Argumentative Essay: Is Wal-Mart Good For America?
Argumentative Essay
December 1, 2013
“Is Wal-Mart Good for America?”
Wal-Mart comes into communities to help build them up and add jobs. It succeeds in both things, but leaves much to be desired in the ways of treating their employees, which makes Wal-Mart is both an asset and a detriment to communities. While Wal-Mart contributes to the community by providing a place to purchase goods cheaply and obtain jobs that do not require much experience, they mar this goodwill through compassion-less practices such as cutting of employee's health insurance and pushing out "mom and pop" stores.
One reason Wal-Mart is such a beneficial establishment is that it provides jobs to those who otherwise might have a hard time finding a job. Some people who fall into this category are single mothers trying to enter the workplace, high school dropouts, and high school kids trying to get some first job experience. In the workforce, especially today, employers are less and less willing to hire just anyone. Employers want someone who has a good deal of experience even for the most menial of jobs. Running a cash register is not that difficult of a task, and almost anyone can do that, likewise with stocking shelves. Therefore, Wal-Mart is an ideal place for people who do not have a vast skill set. …show more content…
Many establishments permit workers to mobilize and form unions, but Wal-Mart is incredibly anti-union. “Wal-Mart routinely violates laws protecting workers' organizing rights (workers have even been fired for union activity)” (Featherstone, 640). Unions keep employers in line, and when employees feel like something is wrong with where they work, they can go to the union without fear of being fired afterwards. Wal-Mart employees, unfortunately do not have this luxury. Even moreso, if an employee were to go to one of their managers with an issue, they would more than likely be
December 1, 2013
“Is Wal-Mart Good for America?”
Wal-Mart comes into communities to help build them up and add jobs. It succeeds in both things, but leaves much to be desired in the ways of treating their employees, which makes Wal-Mart is both an asset and a detriment to communities. While Wal-Mart contributes to the community by providing a place to purchase goods cheaply and obtain jobs that do not require much experience, they mar this goodwill through compassion-less practices such as cutting of employee's health insurance and pushing out "mom and pop" stores.
One reason Wal-Mart is such a beneficial establishment is that it provides jobs to those who otherwise might have a hard time finding a job. Some people who fall into this category are single mothers trying to enter the workplace, high school dropouts, and high school kids trying to get some first job experience. In the workforce, especially today, employers are less and less willing to hire just anyone. Employers want someone who has a good deal of experience even for the most menial of jobs. Running a cash register is not that difficult of a task, and almost anyone can do that, likewise with stocking shelves. Therefore, Wal-Mart is an ideal place for people who do not have a vast skill set. …show more content…
Many establishments permit workers to mobilize and form unions, but Wal-Mart is incredibly anti-union. “Wal-Mart routinely violates laws protecting workers' organizing rights (workers have even been fired for union activity)” (Featherstone, 640). Unions keep employers in line, and when employees feel like something is wrong with where they work, they can go to the union without fear of being fired afterwards. Wal-Mart employees, unfortunately do not have this luxury. Even moreso, if an employee were to go to one of their managers with an issue, they would more than likely be