LISSA'S: Wal-Mart: Home of Favoritism and Popularity

As an ex-Wal-Mart employee, I have witnessed many disturbing events done by the company and by the Sherman, TX Wal-Mart #947. Just to begin my story, let me just tell of what I have seen in the areas of Favoritism and Popularity Contests.

Let me first begin with my story. I worked for Wal-Mart in the One-Hour Photo Center. During the busy Labor Day Weekend, I was trying to help a customer who was standing outside the center, while trying to keep the machines running. During all the activity, I accidentally poured the wrong chemical into the wrong slot on one of the machines. I immediately realized what I did and asked for help in correcting the situation. During the process of trying to fix my mistake, two other associates in my department ran a test strip and spread the contamination through the whole machine. It ended up with us having to drain the entire machine, clean it and refill it. In the end, no one was hurt, no machine was damaged, no one's property was damaged. We were down for a few hours due to the whole thing. I was led on for a week that this was no big deal, that everyone understood it was an accident. But a week after the event, I was called into the office by Co-Manager Donnie Baker and terminated for the event.

Since my termination, I have found out that I am not the first person to accidentally put the wrong chemical into one of the machines. I am just the first to be punished for doing it. I have always known that I am a square peg trying to fit into a round hole in this place, but I tried my best. And for all of my trying, I was terminated. Just because I was not as high up on the manager's favorite list. Management got along with everyone else that I worked with, so it didn't surprise me when I found out that no one else was questioned on the spreading of the contamination, or the reasons we were down. No one else's part in the event was brought into consideration.

Let me give you an example. There is an associate who was terminated by his Assistant Manager. The reason for his termination was "repeated poor job performance." There was one problem. This person is extremely liked by Donnie Baker and Store Manager Bryan Lambert. So, after he was terminated and escorted out of the building, Mr. Baker went outside and pulled him back into his office and immediately gave him his job back in the same department, under the same Assistant Manager who terminated him. So, basically saying that an accident from an associate who he doesn't like is worse than an associate who doesn't do his job, but he does like.

And it continues from here. A popular cashier was found doing many acts that any one of them should have gotten her terminated. One of the events she was guilty of is even listed in training, manuals, and computer based training as Gross Misconduct. And to quote Wal-Mart's policy "Gross Misconduct will not be tolerated. Coaching for Improvement will not be used to address gross misconduct. The employment of an Associate who is deemed to have engaged in gross misconduct is subject to immediate termination." But again, she was a popular cashier. They rolled all the events into one "no-no" session and gave her a verbal warning not to do them again. Since then, I have found three other associates who have done the same "Gross Misconduct" event, and none of them have been punished. It didn't surprise me to find out that one of those people guilty was the same as the one who had "repeated poor job performance."

There have been many people who have been victims of accidents at this place this year. The ones who are popular, nothing happens to them. The ones who are square pegs, they get punished. One of the steps managers are supposed to do during a coaching process is "Perform a Consistency Search to determine the level of coaching given previously for similar offenses.” But yet, in my situation, no one had gotten in trouble before for the same act, so how is this considered consistent? I had never had an accident in the 8 years of working here before this, how is this consistent? But yet, when I received my coaching, it became more of a terroristic event. I was taken into the office, and not allowed to leave until I signed the paperwork. I was not allowed to disagree, not allowed to do anything. In fact, I was told that there was no Open Door Policy. The Open Door Policy that Wal-Mart is so willing to throw into their associates faces is only there when they can use the information against someone. It is not there when an associate needs it.

This is not the first time Donnie Baker tried to attack me. I have been threatened for termination for being diagnosed with an illness that made me "too contagious for being in public." I have been threatened for being in the hospital. I was even told by Donnie Baker that when my 8 year old son had chicken pox, I should not have stayed home with him, and the next time I did so, I would be terminated. In all the previous attempts, they did not have the standing to actually terminate me, but they found a way in an accident by twisting the wording and making it look like I did sabotaged the machines on purpose.

But in all the days I missed, there are many others who get away with missing days and are never punished or threatened.

We have contacted Wal-Mart Ethics on these events, and have been told that these actions are not considered as part of their department. On November, 2, 2007, we also sent a letter to Lee Scott, CEO of Wal-Mart about all of this, and they have refused to answer.

In the meantime, the popularity poll continues. In October, the store held a costume contest. The winner was not the best costume, but it was the prettiest contestant with the highest skirt and lowest cut blouse. It is a proven fact that to get Donnie Baker to acknowledge you, the deeper the 'V' in your shirt, the more attention and favors you get. Third place was given to a Customer Service Manager who is also the leader of the local Safety Team. Now management was not supposed to be considered in the contest, but one did get through. And her costume really didn't match up to the others. She dressed up as Princess Fiona from Shrek. But yet, there was a person who actually dressed as Shrek, and his costume was technically more difficult and artistically more accurate, but he didn't even get a nod.

Now for December, they have decided to take it all one step further with the "Wal-Mart #0947 1st Annual Awards Banquet". This is a poll to vote for the most popular in the following categories: Office Associate, Overnight Associate, Department Manager, Salesfloor Associate, Cashier, Manager, and Associate of the Year. Now there wording says "Vote for the most deserving", but if it were the most deserving, shouldn't the contest be considered from Evaluations, Statistics on the job, and Customer comments? If it were, it would be open to everyone. I had very high stats, and made "Exceeds Expectations" in many areas on my Evals. But not everyone knew that. But to get the public vote you have to be popular, and that is what they are wanting. And by the looks on the categories, the managers themselves are looking for a little pat on the back this time around. I will make you a bet right now. There are 7 categories being voted on. I am willing to bet that at least 6 of the winners will be at the banquet. Why? Because it is the popular thing to do, and you have to be popular to get off from work to make it to the Banquet.