Our family budget is tight this year. Since I was only earning .77 cents for every dollar my all-male coworkers were making, I started my own business — in a recession. And everyone knows that when you start your own business, things go wrong. Cars breakdown, roofs leak, Uncle Sam comes calling. So when my husband (who does the shopping) told me he could buy our whole wheat bagels at Walmart for $2.50, I caved.
My usual response to people who tell me about great savings at Walmart has always been “Yes but, at what cost?” As in, “Sure you might save $1.00 on those diapers but at what cost to society?” But this time I said, “Evil times call for the Evil Empire.” After all, that same package of bagels cost $2.99 at BJs and $3.50 at Stop & Shop. That’s a significant price difference.
But now this morning, while I sit her eating my evil bagel, I am reminded why I resisted the store for years. I am reading about a ruling from a federal appeals court that has cleared the way for a massive class action suit against Walmart to move forward. Thousands of female employees are suing Walmart alleging they were paid less than men and given fewer promotions.
This lawsuit stems back to 2001 when six women filed charges against the massive retailer. Since then the class has been expanded and numerous court battles have ensued over the size of the class. Yesterday’s 6-5 ruling by the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals was not a decision on the merits of the case, but merely the class itself.
Walmart issued a statement following the decision. ”We are proud of the strides we have made to advance and support our female associates and have been recognized for our efforts to advance women through a number of awards and accolades. In 2008, Walmart was named in the “Top 40 Greatest Organizations for Women of Color to Work” by Women of Color magazine as well as one of the “Top 10 Best Companies for Women” by PINK magazine.”
I don’t know the process PINK or Women of Color use to choose their award recipients but I don’t put much stock in those awards. Many publications merely rely on applications filled out directly by the companies and don’t do any primary research. In fact, several years ago I worked in the PR department at a horribly sexist Fortune 100 company. It was my job to apply for “Best Places to Work” awards and we always one.
I am not a judge. Walmart hasn’t had its day in court yet. But I can’t imagine the six women who started this process nine years ago, did it for the glory or the payout. And suddenly my cheap bagel doesn’t taste so good. It tastes bitter. Or maybe that’s irony I’m chewing. Here I sit, a victim of pay discrimination, shopping based on price instead of principle.
Thanks for telling your story Ani. What you’ve described could be both gender and age discrimination. Discrimination in the workplace can be very subtle making it difficult to name and therefore address.
I work at Walmart as well, although I have not seen much in gender discrimination, I have seen some age discrimination. I have personally witnessed a male mgr yell, be condecsending to, and talk hateful to female employees over 40 while he dances, sings, and laughs with female employees under 30. The behaviour not only has happened to me, but several other female employees in our department. I have also noticed that older female employees have a tendancy to get their hours cut more often than younger female employees when the older ladies work much harder. I have witnessed enough that I am going to write a letter to the upper management. I seriously doubt anything will become of it as we are all slaves to the machine.
I am an employee at walmart and I have yet to see any discrimination on gender,race, and religion.But I have heard the alligations against walmart and was concernd because I am a female, I then relyed on a source who is family of mine and has been a judge for over 30+ years and did inform me about the class action suit against them and advise me to find a different job, so otherwise I know this isent just some artical the news put out to make things look bad seeing how I am an employee there and know about walmart and also have the other side of the court system in hand.
