Would you keep shopping at Wal-Mart if you knew for sure they deal with companies who employ slave labor?

Question

I don't care how much we will save by shopping at WalMart, anyone with human decency should not support slavery of any kind. The Chinese companies where WalMart buys their products pay their workers $4 a day, if they pay them at all.

Answer 1

It is so sad, all those kids in the sweat shops.
But you do realize, about 80% Of all americas inports come from china, and not just through wal-mart.
So when you go to foot locker, and get those really expensive shoes,
Some slave children made them.
When you go to Toys R Us,
The slave children made them.
It's just some companies are better at hiding the truth.

Answer 2

I know for sure that Wal-Mart deals with companies that employ "slave labour" and even child labour.

Many companies such as Nike have been busted for this in the past. It is not Wal-Marts responsibility to police the companies whose products it resells. It is the responsibility of the courts, generally only in the countries where these people are being employed and the individual buyer. Wal-Mart only sells what there is a demand for. If they stopped selling every brand that has ever been associated with slave or child labour they would loose customers, and a bunch of people on here would be complaining "Isn't it nuts that Wal-Mart doesn't sell X, Y, Z" anymore; just like people get all up in arms when Wal-Mart refuses to sell an album or music with obscene lyrics.

Wal-Mart has only a responsibility to it's stock brokers, not international human rights.

Answer 3

First, as mentioned above, it is unlikely that Wal-Mart does deal with companies that employ slave labor. And as mentioned above $4 per day is a great wage in many areas of the world. You cannot impose American prices upon other parts of the world that do not have them.

For example, in Nigeria, the average person earns less than $1 per day. This is the poverty level there. Now imagine paying such a person $4 per day. That is four times the poverty level. That can feed, shelter and provide fully for four full families given the costs in Nigeria. It is in many respects the equivalent to $100,000 per year here, if one only considers basic necessities.

Now consider China. Wages in China are well below American wages and $4 per day can be an incredible wage depending upon the area of China. If it were a bad wage people would go elsewhere for work. American firms tend to pay above market wages because you can get better workers and higher loyalty. China currently carries about a 20% unemployment rate. People are happy to work.

Finally, a normal grocery store sells 250,000 items. I have no clue what a Super Wal-Mart sells, but it is probably in the millions of items. Why would you punish the other 1,999,999 companies and their workers if one company selling one product is made with slave labor. Would it not make more sense to not buy that one companies products.

It is important to remember that Wal-Mart is primarily a consignment store. 2/3rds of their inventory are paid for 30 days after they are bought by the customer. They really only buy 1/3rd of their inventory, the rest is, for all practical purposes, sitting there on consignment. The firms rent space on Wal-Mart's shelves and then display the amount necessary to cover that space. Wal-Mart isn't like Sears. Sears buys their inventory and sells it. Wal-Mart sells other peoples inventory and then pays for it after customers buy it.

Answer 4

Well, your heart is in the right place, but the directive is misplaced.

Did you know that Walmart started out only selling stuff that was made in America? Since the consumer would only buy the cheap crap that comes from China, they started selling cheap crap.

If you are really that concerned about purchasing with social responsibility, buy a product made by a socially responsible manufacturer. That means that you have to look at the label no matter what store you go to.

It's the product, not the store.

Oh, and BTW, $4 a day in China is good money.

Answer 5

4 dollars a day is actually really good money, most labor jobs don't even pay that. the Chinese market although climbing is nowhere even close to that of the US. a soda, cigarettes and an ice cream cost way less than one dollar. If you consider that slave labor don't buy Sony or Nintendo. In fact log off line right now because the computer you are using was made overseas by workers that make less than 4 dollars a day!!!
THATS IT I'M DONE!!

Answer 6

I don't shop at Wal-Mart because for one thing their crap is 'crap', cheap made & doesn't last, they hire illegal immigrants and cater to the Latino community. I'd rather go to Goody's, Penney's, Macy's or Belk's. The items in those stores are of a higher quality, made better and last longer. Well worth the higher cost. If the manufacturers who produce their items hire Chinese, or whoever, to make those items for cheap labor I feel like they are probably making more doing that than they were making before they got that job. In THEIR economy they are probably making a GOOD wage. If they want to pay a good wage, they can bring those jobs back to the USA and give them back to the Americans who lost them to third world countries. Americans will require a decent wage, however.

Answer 7

One of the best sites that determine the factuality of a statement is http://www.snopes.com ... it lists all of these urban legends.

If you're absolutely 100% certain that Wal-Mart indeed employs slave labor and heard it from a reliable source rather than "through the grapevine" you should re-evaluate your opinion of Wal-Mart. Remember that if Wal-Mart actually did employ slave labor, it would make a BIG splash in the shoppers' community and in the media. It hasn't, therefore they likely do NOT employ slave labor.

To answer your question, I wouldn't, but only if I were 100% certain it were true.

Answer 8

As long as I can save money its all good. Who cares if wal mart deals in child labor or slaves in a sweat shop. The almighty dollar dictates everything. Wal Mart is scum just as well as mc donalds. Multi billion dollar empires paying employees min wage. But I still eat quater pounders and stock up on cheap items. Thank you Jesus for globalization.

Answer 9

I dont not support what Wal-mart does. But I do find it hard to find the cheap prices Walmart has. It is also alot easier to shop there because it is like a mini mall. tires changed,nails done,haircut.gocery shopping it is all to convenient. that is why it is called 300lb gorilla. because Walmrt knows it is going to succeed in any area despite what is negatively said about the store

Answer 10

Well..If there was a store with as good as deals sure.
Besides.I don't think it's our jobs to be worrying about that. There is a thing called the law. If Wal-mart proceeds and is able to get away with it than I'd worry more about what was wrong with the WORLD as a whole..Not wal-mart.