Witnesses and an elderly Wal-Mart greeter say that Skyler Lowery, 23, attacked Ed Bauman, 69, while he was watching the front door of a Wal-Mart in Palm Bay, Florida. The video below seems to confirm their story and the police charged Lowery. However, that did not stop Wal-Mart from firing Bauman.
On the video, you can clearly see Bauman try to stop Lowery after the alarm went off. He went into the parking lot to get his license number and that is when the confrontation began. Ultimately, Lowery grabbed Bauman’s clipboard. A fight then ensued as Bauman tried to get his clip board back. It turns out that Lowery had receipts for his purchases.
Lowery apparently told Wal-Mart that Bauman used a racial epithet and that was enough for the corporation which has a reputation for firing employees with little hesitation or, it appears, investigation. It does not matter that witnesses came forward to say that Bauman did not use any epithets or call the man any names. It does not matter that Lowery is now facing a battery on an elderly person.
Wal-Mart seems to constantly invite poor press and public criticism with its policies. Then there is the criticism that Wal-Mart’s policies actually helped spread flu, here. Then there is all that good press over Walmart succeeding in its plan to destroy a historical area from the Civil War, here.
Customers have complained of a similar attitude toward them, here and here and here.
Did I mention punish Skyler Lowery? Yeah. Still not a bad idea to punish Wal-Mart just on general principle but let’s not forget Skyler (hard to type that without an attached “Dude!” but you are far from His Dudeness).
You criminal mastermind you.
Ecookie,
Now you look like a New Yark Princess.
The Moar You Know – “Goddamit, I hate having to defend Wal-Mart but in this case I must.”
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Excellent points. Your post reminded me of long gone college days when one of my part time jobs was store semi-detective and you’re right … never follow the customer out of the store … call security as soon as he/she lifts the article or as they are approaching the exit. Wal-mart should have a security person at the exit door alarm site instead of a greeter but probably don’t want to pay the slightly higher wage.
It’s clear that Wal Mart has uniquely positioned itself to take advantage of the descent of our economy from vigorous producer to supine consumer.
The only question is to what extent is Wal Mart responsible for this economic “transformation.”
AY, don’t you like my new pink tresses?
Chris You made my point. Walmart can do things so cheaply that people end up having to shop there. They can’t justify the cost of goods in other markets. Food co-ops are a good idea but much of the country does not have them. Walmart has more incidences of contaminated meat, produce, etc.
SM,
My wife and I are currently in college. While we are not struggling, we do find ourselves trying to shop “smartly”. There is a huge difference in the cost when we shop at wall mart and when we shop at the local Nugget Market. How is it not good that people who need to can save money by shopping at Wall Mart? I find sometimes that the prices are almost double at Nugget.
Hans I do not think that is true. Walmart was able to undercut the small businesses due to cheaper prices. They are able to cut prices because of unfair labor practices and cheap imports. Also many of the small towns they serve have become poorer over the last twenty years.
Hans,
Thank you. You bring up a salient point. Consumerism and Loyalty. The market targeted or the Targeted Market was and is the lower cost conscience consumer. Drop prices a few penny’s and people will spend dollars to save them.
Loyalty, most people have none, which you seem to say is the problem with the moms and pops stores.
Do you know how Walmart got into the soda business? How they really got into manufacturing the damn stuff? It was called an exclusive dealing contract. Then they wanted a price break and the soda mfg would not give it. Then the guy had no outlet for his product. Well then the guy files bankruptcy and guess who bids for it an buys it. You guessed it.
See the deal matel made with the devil as well. The list is endless.
Of course the brown guy is guilty. How could it be otherwise?
Second, you don’t have to show receipts when you leave Walmart. Costco’s different: it’s a membership warehouse, and it’s probably in their membership agreement. But you have no such agreement with Walmart.
Third, Walmart didn’t destroy mom and pop stores. The customers of the mom and pop stores who are so enamored with them that they leave in droves as soon as a Walmart opens within driving distance are the ones that are killing the mom and pop stores.
Goddamit, I hate having to defend Wal-Mart but in this case I must.
Mr. Bauman violated the first and most sacrosanct rule of retail security, which is that you DO NOT follow a suspected shoplifter out of the store. This is the case in any retail establishment and the reason for it is quite simple; it is not uncommon for those who go chasing after those who shoplift (or those, who in this particular case, just have a bad attitude) to get shot, stabbed, or beaten. The store is then liable for your injuries or death.
You’re supposed to alert store security if the chain has it (Wal-Mart does) or call the cops if you don’t, but again, you DO NOT follow someone you suspect of being a shoplifter out of the store.
Worse yet for Wal-Mart, now this young faketanned douchebag is going to have perfect grounds for filing a lawsuit, based on his physical altercation with Mr. Bauman, and the odds that the potential success of said lawsuit will be bolstered by the embarrassing fact that he, in fact, had receipts for all the merchandise he had.
This is sad, but I don’t see how Wal-Mart had any options here; Bauman not only broke their rules but has opened them up to having to defend what could be a long and expensive lawsuit.
Ecookie,
I thought you were trying to grow hair last night.
One can safely shop online naked ONLY if the drapes are closed … and opaque!
For example:
http://jonathanturley.org/2009/12/18/cafe-delicto-virginia-man-convicted-of-indecent-exposure-for-appearing-naked-inside-his-home-while-making-coffee/
What AY said, that Buddha said that Mespo said. What SM said too. Walmart sucks.
Walmart has never been a great place to shop because their intention has always been to drive the small businesses out.
Walmart was a great place to shop when it was buy Anerican. Now it’s buy American made in Tiawan, or is that China.
Remember it’s not how much you send $$$$ to China, it’s how much you save.
Speaking of which
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100110/D9D5277O0.html
Why shop there to begin with. Walmart has singly destroyed the mom and pop stores.
What Buddha said that mespo said.
And what mespo said.
Punish Wal-Mart,
Move your money.
The same principle that applies to big banks applies to where you shop.
Don’t support businesses with bad business practices.
The tragedy here is that for many in small town America, there are no longer alternatives. Just Monopoly-Mart. Now free from local competitors and free to screw over whom they please – employees first, often as not.
Order over the Internet. UPS delivers and your car doesn’t get dinged in the parking lot. Sure. It’s not instant gratification. But the trade off is you can shop naked and not get arrested.
Buy your groceries local and utilize farmer’s markets where you find them. This I suggest you do fully clothed.
This appears to be an extreme example, but I am constantly annoyed at having to show my receipt moments after having left the register just to involuntarily participate in some Wal*mart anti-theft program. I have the same objection at Costco. Why must I prove my integrity to shop there? Or more likely, why do I have to prove my cashiers competency or our joint integrity for the privilege of saving a few pennies? This is why I avoid these mega-stores in favor of those who offer a little dignity with my purchase.