I have worked for walmart for 9 years now and i have seen some ethics issues a lot
but i have never seen any discrimination against women at my store there are more women
then men in managment in our store we even had a female store manager for a while and for a while we had 3 female district managers and all the ethics issues that i have seen in the store are corected when district regional or corporate find out about the company probably woud be better if corporate could supervise its store mgmt more we even just lost our store
manager the first of the year he was fired when district mgr found out he was making most employees work 12 to 18 hour shifts and then only work a 2 or 3 hour shift the last couple days of the week and was refuesing to donate soon to expire food to the food banks and money
to local charitys because it was to much of a bother now hes living on unemployment and had to sell 3 of his cars and his kids tvs and video game systems and has his house for sale i wonder if the prick still thinks its to much of a bother for stores to donate so what im trying to say is a company as big as walmart its not always the companys fault because they cant know what every member of there store mgmt at every store is doing until employees or customers tell them how there being treated
I am a female and having worked at Walmart 20 years and having been able to be a part of opening four stores in that time, have never seen discrimination due to gender. We have had male, female, transgender, gay and “not sure” associates working, all together and all paid and promoted by merit, not gender. Some ofcourse had more merit than others, but being a female or male did not come into that decision. I am proud to work for a company that does not bring age into their decision to hire, as well. We have had successful youth and seniors, as well as all of those in the middle. In this day and age, to work for a company that doesn’t get rid of valuable associates just because they get older, look different, have different beliefs, or have disabilities is a vastly positive attribute for a company that employs so many and provides a real service to its valued customers. Those terminated, experience that through actions of their own or by their own choice and for no other reason. At over 2 million employees, all whom have the privilege of working for a successful company that pays its bills, pays it’s employees on time, and provides benefits to their people at all levels; do you not believe that there is going to be a small negative handfull of people that want more than they deserve? There is going to be a few individuals that believe that they are better than sliced bread, when they are really the crumbs. I am staying with a good company, good job, steady paycheck, and food on my table for a better than fair price. As for a company, size does matter.
Lauradene,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I want to address something you said: “Perhaps next time before you decide to bash a company you should actually take the time to really learn about it and not just read some offhanded article in a newspaper.” I read every court document related to this case. I did not write based on “some offhanded article.”
Lauradane, Here’s an article on how gender biases and stereotypes can be “unconsciously embedded” into performance reviews.
http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2009/04/02/breaking-the-gender-bias-cycle/
One other thing. It’s interesting how those who have never 1.) even set foot in a store and 2.) worked for the company have so much to say about a company they actually know very little about and are usually full of baloney. Instead, they base their farce of an opinion off of what the MEDIA says or puts to press because the media will print anything as long as it is a good story. Perhaps next time before you decide to bash a company you should actually take the time to really learn about it and not just read some offhanded article in a newspaper.
Yet, as others have mentioned (and I am also a female employee) pay and raises are determined by factors which have nothing to do with gender. Job performance, experience, and level of customer service contribute to whether or not an employee gets a raise. Also, as the cost of living continues to rise so does starting pay for newer employees compared with that of current employees.
The Paycheck Fairness Act would allow employees to discuss salary without repurcussion. How else do we negotiate fair value if we don’t have information?
I have been working for Wal mart for 6 years now and gender discrimation could be the farthest from the truth. Everyone at Wal mart makes a different pay than every other person. It all depends on the experience you came into the store,how long you have worked for the store,and your job performance. When you get your yearly evaluation they take your job performance into consideration on how much of a raise you get. Also, you are not suppose to discuss how much you make with an associate so how everyone knows what everyone is making doesn’t make any sense. Wal mart is a great place to work all the managers at my store are all women, I myself am a customer service manager. I know Wal mart won the lawsuit, and thank god I think that law suit was bogus, and had no merit.
I must say that I also work at Wal-Mart. I have been with this company for 2 years and could not have enjoyed my experience anymore! I have also been offered 4 management positions in the past 6 months. At both of the Wal-Marts that I have worked at…they did NOT promote merely on gender but solely on quality of work. Maybe at 1 store there are more men in managerial positions, but there are also stores that have mroe woman in managerial positions. I applaud these woman for sticking up for their rights and hope that justice is served where/if it is due. But I also hope that these women are not solely looking for a payout because that is not the case at any storesI have been in
Me I rather shop by price than principle.principle be hanged it don’t keep food on the table , bills paid , or gass in tank! I work @ walmart btw & @ my walmart. Woman have more leadership possitions than men do. I’m a woman and I don’t care if men get more as long as I have a job I don’t give a rats ass . People in this world just need 2 know there place and stop bellyaching