Many families did not get to sit around the dinner table together this past Thanksgiving.
Many employees of Wal-Mart, the largest private employer in the United States , were forced to work Thanksgiving Day in preparation for Black Friday, and were called away to help people pick out their discount toasters.
Black Friday, which was advertised as being the biggest sale of the year, was actually the biggest shopping day in history.
This year, however, many Wal-Mart employees went on strike.
These strikes were in protest of Wal-Mart’s history of low wages, lack of respect in the workplace and inconsistent employment.
These strikes are addressing an important, fundamental issue with American consumerism today.
Aside from the ridiculousness of people trampling each other for half-off toaster ovens, Black Friday represents the valuing of material possessions and consumerism over human beings.
Aside from Black Friday, Wal-Mart is notorious for using its employees in a fashion that is exploitative at best.
The average Wal-Mart employee makes $8.48 per hour, or just more than $17,600 per year .
Activists across the country are rallying, saying stores such as Wal-Mart ought to offer a higher minimum wage, with figures ranging from $10.10 per hour to $15 per hour.
Those who argue against raising the minimum wage say the minimum wage gives workers incentives to gain education, work hard and move their way up the ladder.
In other words, it makes employees want to work harder if they aren’t being paid so little anymore.
However, the average minimum-wage employee is no longer just a teenager in high school working so they can afford a cup of coffee from Starbucks or an iPod.
The average minimum-wage worker is 35 years old, and a third of minimum-wage employees are 40 years old or older, according to the New York Times.
While these low wages may drive prices at Wal-Mart down, it’s important to remember that it does come with a cost.
According to a study by the U.S. Committee on Education and the Workforce, a single Wal-Mart Supercenter costs taxpayers between $904,542 and $1.75 million.
This is because employees who are paid minimum wage have to use the social safety net in order to survive.
For example, Wal-Mart employees have put on food drives within their stores to support their coworkers who can’t afford Thanksgiving dinner on Wal-Mart’s pay structure.
We believe Wal-Mart’s abuse of its employees stands as damaging to the American Dream and the way of life we hold dear.
Sister Simone Campbell, an outspoken advocate for raising the minimum wage, has said the minimum wage damages ?innovation and initiative.
Sister Simone says small business owners and entrepreneurs pay taxes that go to fund the social safety net that businesses, such as Wal-Mart, use to keep their wages and overhead costs lower than said small business owners.
All in all, the protests at Wal-Mart bring to attention these issues and more.
Wal-Mart has long been an example of a business built from the ground up.
The Editorial Board believes it’s now time Wal-Mart starts treating its employees with care, respect and dignity.
