Wal-Mart & 'black people' Asked To Leave Store

By: John Lester
Staff Writer
Published: Mar 18, 2010

Police investigate Wal-Mart & 'black people' heard over the public address system.

Wal-Mart & 'black people' are the words that one New Jersey town can't believe. In the year 2010, it's hard to believe that anyone could resort to racial comments. However, it happened last Sunday when an employee or customer made the announcement across the public-address system.

"Attention Wal-Mart customers... All blacks need to leave the store."

Shoppers and store employees were stunned. In fact, customers thought there was a security issue or terrorist situation. A hush went over the store immediately as the store manager seemed confused.

Police were called and the store's management eventually made an apology over the P.A. system. A store employee told shoppers that there had been a similar breach of the public-address system earlier in the day. Company spokeswoman Ashley Hardie said that the company was "appalled" by the incident.

"We are currently reviewing our systems to prevent this from happening in the future," Hardie said in a statement. Officials are reviewing security tapes. The incident is also being invested by the county prosecutor's office.

A spokesman for the company said that the store's P.A. system could be accessed through 25 phones. However, not all of them were in view of security cameras. Corporate executives have sent professionals to the store to offer counseling services for anyone affected by the announcement.

Discrimination, Union Uprising, and Critics Attack Store Policies and Business Practices

Labor unions, Christian organizations, and environmental groups have criticized Wal-Mart for its policies and business practices. In 2005, two labor unions launched campaigns portraying the company negatively. The unions represent the United Food and Commercial Workers and Service Employees International.

In the past, the corporation has been accused of locking night-shift workers in at night, paying employees below minimum wage, and exposing employees to health hazards. The company's own "Standards for Suppliers" report document extensive problems of this kind among the company's factories. Full-time employees earn an average of $10.78 per hour, but critics point out that the starting pay can be far lower.

For example, the wage can place some employees with children below the poverty line. The pay rates also do not rise as quickly as with unionized companies. Other grievances regard poor working conditions, unfavorable employer-employee relationships, and anti-union policies.

In response, Jay Nordlinger of National Review argues that the company is attacked simply because it is a leader of the Fortune 500 list. The company is also the largest employer in America and a free-market success story. Some believe that the company's criticism is just a social movement.

The store is currently facing a gender discrimination lawsuit which alleges that female employees were discriminated against in matters regarding pay and promotions. If the class action is certified, it would be the largest lawsuit in history. Others have criticized the lawsuit as without basis in the law and as an abuse of the class action mechanism.

In January 2006, the company announced that diversity efforts include new groups of minority, female and gay employees that meet at company headquarters. They advise the company on marketing and internal promotion. There are seven Business Resource Groups: women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Gays and Lesbians, and a disabled group.