I know this is a stupid question, but is it true that Wal-Mart locks their employees inside the store?

Question

My boyfriend told me that.
I don't believe him

Answer 1

He's right. Go to the NY Times archive:

1. Wal-Mart to Pay U.S. $11 Million In Lawsuit on Immigrant Workers
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE, NY TIMES
Published: March 19, 2005

Federal prosecutors and immigration officials announced yesterday that Wal-Mart Stores had agreed to pay a record $11 million to settle accusations that it used hundreds of illegal immigrants to clean its stores. ''It's outrageous that this could occur in the early 21st century,'' said James L. Linsey, the janitors' main lawyer in the case. ''They generally worked seven nights a week, 364 days a year, and they were often locked in the stores..''
2.
Wal-Mart Told to Pay $78 Million

By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
Published: October 14, 2006
A jury in Philadelphia said yesterday that Wal-Mart Stores must pay $78 million to its current and former Pennsylvania employees for not paying them when they worked through rest breaks and worked off the clock.

Lawyers who brought the class action on behalf of 187,000 workers applauded the verdict and said they expected the judge to soon order Wal-Mart to pay $62 million more in damages because the jury had also found that Wal-Mart acted in bad faith.

Last December, Wal-Mart lost a similar lawsuit when a jury in California ordered the company to pay $172,000 to a class of 116,000 employees for failing to comply with a state law requiring it to give 30-minute meal breaks

3. Fired Officer Is Suing Wal-Mart
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
Published: July 1, 2005
A former Wal-Mart executive responsible for inspecting apparel factories in Central America has sued the company, accusing it of firing him for being too aggressive about finding workplace violations, like locked exits and mandatory 24-hour shifts.

Answer 2

you know what a lot of stores do that at night. they don't lock the store down but they do alarm it, so if a door gets opened it sets off the alarm, and employees have to get permission to leave first. that might have been what he meant.
but wal mart is weird sometimes so who knows if they chained all the doors shut at night

Answer 3

If it closes, I'm sure some people stay there, but that's the same as all grocery-type stores! (the employees can always unlock the doors from the inside though) I think your boyfriend has watched too may "Simpson's" episodes! lol

Answer 4

Yes, it's true. There are no stupid questions, just stupid corporations. You need to see the documentary called "Walmart: High Cost for Low Price".... it will SHOCK you. They do leave the people who clean and stock locked into the store. (They don't want to give "mere" cleaners a key to the store, and they definitely can't leave the place unlocked all night...)

More reasons to hate Walmart:

1.) They drive local businesses (a.k.a. your NEIGHBORS) out of business.
2.) They drive manufacturers out of business, by demanding goods at such a low cost, that ends aren't met. (This almost happened to Vlassic Pickles... they couldn't afford to have Walmart NOT carry their products, but were having to practically give Walmart the pickles for free.)
3.) Walmart goes to great lengths to keep Unions from forming in their stores, which allows them to treat their employees horribly, and not give any protection to their employees. They actually have kits used to spy on their employees, so that anyone CONSIDERING forming a Union can be fired.
4.) Walmart offers healthcare benefits, but the benefits are so expensive, and the employees are paid so little, that at employee orientations, employees are given handouts about foodstamps, welfare, and government-paid low-income healthcare, and what they need to do to apply. In other words, they expect the taxpayers to pay for the employees' benefits, even though they are the richest corporation in the world.
5.) They tend to hire elderly and immigrants... people who have a hard time finding a job anywhere else, so that Walmart can get away with paying them little and treating them poorly.
6.) The government actually subsidizes Walmarts.... in other words, town governments want a Walmart in their town limits so badly that they actually PAY the Walmart up to 1.4 million dollars per year JUST to set up shop in the town. (Because that Walmart will bring in additional tax revenue for the town.) In other words, your tax dollars are also being used to BRIBE Walmart into being in your town in the first place!!
7.) Workers are not allowed to have overtime. Yet they are forced to stay late. Managers are taught how to flub their hours in the system so they don't have to be paid for them. There have been MANY lawsuits in the last few years where old employees have sought (and won) pay for these "lost" hours.
8.) The Walmart factories are sweatshops. Factory workers are taught to lie to inspectors about how many hours they work and how much money they make. A jacket sold at Walmart costs the customer $30.00. It actually cost $1.00 to make, and of that $1.00, only a tiny fraction of a penny goes to the factory-worker who made the jacket. Insane!
9.) Walmart uses the tactic of opening up in a new town, having prices drop SO LOW that all of the people in town get accustomed to shopping there, and all the little businesses in town shut their doors. Once all the little businesses are out of business, they jack their prices back up. Now all people are FORCED to shop at Walmart because everything else is closed, but you're paying dearly for it.

I could go on and on, but you really should watch the movie for yourself. It's very, very scary to me how that corporation has become more powerful than our government.

BOYCOTT! BOYCOTT! BOYCOTT!!!

Answer 5

Walmart is open 24 hours where I live, so no. Not unless its a Code Adam, then the store is put on lockdown.

Answer 6

Well in case of an emergency such as a code 12 ( Child is lost) EVERYONE is locked in! until the child is found..

Answer 7

*** ~The Hun~...help me...PLEASE! I work for Wal-Mart..they won't let me leave here...not even to go home for a shower... I have to wash up in the public bathrooms b4 the store opens. Please get a message to my mama...tell her I need her to come rescue me...i'm scared...i want out...i wanna go HOME!!!!

Answer 8

Well at least you're smart enough to not believe everything people say.

Answer 9

Your right,stupid question

Answer 10

our walmart is open 24 hrs so i don't think so