Reading response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 37

Reading response - Essay Example Another major hurdle that Wal-Mart employees face is discrimination against women. Many women employees who have faithfully served the organization for years fail to receive equal salary increment similar to male colleagues. Furthermore, they also face opposition from the company as they seek to form a union for employees. Often, those who show initiative in such activities find their jobs in jeopardy. A number of staff in Jacksonville, Texas found themselves unemployed after successfully voting for a union. Another concern for employees is the fact that many times, they are called upon to work overtime without payment. The company has very high targets, and supervisors regularly call employees to work extra hours to meet these demands. Mallaby argues that Wal-Mart caters to the poor and those households with little income. He claims that the prices of Wal-Mart commodities are pocket-friendly. A huge part of an employees salary usually goes to food and other basic needs. The company offers items at very reasonable prices and operates other programs focused on assisting employees (Mallaby 621). Therefore, Wal-Mart is of benefit to the underprivileged members of the community. He also goes further to respond to criticism about the alleged suppression of wages. He points out that the companys wage structure is better in comparison to that of other firms. Many people would like to work in Wal-Mart, and this is revealed in Mallabys account of a recruitment drive when the store opened a branch in Glendale, Arizona. There were 527 job openings advertised, and they received an overwhelming 8,000 applications for these positions. There is also criticism that Wal-Mart is a parasite on taxpayers. This is because 5% of its wor kers are on Medicaid. Mallaby argues that this is normal with large retail firms. He adds that the national average for all the companies is