Walmart forces workers to pay for new uniforms

[umbertino]

by: Mark Gruenberg

September 12 2014

 

 

 

 

(PAI) -- As if Walmart's labor law-breaking, low pay, lousy benefits and vicious anti-worker attitudes weren't bad enough, the retail monster now is demanding its workers buy specific clothes to create uniforms to conform to its new "dress code" - and sticking them with the bill.

 

Needless to say, the workers, especially those who banded together in OURWalmart, a voluntary organization - not a union - to campaign for the monster retailer to raise its wages, benefits and working conditions, aren't happy.

 

After all, even with an "employee discount," each of the retailer's 1.3 million U.S. workers would have to shell out at least $50 for each set of new duds, and since half of them make so little that they qualify for food stamps, Medicaid or subsidized housing, $50 is a lot.

 

Walmart would garner from $51 million-$78 million from its workers buying the new clothes.

 

Walmart human resources honcho Barbara Simone gave the firm's workers until Sept. 29 to buy the clothes: White or blue-collared shirts with khaki or black bottoms. "The pride we take in our appearance should make us feel good when we help customers," Simone wrote.

 

Simone posted her memo on the firm's internal communication system - and workers wrote back. They weren't happy. One, OURWalmart activist Richard Reynoso of the Duarte, Calif., store, went even farther and wrote her at the firm's headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. He said Walmart should pay for the uniforms and clothes, and buy U.S.-made goods.

 

Saying he's proud of his work as an overnight stocker and dresses professionally, Reynoso told Simone that "I can't afford to spend more money on clothes to wear to work, and most of my co-workers are in the same position." Since he, like most Walmart workers, earns less than $25,000 yearly, and since overnight stocking chores rip up clothes quickly, the dress code "uniforms" are prohibitively expensive, he informed Simone.

 

"I'm getting paid only about $800-900 a month. The sad truth is that I do not have $50 laying around the house to spend on new uniform clothes just because Walmart suddenly decided to change its policy. If I have to go out of pocket for these new clothes, I'll either be short on rent or have to cancel my phone or my car insurance for the month," he said. Other Walmart workers were more caustic, in unsigned responses posted on websites.

 

"This is more of a financial burden to our family since this is our only source of income with my wife and two kids. We can hardly afford to live on my income now with us having to pay for a new uniform," one said. Another addressed Simone: "When will you admit you and the big fish at Walmart were wrong and scrap this busy-work project that you and others are using to justify your big paychecks...Every few months you guys dream up something new to torture the associates with...Let us just get on with our work, making you more money. Don't worry, you'll still collect your big paychecks."

 

"With $16 billion in profits, Walmart - not its associates - should be paying for uniforms if you want these kind of changes to the dress code," Reynoso concluded.

 

 

 

Photo: A Wal-Mart employee in Walpole, Massachusetts, pushes a line of shopping carts. AP.

 

 

 

 

http://www.peoplesworld.org/walmart-forces-workers-to-pay-for-new-uniforms/

[TexasGranny]

So does Lowe's and Home Depot - probably any other retail outlet that wants their employees to look uniform and easy to spot by customers in their store. You have to buy clothing to work in anyway and none of the required clothing is any more expensive than what you would normally wear.

 

[littlesam]

I have to buy my own cloths to abide by the code standards of my company. Right now I have to buy a new pair of shoes... I have a hole in the toe...   

[nstoolman1]

 Any clothing or safety equipment (boots) required for work is tax deductable.

Edited September 14, 2014 by nstoolman1

[aliciadogz]

I paid for mine as nurse Aide and I made lot less then Walmart workers do I was lucky to make 9.50 hour and 32 a week O' those poor Walmart workers.

[10 YEARS LATER]

Fire Resistant clothing for the Oil Field ain't cheap. It's nothing to pay $65.00 & up for a quality shirt.

Just a good solid pair of steel toed winter insulated boots is well over $200.00 - It's KOLD up here in the Bakken in winter. It costs $$$$ to stay warm and alive.

Cry me a river Walmart employees. Either buy your Slacks & Shirts [from Walmart-their clothes aren't that spendy]; like good little boys & girls or go find another line of work.

Come up here to North Dakota - the weathers' great ! Anyone for a Life Threatening KOLD weather forecast of -64 degrees w/50 mph winds ? That's what we put up with to bring Oil and Gas to the country.

Oh, I'm not complainin' . . . I'v had to buy clothes for other jobs I've held in the past. What's the BIG DEAL w/Walmart anyway.

[Muleslayer]

Just more of that gimmie attitude.

My wife works in a local hospital.

The hospital changed its policy regarding uniforms.

3 places in our town sell those new uniforms.

After it was announced the price of scrubs tripled.

Yes I was irritated but I did not write a Whiney BOO HOO article about it.

I sucked it up and moved on.

Life is not fair. GET OVER IT!

[littlesam]

Just more of that gimmie attitude.

My wife works in a local hospital.

The hospital changed its policy regarding uniforms.

3 places in our town sell those new uniforms.

After it was announced the price of scrubs tripled.

Yes I was irritated but I did not write a Whiney BOO HOO article about it.

