Wal-Mart:Looking at it 10 years later

When I look back further into my childhood I had always seen Wal-Mart as a good place to shop and stop by the McDonald's inside.  It's a place I enjoyed going at times because I could sneak things into the cart when we went shopping that my Mom wouldn't notice and end up in her buying it.  Which would later lead to me being scolded for not simply asking if I could get something.  I would also remember going with my Aunt or Grandmother as well, as I would usually spend most of my time with my Grandmother.  As I grew up and started to branch out even further on my own getting my necessities I started to notice how dry and sad the atmosphere was to me.  The reason why was when I started to notice that most of the workers there would usually be people in their middle age and at times the elderly.  Working for a paycheck that seems to barely make their ends meet.  A dead end when everything fell through.  This was further pushed when I had watched a documentary on Wal-Mart from its birth to what it is today.  It would run the local businesses out while providing a large number of jobs with a decent wage depending on the state the Wal-Mart was in.  It drives down wages by 3 million each year being opposed to Unions as well when people just want to make money for the meantime, there were instances, where people were sent in to just scout out for anyone who was trying to oppose the policies in which they would be promptly fired.  The medical benefits that Wal-Mart had also provided were poor and would cost too much money to even have. Even though Wal-Mart has the money to provide medical benefits for all it's workers easily being to make back the money they lost from it.  

The working conditions for exported manufacturing in countries in China seem to be even worse as the units of housing that are provided for their workers are often cramped and have no air conditioning with electricity and water being limited as you would be charged a large amount the longer you use it.  The hours would be long which is a similarity with those who actually work in the stores, but the pay is much more different as the average wage for the Wal-Mart employee would usually be around 7-15 dollars depending on the state.  As there is a Wal-Mart in every state.  While the factory workers get paid around the cents range as foreign manufacturing is much cheaper.  If they wish to work in the factories they aren't able to speak out against the policies they have along with the wage.  This reminded me of that motto they have, "Do more for less!"  In a way, it tells me that the people Wal-Mart has working for them are working way more than they should be for a small paycheck even for the mistreatment they face.  With the long hours, liveable pay, and the lack of benefits.  With the factories getting the even shorter end of the stick.  I don't really see Wal-Mart the same way I saw it 10 years ago.  It hasn't stopped me from shopping there though.  But the thought stays in my mind, the same old, dry and sad atmosphere in the air.