Low budget filming but well done. The interviews of former workers is very authentic. Film documents in an easy to watch format the various ways the management of walmart has its hands out to squeeze money and play communities off against each other.
For example, walmart may actually build a store without ever intending to use it in order to get another border town / city to give them a better tax break etc build in their town. On my final visit to walmart I asked an associate what she thought of the film but I already guessed the answer. She bitterly said "I don't know what you are talking about". She was obviously lying. Even if she hadn't heard of the movie and management never discussed what "associates" were supposed to say if the topic came up would she at least ask me what I was talking about? The film / documentary avoids going into excessive details that can make documentaries boring. Or over listing / referencing sources of information. If I want to check the accuracy I can do that myself.
Film is comical at times showing company DVD's of workers saying how bad unions are and how sorry they were for joining them. Also, funny in a negative way to here a former manager talk about the anti-union packages available by the company: "If I see two workers talking and they walk away as I approach, they are probably conspiring to form a union.... and they both gotta go (fired)". The better packages cost as much as $1 million dollars and involve surveillance of employees in their homes and taping phone lines. Another one is a black women that wanted to become an assistant manager. She says she finally sat down with their manager and said she met all the requirements and said "is it because I'm a women or black?" Here manager replied: "now two out of two ain't bad".
Finally, the working conditions overseas and undercover cameras. Workers live at the factory in filthy conditions and work 7 days a week for something like 12 + hrs a day. The company deducts "rent" from their paychecks! Movie ends on a positive note by listing all the towns that successfully blocked walmart's from coming to their neighborhood. If you even consider yourself a Christian or just want to learn more I highly recommend this movie!
For example, walmart may actually build a store without ever intending to use it in order to get another border town / city to give them a better tax break etc build in their town. On my final visit to walmart I asked an associate what she thought of the film but I already guessed the answer. She bitterly said "I don't know what you are talking about". She was obviously lying. Even if she hadn't heard of the movie and management never discussed what "associates" were supposed to say if the topic came up would she at least ask me what I was talking about? The film / documentary avoids going into excessive details that can make documentaries boring. Or over listing / referencing sources of information. If I want to check the accuracy I can do that myself.
Film is comical at times showing company DVD's of workers saying how bad unions are and how sorry they were for joining them. Also, funny in a negative way to here a former manager talk about the anti-union packages available by the company: "If I see two workers talking and they walk away as I approach, they are probably conspiring to form a union.... and they both gotta go (fired)". The better packages cost as much as $1 million dollars and involve surveillance of employees in their homes and taping phone lines. Another one is a black women that wanted to become an assistant manager. She says she finally sat down with their manager and said she met all the requirements and said "is it because I'm a women or black?" Here manager replied: "now two out of two ain't bad".
Finally, the working conditions overseas and undercover cameras. Workers live at the factory in filthy conditions and work 7 days a week for something like 12 + hrs a day. The company deducts "rent" from their paychecks! Movie ends on a positive note by listing all the towns that successfully blocked walmart's from coming to their neighborhood. If you even consider yourself a Christian or just want to learn more I highly recommend this movie!
