Becky Lunn noticed commonalities between the seven workers who had been fired for “theft” and immediately thought of the secret Wal-Mart memo discussing plans to cut costs by utilizing more part-time workers and dissuading unhealthy or obese people from seeking jobs at Wal-Mart. Of the seven workers fired, five were overweight, six had expensive medical problems, six were full-time employees, and all had relatively high salaries after working at Wal-Mart for many years. Additionally, they were all women ready to speak their minds, many of the other Wal-Mart employees. Furthermore, Becky recently noticed Wal-Mart’s advertising for part-time positions has dramatically increased.
Becky Lunn
Cashier
Becky has worked at Wal-Mart stores in East Syracuse and Camillus for a total of 3.5 years, most recently as a cashier. Becky suffers serious medical problems including asthma, back problems, and a heart condition that requires an ICD unit (internal defibrillator.) She has experienced cardiac arrest nine times. Becky says that her $9.41 hourly wage was above-average in her store, but co-pays and health insurance premiums claimed 50-75% of each paycheck. Since she cannot afford COBRA, losing her job at Wal-Mart is literally a life-and-death matter.
She says, “At this point I feel betrayed and devastated because I counted on my health insurance. I have no clue what I’m going to do – this is my life in question.”
Ann Brown
Courtesy Desk Associate
After almost nine years at Wal-Mart, Ann was making $9.81 per hour and spending $277 every two weeks on Wal-Mart’s health care plan. Now, Ann is unsure how she will manage. “My husband has cerebral palsy and I suffer from anxiety and depression. Without my job, I cannot afford to pay for our medical bills without losing everything I have.”
Melissa Mattice
Customer Service Representative
Melissa worked at Wal-Mart for almost two years. She worked 40 hours a week earning $8.40 per hour. Wal-Mart’s low wages and expensive health care forced Melissa onto Medicaid. Melissa is concerned about Wal-Mart’s treatment of their associates.
“When I first started working there it seemed like a pretty good company. But soon I realized how little they respect their employees. They need to treat their associates better. When I was growing up, my mother always told me treat others the way you want to be treated. That’s how they should treat their employees.”
Danielle La Rose
Courtesy Desk Associate
Danielle worked at Wal-Mart just shy of two years. Just before she was fired, she was evaluated and earned a 40 percent raise. Danielle and her four children depended on public assistance for health care. “My medication is $800 each month. My eleven-year-old son and I have bi-polar disorder, so he goes to therapy every week and sees a psychiatrist once a month. Wal-Mart's health care would’ve cost my whole paycheck.”
Carol Hinman
Cashier
Carol is 61 years old and worked full time at Wal-Mart for nine and a half years, making $10.24 an hour. Carol paid $50.69 every two weeks for Wal-Mart’s health care plan. Almost two years ago, Carol was working in the pharmacy department when she had to have knee surgery. She was out on medical leave for a week. Upon her return she found her position at the pharmacy filled and was asked to be a cashier. Carol believes Wal-Mart is doing everything possible to phase out all full time workers earning more than the minimum wage.
More Wal-Mart Worker Stories:
A. G. White
Bettie Madsen
Cindy Starns
Cynthia Murray
Dana Razaie
Diane Muthig
Five Workers From New York
Greg Pierce
Josh Smith
Kristen Bonardi Rapp
Lance Hindman
Mona Curtis
Ollie & Patricia Wells
Rosetta Brown
