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QUIET THE CRITICS.
>> THERE IS ONE LINE ONLY.
>> Reporter: AS MILLIONS OF
SHOPPERS PUSH INTO WALMART THIS
HOLIDAY SEASON FOR BARGAINS,
THEY'RE EXPECTED TO SHOVE THE
RETAIL GIANTS' $17 BILLION IN
ANNUAL PROFITS EVEN HIGHER.
AND THAT IS NOT SITTING WELL
WITH TIFFANY WHO IS MARRIED WITH
TWO KIDS.
>> IT IS VERY, HOW SHOULD I SAY
IT?
DISGUSTING.
A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T MAKE THE
MONEY.
>> Reporter: SHE SAID SHE'S BEEN
AT WALMART FOR TWO YEARS WORKING
19 TO 40 HOURS A WEEK AND MADE
JUST $12,000 LAST YEAR.
>> I FEEL WALMART SHOULD PAY US
MORE THAN ENOUGH TO SUPPORT OUR
FAMILIES.
MORE LIKE $25,000 A YEAR.
>> ARE YOU ABLE TO GET BY ON THE
MONEY YOU MAKE FROM WALMART?
>> NOT AT ALL.
>> SHE IS PART OF THE PROTEST
GROUP OUR WALMART.
AN ASSOCIATION OF DISGRUNTLED
EMPLOYEES, ALONG WITH OTHERS
THEY'VE TRIED TO PRESSURE
WALMART IN LISTING MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS, CITY COUNCILS, ANYONE
THEY CAN ARGUING THE SUPER
RETAILER IS ESSENTIALLY
EXPLOITING THE HUNGER FOR JOBS.
WALMART, HOWEVER, HAS PUSHED
BACK HARD.
THE PRESIDENT AND CEO BILL
SIMON.
>> OUR PAY IS IN THE TOP HALF OF
WHAT RETAIL OFFERS.
WHAT OUR INDUSTRY OFFERS.
>> Reporter: WALMART U.S. CITES
A LITANY.
THEY HAVE 1.3 MILLION EMPLOYEES
WITH MORE THAN HALF FULL TIME.
THE AVERAGE PAY IS $12.83 AN
HOUR.
MORE THAN $5 ABOVE MINIMUM WAGE
AND MORE THAN THE AVERAGE RATE
FOR ALL HOURLY SALESPEOPLE IN
AMERICA.
>> OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM, OUR
ASSISTANT MANAGERS START AROUND
$55,000 A YEAR.
OUR STORE MANAGERS START AROUND
$100,000 A AREA.
>>> THE MATH CLEARLY WORKS FOR
MORE THAN 300,000 WALMART
EMPLOYEES.
WHO HAVE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY
FOR MORE THAN TEN SEAR.
BUT NOT FOR TIFFANY AND OTHERS
ON THE LOWER EDGE OF THE WALMART
PAY SCALE.
>> WHY DON'T YOU GO WORK FOR
SOMEONE ELSE?
>> I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR OTHER
JOKS.
IT IS HARD TO COME BY.
>> Reporter: AND THAT SEEM TO BE
ONE OF THE CHIEF COMPLAINTS FROM
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE
UPSET WITH WALMART.
THEN EVEN IN WALMART IS
UNDERSTANDING, WHAT THEY'RE
SAYING IS WALMART IS SIMPLY SO
POWERFUL IN THE MARKETPLACE THAT
WHATEVER IT DOES CREATES A DE
FACTO BASE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT
FOR A WHOLE COMMUNITY AND IT
AFFECTS OTHER BUSINESSES TOO.
WALMART SAYS WE'RE A PRIVATE
BUSINESS.
WE'RE SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF
THE EMPLOYEES AND THINGS GOING
ON IN THE ECONOMY BUT WE CAN'T
FIX EVERYTHING.
THIS IS A PRIVATE BUSINESS OUT
THERE TO MAKE PROFIT.
A FASCINATING DEBATE ABOUT THE
POWER OF PRIVATE BUSINESS IN A
PUBLIC SETTING.