Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Wal-Mart - Ilegal Immigrants - What's Up With That?

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU
 
Justice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 07:36 AM
Original message
Wal-Mart - Ilegal Immigrants - What's Up With That?
Has anyone else wondered about this? What is the real story here? Why did the feds go after Wal-Mart - a hard core supporter of all things Bush,conservative and unfriendly. If you told me that unions exposed the practice, I would believe it - but am surprised they could get the feds to investigate. This was very public - I thought the Bush administration took care of its own.

I heard a wall street analyst on the radio (CNN news network) yesterday express real shock about this. He said that wall street has loved WM because it micromanages everything - and implied this will really affect the way WM will be perceived (ie stock value). He dismissed the fact that the folks worked for a cleaning contractor rather than WM directly (WM's excuse) - he went back to WM is supposed to have such strong systems in place to monitor this sort of thing.

If you haven't heard about it here is the story :
More than 300 illegal immigrants seized in raids on Wal-Mart stores
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/7093054.htm
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
Superfly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 07:41 AM
Response to Original message
1. What I don't get
is people here on DU sing praises when ex-gov Davis attempted to issue ID cards and driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, saying that they can finally work, etc....

On the other hand, screaming up and down what an outrage it is that Walmart is putting some of these people to work.

I just don't get it. I guess some people think that, just because it has to do with Walmart, it must be wrong. However, a politician does it, and it's wonderful social reform.

B
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
libertad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 09:06 AM
Response to Reply #1
10. I think it may be more of a "profiling" issue in this case. When I
heard that most of the illegals were from Europe, I wondered if it was part of the "war on terror" because a lot of illegals from Europe are Bosnian Muslims. It may be that the govt is profiling and tracking Muslims.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
La_Serpiente Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 07:45 AM
Response to Original message
2. The thing about it
is that they didn't work for Wal Mart. WM did outsourcing to other private companies to do their work. WM has a policy stating that illegal aliens shall not work for them nor any other company doing business also.

These were cleaning people, etc., that were working at the store. WM turned them in to the AG office.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Spazito Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 09:09 AM
Response to Reply #2
11. Actually, Walmart knew this was occurring, their head office was raided...
and documents taken out. This covered many states. Walmart stinks in this, but, then again, they stink in everything they do, imo.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Drifter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 07:56 AM
Response to Original message
3. When I go into a store ...
now, I ask a simple question.

Who is paying for the product ?

Is it me (the consumer) ?
Or is it the employee ?

The cheapest price is not always the best price.

Cheers
Drifter

BTW, I hope they put these Wal-Mart executives in jail.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Loonman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 08:07 AM
Response to Original message
4. Wal Mart screwed up
Wal-Mart knew what they were doing and they knew it was wrong, but they did it anyway.



I also disagree with licenses for illegals.

Why should we reward criminal behaviour?

Kinda like getting citizenship without paying taxes.

I call people like that..........freeloaders.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
livinontheedge Donating Member (232 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 08:18 AM
Response to Original message
5. If using illegal immigrants helps keep prices down, is that bad?
Consumers win and immigrants win. Assuming the immigrants pay taxes and behave, how is hiring illigals a bad thing? Who loses? If they want to come here and work, I'm all for it. Plus, they tend to vote democratic.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Brian Sweat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 08:48 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. If using illegal immigrants helps keep wages down, is that bad?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Superfly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 08:49 AM
Response to Reply #5
7. I never knew that
illegal immigrants could vote...new one on me.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Brian Sweat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 08:59 AM
Response to Reply #7
8. Haven't you heard? We Democrats have to resort to voter fraud to win.
Seriously though, most illegals come from Mexico, Central America and South America. Through out the years, there have been amnesty programs that allowed illegals who had entered the country prior to a certain date to obtain a green card and begin the naturalization process. About two thirds of Latino who vote, vote for Democrats. So the poster is assuming that if these people eventually become citizens, they will vote Democrat.

This is why Bush was proposing a new Amnesty program a few years ago. There are now more Latinos in America than African Americans and their numbers are growing faster than any other major ethnic group. The Latino vote already has a considerable amount of impact on elections and that influence will only get stronger in the future. The GOP knows that it must decrease the advantage that the Democrats enjoy among Latinos. The problem for them is that when they do something like propose a new amnest program, it pisses off their base.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
MadHound Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 09:04 AM
Response to Original message
9. Long ago I worked for a company that was outsourced by WalMart
Long ago I worked for a company that did inventory audits for WalMart. We worked long hours and were paid shitty wages, but at the time I needed a job. Anyway, after a while we all were advocating for higher pay, but our boss nixed the idea. The reason was that he couldn't afford to eat the higher wages, and if he tried to pass the pay hike onto WalMart, well they would find a way to drop us, contract or no contract, then we would all be out of a job.

My thought is that the employees of the outsourced cleaning company were trying to get a pay hike. WalMart got wind of this, knew the company employed illegals, and covertly busted the company. Sure, they have to put up with a short term shit storm, but in a couple of weeks nobody will remember this. Meanwhile they will outsource their cleaning to another shitty paying company, their overhead will stay low and everybody is happy. It also wouldn't suprise me that the next company they outsource their cleaning to also employs illegals. It just won't be made public, unless they to start getting "uppity".

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
pippin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 09:20 AM
Response to Original message
12. isn't it against the law
to knowingly hire illegals? Bet, however, Wal Mart isn't going to be peanlized.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
OneTwentyoNine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-24-03 11:36 AM
Response to Reply #12
13. WalMart didn't hire them,only the cleaning company...
Yeah...at the price the cleaning bid came in I'm damn sure WalMart knew what was going on but didn't care,but try proving that in court.

Wal Mart will skate and not ONE of their loyal customers will give a shit as long as prices stay low.

David
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Sun May 05th 2024, 12:32 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC