I'm exhausted but it's a good feeling. I got a lot done today and organized just about all my craft stuff. I don't even know why I bought some of the stuff I have. My craft stuff is now in the built in cabinets in the back room. There are three huge sections and I filled up two of them and left one section for Russell to put whatever he wants in there. I'm sure he can find something from his cluttered office to put in there. Listening to Hay house radio today they were talking about clutter and how it is one of the biggest causes of negative energy. I feel that is so true! I don't feel peaceful when I'm surrounded by clutter or messes and I like things neat and organized. I'm not big on nic nac type stuff that people like to have all over their house. Besides, having a lot of small objects around the house means having to dust them. And dusting is my most dreaded chore that I put off and put off till cobwebs are covering the house. Ok not really but you get the point. I have been pretty good about keeping things dusted. :)
I watched a documentary a few days ago on Netflix called Wal-mart: The high cost of low prices. I have to say...it made me cry. I had no idea about their practices. I did not know that they had factories in China where the workers worked from 7 am to 10 pm and made $3 a day. I knew they were underpaid but not to that extent. They were talking to one of the woman workers and she was saying how they had to live in these dorms at the factory and rent was taken out of their pay as well as for water and electric. If they did not want to live in the dorms, they did not have to pay the water or electric but still the rent was deducted from their paycheck. It's all about control. They work all day in a stifling hot factory with no air conditioning and only a few fans and all day the sweat pours off them. In Bangladesh it's pretty much the same thing but they make .12 to .13 cents an hour! Can you imagine? They talked about lots of other stuff like unions and how employees here are afraid to even ask for a union. WM beats them down. Yet in Germany the WM workers have a union and get 6 weeks of paid vacation per year. Three in the spring, 3 in the fall. WM purposely keeps it's number of workers low.....the lowest number possible to still get the job done so they don't have to pay benefits. I don't even know what to think about all this. My mind is still absorbing it. I do know I don't like it one bit. How could anyone??? It sure gives me something to think about.
Well, I'm off here now....hope y'all have a good evening.
We're working on some declutttering here. It's difficult when you have the belongings of six people to sort through though. Especially when four of those people have been in this house for a good 15 years. But we're getting there - slowly!
ReplyDeleteWalmart and working conditions you describe are what it was like in this country (USA) until pretty recently (say 75 years?)
ReplyDeleteBig business exploits labor whereever and whenever it can - and even with that - I'm not sure a "union" is the right answer.
The governments (China, Bangaldesh) are in collusion with big business because it means big taxes (and no government I know of can keep its hands off someone elses money).
I don't like WalMart. Years ago I was hired to work full time--but their "full time" was only something like 34-36 hours a week back then ( can't remember now, but it was so they didn't have to pay benefits). And after Christmas when business slowed down I got dropped down to 6 hours a week!! Suddenly and without warning! And that was THREE 2 hour shifts to cover lunch for the manager!! I was supporting myself. Obviously had to look for another job ASAP. Even the manager of the jewelry department got dropped down every winter to like 28-30 hours! And I saw a man come in to work and just find himself not on the schedule at all the next week--no warning--and he was supporting his family and told he was hired full-time. They have terrible practices over here, too. So I can't imagine how they treat the cheap labor hired to make the cheap goods for them. I would definitely believe what you saw was true. :(
ReplyDeleteHi, Barb: I haven't been out and about for awhile. Just back in OK for a little over a week. Immediately came down with a bad, bad cold! Wouldn't you just know it.
ReplyDeleteOh, I agree so much about the clutter. And I have waaaay too much of it. This weekend, I'm going to start clearing some things out. Big job.
I'm so surprised to hear all the negatives about WM. And disappointed. We go there so often. Don't know what to make of it. Sad.
Trust you are well! D
So, that documentary is true huh? I heard of it, but never watched it...I rarely shop at Walmart anymore, but it is because it is not convenient. This makes me look at not shopping there in a whole new light. I can understand how it would be difficult working there knowing this, but I also understand the need for a job and so few of them in this economy. I wish you the best as you work on figuring out how you wish to handle this information...it cannot be easy.
ReplyDeleteI know the Walmart reality is weighing on your soul. I hope you find some peace soon.
ReplyDeleteI have known about these issues for a while , but not about how they treat their employees as Rita explained. My only defense in still shopping there is other options are pretty non-existent in my neck of the woods. My conscious may catch up with me soon, though, and then I will have to go without... everything really.
I miss the mom-and-pop stores. *Sigh*