages is actually “a good thing.” The truth is we can only imagine how hard it must be to look one of your hard-working Associates in the eye, see their fear and disappointment, and try to justify how such terrible policies are good for them or Wal-Mart.As for us, the leaders of WakeUpWalMart.com, we want to make something crystal clear. Contrary to what you have been told, we are not out to destroy Wal-Mart. In fact, we believe that Wal-Mart can and should be a great company that reflects the best of American values. In fact, our sincere desire is to work with you to return Wal-Mart to Sam’s vision, to make Wal-Mart better, and to help create a Wal-Mart where people, family, and the community truly do come first.
In the coming days, we hope to hear from you so you can see how interested we are in being partners in changing Wal-Mart for the better. Please feel free to contact us toll-free at 1-866-587-2299 or via email at info@wakeupwalmart.com. We are happy to talk to you anytime, and we will always respect your desire for confidentiality and anonymity.
In the end, we hope you will appreciate the sincerity of our words and our shared goals. Above all, we hope, as we all move forward from this meeting in Kansas City, that you will be willing to work with us to change Wal-Mart and America for the better.
Thank you,
The Leaders of WakeUpWalMart.com
Posted by Sascha - January 30, 2007 02:52 PM - General