I sucked it up and moved on.

Life is not fair. GET OVER IT!

Exactly..

[SolidSnake]

Yea but the difference is Walmart makes billions in profit every year would it kill them to pay for there employees uniforms.

Just more of that gimmie attitude.

My wife works in a local hospital.

The hospital changed its policy regarding uniforms.

3 places in our town sell those new uniforms.

After it was announced the price of scrubs tripled.

Yes I was irritated but I did not write a Whiney BOO HOO article about it.

I sucked it up and moved on.

Life is not fair. GET OVER IT!

[DinarSpot]

In the last 2 1/2 years, I have had my right knee replaced twice with a prosthetic knee. My surgeon claims this was caused by my years of 8-10 hour a day walking on concrete. His solution is the $150.00 shoes I need to replace every 90 days or so. Add that to the other required attire.... It's enough to make me feel entitled, write a letter and complain about the job that I'm fortunate to have right now!

Give me a break you self absorbed aholes...

[DiveDeepSix]

Yea but the difference is Walmart makes billions in profit every year would it kill them to pay for there employees uniforms.

What difference does that make?  You have a job, this is what you need to do to work here, either buy what we want you to wear so you look like our employees or get a job some where else, (freedom of choice) whether they make a dollar or a million dollars a day is irrelevant!!  Pretty much every job requires some sort of uniform, if you work in the white collar industry most wear suits and ties (that they buy themselves) how much money do the big boys they work for make?  Mmmm Hmmmm.  Factories and construction, yep most require steel toed boots and guess who buys those? The employee.  I will give you a job, but, this is what you need to wear to do it, go get it and we'll see ya Monday morning, don't and I'm sure we'll be just fine with out ya!!   

[nstoolman1]

Just a note here. Not all companies make the employee purchase safety equipment. If a company requires PPE(Personal protection equipment) usually they supply it. Uniforms could fall into another catagory. I have worked in union shops and non union shops but all the companies I have worked at provided steel toed boots. It is cheaper than paying for injuries.

[DiveDeepSix]

Just a note here. Not all companies make the employee purchase safety equipment. If a company requires PPE(Personal protection equipment) usually they supply it. Uniforms could fall into another catagory. I have worked in union shops and non union shops but all the companies I have worked at provided steel toed boots. It is cheaper than paying for injuries.

Maybe in CA, but here everyone I've seen requires you buy your own, union or non union, they do provide eye wear and hard hats though, which they should.  But do they supply dirty jeans and old crappy shirts? Nope, lol that's the uniform!!   

[dontlop]

1,3 million employees times 40 dollars for 2 uniforms equals around 50 million dollars in instant sales

And walmart just happens to have those clothes avaliable for purchase at the company store

I bet if they could they would ask all Americans to buy uniforms at the company store

I'm for free enterprise but when the only way to compete with them is for all other merchants in the USA to buy their goods overseas too

Walmart is a recipe for destruction

They are just being greedy at walmart

I bet daddy walden wouldn't be taking things this far

If walmart raises the wages it's coming out if our pockets not theirs

No matter what we may think is right we need better protections at our borders for imports that put our businessmen out of business

Walmart buys congress

We are owned

[Shabibilicious]

I buy my own work clothes....as it should be.  But it will be a cold day in hell before I pay for my very own smock.    

 

GO RV, and NO BV

[SnowGlobe7]

khaki pants and a blue shirt.....hummmm not so expensive. But not tax deductable. A smock..yes deductable.

 

Work clothes are deductable if they can not be worn outside work...yes steel toes shoes are deductable. So are nurses shes and anything a doctor has written a "perscription" for.

 

IMO

[dog53]

What's the big deal...

 

How do you feel about paying your tax money for welfare for Wal Mart employees because they don't pay them enough to live on for a 40 hr week?

 

And the owners are billionaires.

 

This isn't about clothes.

This post was expected.

 

I feel pretty good about my tax money supplementing  people that are trying to make a living.

Its the ones sitting on their a$$`s getting food stamps and money playing video games and not even considering looking for a job that burns my a$$.

I was in the work force for 45 years and some places I worked I had to buy steel toed boots and some I had to buy a uniform .

whats the big deal.

So now its a crime to be a billionaire huh? 

How dare they be successful 

Off with their heads !!

hahahahahaha  

[DiveDeepSix]

I feel pretty good about my tax money supplementing  people that are trying to make a living.

Its the ones sitting on their a$$`s getting food stamps and money playing video games and not even considering looking for a job that burns my a$$.

I was in the work force for 45 years and some places I worked I had to buy steel toed boots and some I had to buy a uniform .

whats the big deal.

So now its a crime to be a billionaire huh? 

How dare they be successful 

Off with their heads !!

hahahahahaha  

 

Right on buddy, maybe some here should just leave "ourempire" alone it's gotten along fine with out them for this long.  

 

What's the big deal...

 

How do you feel about paying your tax money for welfare for Wal Mart employees because they don't pay them enough to live on for a 40 hr week?

 

And the owners are billionaires.

 

This isn't about clothes.

This post was expected.

