Stop Complaining Wal-Mart Workers

2012-02-09T14:50:00.000-08:00

There is and has been lot of press and attention for years about the lousy pay and benefits Wal-Mart employees receive. With that being said, a lot of people don't feel sorry for Wal-Mart employees at all. That is a fact. And I'll tell you why. No one is forcing any of these people to work at Wal-Mart for crap wages. No one. That is their decision. Back in the 90's a radio talk show guy once said "If you do not have a talent or a skill, you are going to have a hard time in life". That is very true. Why do people work in fast food, manual labor jobs, or Wal-Mart as an associate for that matter? Very simple. No skill, no trade, and no education. It's not rocket science. I read a quote one time from Michael Savage, "Never look down on people because of the job they have, no matter what it is". And that is so true. Even if they dig ditches, they are out there doing the best they can to make a living. At least they are not criminals who are the scum of the earth, taking from others. Most people understand that a lot, not all, of the little working people are doing the best they can. Wal-Mart associates are unskilled workers. And unskilled workers never make good wages. That's economics 101. I have read blogs from former Wal-Mart employees that said how knowledgeable they were at many different things at the store. They could do almost everything. To a company, that shows one thing. That you are a good worker. A good worker will keep their job while a bad worker will probably lose theirs. Bottom line. But you are still an unskilled employee. That's a fact.

WAL-MART EMPLOYEES NEED TO GET SKILLS TO BETTER THEMSELVES

A lot of little people don't realize that they are in charge of their life, no one else. If someone makes bad or stupid decisions they will suffer. No one else. And I am speaking from experience. At 17 I went to vocational school half a day and took a class to be an electrician. I was too young, not very smart, and the class was over my head. And I failed it. I went back to vocational school twice in my 20's and took AC/refrigeration. Both times I did not finish. So I ended up as an unskilled worker. I was a janitor from 1983-2000. Then I worked as a courier for DHL for 4 years. Then I became a janitor again at a Sarasota condo from 2004-2008. So I can relate to being a little working person. I am one. However, in 2007 during a vacation, I told my girlfriend I was tired of being a janitor and wanted to become a licensed Florida CAM (community association manager) . So I took a weekend class, then studied for a few months. There was a lot of information I had to try to remember and it was hard. I was told by other people in the biz that most people don't pass the test on the first try. So I took the test and passed on the first try. To be honest, It was more luck than anything else. Half of the test I knew, the other half I guessed. And I am know a licensed Florida property manager. I have sent my resume out many, many times with no luck as of yet. But I achieved and have a skill that most people don't.

IT'S NOT WAL-MART'S FAULT YOUR WAGES ARE BAD, IT'S YOUR FAULT IF YOU ALLOW IT TO AFFECT YOU

That's a hard but true comment I know. I first heard this saying in a Kevin Spacey movie I believe. But it's true. If a Walmart employee isn't happy with their wages, why are they taking it? Do something about it. And here's some suggestions:

1- Get a computer: The whole world is out there, take advantage of this venue. You can learn anything you want by having a computer. You can Google anything you want, and the answers are there. Information is gold. And you are never too old to start using a computer either. Most libraries have them. You can use them for free. If you don't have one, call some churches or non profit organizations. Ask co-workers and friends to help you find one. Once you have a computer, you can get dial up service for about $10 a month. Need a credit card for this? Save up and buy a pre-paid one. Get creative and determined to find a way to do this.

2- Learn Things Online: Once you get a computer, or if you have a computer, use it in a good way. Learn as many programs as you can. Excel, Word, Outlook, etc. These are skills that can help you land a better job. Just do a little at a time. It might look hard at first, but you can learn it. I did. And knowing computer programs look great on a resume.

3- Start Selling Things:

I'm sure most people have done this before. But how about doing it in your spare time. Weekends, etc. And what would this cost you? Nothing. There are many places to sell things online for free. The biggest free place to sell? Craigslist. I have sold things in 30 minutes or less. You can place an ad on Craigslist every 49 hours. Follow this guideline so your ad doesn't get booted off. Little by little you can make money here. You can also place free ads to sell on classifiedads.com, ecrater.com and kijiji.com. Give this a try. It might surprise you. And of course there is eBay. But that cost.

4- Go To Vocational School:

You can go to day or night classes and learn a trade, and it doesn't cost that much. Your state or federal government probably will pick up most of the tab. Go online and check into this. It is very hard not to get down and discouraged if things are rough financially, or if you go through some hard times. I've been there too. I have always believed in luck and timing. Even Bill Gates said these two things played a vital role in starting Microsoft. You have to have determination and drive to succeed at something. I saw a movie one time, and the employee said to his boss "How do I do blah, blah, blah?" And the boss said "Find a way, figure it out, get it done." Hard but true words. Use your brain and figure out a way to improve yourself financially. There is always an answer and a way to better yourself. And no one is going to do it for you.

ARE UNIONS THE ANSWER FOR WAL-MART EMPLOYEES?

If Wal-Mart employees believe a union is the answer to their financial problems, most people doubt it and dream on. Look at what Wal-Mart did to their Jonquiere Quebec store in April of 2005 after the employees joined a union in September of 2004. They closed it. $2 more an hour is going to do very little for anybody. I didn't say nothing, I said little. Especially after taxes too. How many hours will an employee work for free to pay union dues? There are a lot of pros and cons about unions. Unions have been on the decline for decades in the U.S. The percentage of union workers in the U.S. is roughly 16% according to my research. Any Wal-Mart employee who is not happy with their wages, do something about it. Get determined and motivated, and find something you would rather do as a job with better wages. It's out there. I cannot stress how much you can improve yourself by learing anything and everything on the internet. It will amaze you. You are the only one keeping you down, no one else (hopefully). Good luck.