Save Walmart's Wonderful Underdogs

There is a little bent over older lady who works at the Walmart in Shrewsbury, and I love her. She is always so sweet. Sometimes she's handing out the shopping carts, sometimes straightening things up. She told me today that Walmart just raised her wages.

She's been there 16 years. Then she told me she was told she'd have to leave in April. It's confusing because they just gave her a raise, too. She wondered why they would give her a raise if they were going to make her leave. I asked her why she had to go. She said work requirements changed.

All workers would have to lift boxes weighing 25lbs among other more physical things. She said she couldn't do that with her back the way it is. But she said she really hates to go because she really loves working there and talking to all the people.

I will miss seeing and chatting with her. I imagine many will be leaving. Plus they've already installed about 25 self-service check-out booths. So, yes, they're raising wages at the same time as eliminating jobs. This is a huge and rich company. They can afford to keep jobs and raise wages instead!