 

This post was expected as well coming from a whiny @$$, bleeding heart liberal, who most likely doesn't have a job or is a teacher, and despises small business and corporate America because they know how to make money!  "Wah, Wah, Wah that's not fair I can't make a living flipping burgers at McD's or collecting carts at WalMart, those jobs aren't designed to be a career path, most working there do it for extra income or to get thru college.  Not all jobs pay the same for a reason, it's not rocket science, "Hey welcome to WalMart".  It's people like you who sit and whine that life's not fair instead of doing something about it you sit on your butts and blame somebody else for it because they took the chance, worked hard and became successful and you didn't.  Try being a congratulator instead of a hater, it will lower your blood pressure, and always remember us business owners (yep the ones directly or indirectly paying you as we ARE the tax base) really could give a rip what you think, so keep living the dream, this is OUREMPIRE!!   

[FlintNPebbles]

I was working for a farm supply store and were required to wear a polo shirt. However, the shirt had their logo on it and we were provided 2 free shirts when we started. Any shirts after that were required to be purchased. Didn't matter if you worked there 1 month or 10 years, you only got the initial 2 shirts free. They did also allow employees to wear a vest with the logo on it at no cost. The vest did not belong to the employee and had to be left at work.  We did not have a requirement for pants. Most everyone wore jeans on a daily basis.  

This company has been expanding and the owner travels all over in a helicopter. Wages were not good but not bad either.  No one complained about having to purchase a shirt after the initial 2.

 

 Walmart workers seem to have gotten caught up in the "I need things for free" wave that has been going around.  Not all employees of Walmart are on food stamps and assistance.  I know quite a few personally and they started out on the lower wage end but as they became valued employee's their wages and their hours increased.  Seems like the ones who complain are the ones that I find at my local store who run and hide when you ask them where to find something.

[DiveDeepSix]

Oh, I'm not complainin' . . . I'v had to buy clothes for other jobs I've held in the past. What's the BIG DEAL w/Walmart anyway.

 

Liberals are the big deal buddy, hating success stories!! Stay warm my friend!!   

[gymrat76541]

I really see no fault here. Aside from the fact that Walmart does not pay it's employees enough money..........................

The arguement can be made that these employees can always find another job somewhere else too.

 

A company that requires it's employees to dress a certain way ain't nothing new or extraordinary. Of course, no one will like having to purchase certain clothing but you can blame that on the employees who drove this change to happen! LOL

[DiveDeepSix]

Hitler was a success story. For a while.

 

You still didn't answer the question. You want your taxes to go to welfare, supporting Wal Mart billionaires who don't pay their workers enough to feed and clothe their babies?

 

Perhaps you don't want to answer this question. Perhaps it doesn't fit your picture of life.

 

That's OK

 

I didn't think that one was addressed to me, but since you asked.  My answer is yes, absolutely I prefer my tax dollars going to business owners, job creators, and private enterprise instead of dead beats, welfare babies, BS government programs, overpaid politicians, liberals who are to lazy to work and think the world somehow owes them something, etc. etc. etc.

 

Sorry if that doesn't fit your liberal picture of life, you know the one........... drug induced utopia, where everyone gets paid the same to do nothing, everyone's homes and cars are the same, so that life is fair for all and nobody gets their poor little feelings hurt, no matter if you are a hard worker or a lazy POS you should all have the same things! 

Edited September 16, 2014 by DiveDeepSix

[DinarCash]

I agree with both DD6 and Dog53. 

 

We've created a country of whinny babies that need to be pacified for every little thing. 

 

Not happy, move on and succeed somewhere else or create your own Walmart Business.   

[gymrat76541]

"As if Walmart's labor law-breaking, low pay, lousy benefits and vicious anti-worker attitudes"

 

Land of the free - you are free to go find a better place to work!

 

Yes, they are lousy employers!

 

 

[DiveDeepSix]

What I meant was, do you want your tax dollars going to pay for welfare for the Wal Mart workers so they can get food stamps because Wal Mart billionaires do not pay them enough to live on?

 

You think that is fair? I can see you are against welfare in your posts. (a little bit...)

 

If WalMart workers don't like their jobs, they can quit and find another one, I don't know what it is about people thinking there are no jobs, I could go to my home town (population 4,000) and have 5 jobs before the end of the day.  My dream job? Not a chance, but a job that will feed my family.  To many people think they are to important, to entitled, or to educated to take these jobs, news flash ITS  A JOB!!!

 

Actually I think welfare is an excellent program, it's biggest and really only problem is it's application.  It's meant to be a hand up not a hand out.  I can't think of anyone who would not gladly pitch in to help that single parent feed his/her kids, or get some extra food for that family who had an adult just lose a job, or help that couple who had one of the income earners need medical help.  What irritates me is the 3rd and 4th generation welfare families who have no intention of getting a job.  Nothing frosts me more then seeing some loser on welfare, who can work but wont, living better then people who are out busting their @$$e$ trying to make it and feed their families.

 

I didn't neg you by the way, I'm fresh out for the day!! 

Edited September 17, 2014 by DiveDeepSix