Walmart Is Eliminating Greeters. Workers With Disabilities Feel Targeted

[Dulcinea]

If you ask John Combs what his biggest worry is, he'll say: "How will I feed Red?"

Red is actually white. He's a labradoodle rescue, just tall enough for Combs to pet if he reaches over the armrest of his wheelchair. Combs, 42, has cerebral palsy. He has difficulty speaking. But he has no difficulty saying the line most Americans have heard at least once: "Welcome to Walmart!"

Combs has one of Walmart's trademark front-door jobs: He's a "people greeter" at a store in Vancouver, Wash. But, he was told, come April 25 his job is going away. And he is not alone. According to Walmart, greeters are being removed at about 1,000 stores around the country.

NPR has found that Walmart is changing the job requirements for front-door greeters in a way that appears to disproportionately affect workers with disabilities. Greeters with disabilities in five states told NPR they expect to lose their jobs after April 25 or 26.

https://www.npr.org/2019/02/25/696718872/walmart-is-eliminating-greeters-workers-with-disabilities-feel-targeted

[appleannie1943]

1. They are eliminating sales clerks and janitors are being replaced with robots.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

2. K&R

[Haggis for Breakfast]

3. Walmart -- Biggest greed merchants in the world.

It's not bad enough that they have to hold food drives for their own employees, cheat their workers every possible way they can, end up in court for illegal practices, now they are ending the Greeters Program, which has always employed more older and disabled people.

THIS is NOT the company that Sam Walton envisioned. EVER.

[yaesu]

7. the Walton family just got a "yuge" tax break & this is their way of showing their appreciation

well, its pure capitalism, screw the public, greed is good, take advantage of the government & don't pay taxes.

[Mosby]

12. retailers are an easy target

Walmarts profits are not even in the same league as manufacturers and others like apple.

Last time I looked walmart was making 4 percent or so net profit, compare that to apple's 46%.

[radical noodle]

4. I haven't seen a Walmart greeter

in years. If they still have them, they either hide them or they aren't in my area of Florida.

[yaesu]

8. I rarely shop there but where I live if you need anything other than gas or food you have no choice

but to shop there. They still have greeters & I have always liked the idea. Walmart was starting to do a few progressive things to do backlash but since the fascists took control they have the F' you attitude when it comes to workers and the community.

[radical noodle]

10. We have a Walmart practically right next door

I don't shop there a lot but go there occasionally. I've never seen a greeter there (although I once ran into a helpful janitor in the office supply section once). This area is full of retired folks, so it does seem strange they don't have them here.

[Politicub]

13. Me, either

I thought the poisition had already been eliminated.

[JohnnyRingo]

5. It happened here

The local news did a story about the local WalMart that instituted new rules for greeters that made it impossible for an older disabled man to keep the job he's had for years. Bonus dis: he's a decorated veteran.

I believe it's true that the corporation is eyeing liability for workers who may not be as healthy as a minimum wage millennial.

[dalton99a]

6. Kick

[sakabatou]

9. Profits over people again

[SWBTATTReg]

11. Why couldn't Walmart move these people to other areas then? I'm disappointed but not...

surprised.