Walmart's bad year

[ProSense]

Walmart social strategy director poses as 'proud associate' to cheer Walmart online

by Laura Clawson

<...>

Walmart's been caught trying to make a top-down social media strategy look like a grassroots action by hundreds of hourly workers—the retail giant is astroturfing, in other words. See, a social media "Thunderclap" lets hundreds of people post to Twitter or Facebook at the same time, increasing the likelihood that a topic will trend or at least start to break through the noise. A Thunderclap touting Black Friday as Walmart's Super Bowl was identified as being from "a proud associate." But it turns out that proud associate was Umang Shah, Walmart's director of social strategy.

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http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/23/1257922/-Walmart-social-strategy-director-poses-as-proud-associate-to-cheer-Walmart-online

Walmart CEO Resigns Amid Bribery & NLRB Violations Scandals

by ericlewis0

From USA Today:

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Wal-Mart Stores replaced CEO and President Mike Duke and named Doug McMillon as its new leader after a rough period for the world's largest retailer in which it became embroiled in a bribery scandal.

...

Wal-Mart paid bribes in Mexico to speed building permits and gain other favors, The New York Times reported last year. After starting an internal investigation into the allegations, senior Wal-Mart officials halted the probe in 2006 despite having found lots of evidence, the newspaper said.

After initially denying that company directors knew of the bribes paid to Mexican officials, e-mails released earlier this year by U.S. lawmakers appeared to show that Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke learned about the payments as early as 2005. In May, a U.S. judge ordered Wal-Mart attorneys to turn over more documents to shareholders trying to find out what, and when, directors knew about the Mexico payments.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/11/25/wal-mart-ceo/3696819/

The article says these alleged bribes violate the FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act), the same law which may soon bring down Rupert Murdoch's News International.

But according to aattp.org, the resignation has more to do with charges from the NLRB (National Labor Relations board) that Walmart illegally threatened it's employees:

The chief executive of Walmart Mike Duke has stepped down while the company struggles to deal with a sequence of confrontations with workers. Duke is to be replaced by company veteran Doug McMillon by February of 2014. The decision arose just days after claims by campaigners that Walmart is to be prosecuted for “violating the rights” of workers who participated in strikes over wages in the US.

The National Labor Relations Board claims that Walmart “unlawfully threatened” employees for their part in the Black Friday walkouts last year, in which about 400 people participated. They have decided to pursue charges against Walmart for threatening and punishing workers who planned to go on strike last year.

http://aattp.org/walmart-ceo-mike-duke-forced-to-step-down-after-nlrb-pursues-workers-rights-violations

Whatever the reason, Duke's resignation should not allow Walmart to sweep its activities under the rug. The new boss is likely same as the old boss. Let's keep the spotlight on this horrible corporation.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/25/1258320/-Walmart-CEO-Resigns-Amid-Bribery-NLRB-Violations-Scandals

NLRB to Prosecute Wal-Mart For Violating Workers’ Rights (updated)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024053560

[Incitatus]

1. Heh, I suspect their CEOs are just puppets for the Waltons that control over 50% of the stock. \

Two of them are on the board of directors IIRC. When a board member with that much power makes a suggestion to the CEO, well you can guess.

[ProSense]

2. Likely. n/t

[ProSense]

3. Kick! n/t