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Speaker 1: Hey, this is Bridget and you're listening the stuff Mom

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Speaker 1: never told you, and today you were really excited to

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Speaker 1: talk about the store you might have heard of called Walmart.

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Speaker 1: I'm sure some of y'all out there have one in

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Speaker 1: your town, drive by it, maybe you even shop there.

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Speaker 1: Today we're gonna be getting into some of the not

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Speaker 1: so warm and fuzzy aspects of how Walmart troots its

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Speaker 1: employees and another company you might like a lot more

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Speaker 1: than Walmart called Modcloth, and spoiler alert, they are now

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Speaker 1: the same company. They are now owned and operated by

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Speaker 1: the same company, which I have to say I actually

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Speaker 1: didn't really know. For a while. I was a huge

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Speaker 1: Modcloth fan, like a lot of women. I'm sure, um

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Speaker 1: a lot of that goods in my apartment are from Modcloth. Um.

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Speaker 1: I didn't really love a lot of their clothing, but

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Speaker 1: I loved their like quirky homewears. It felt like Portland

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Speaker 1: if Portland was a clothing store, which great place. It

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Speaker 1: was never my thing. So I bring some vice to

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Speaker 1: the table on this one because I was never that

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Speaker 1: into the vintage inspired but not actually vintage clothing lines.

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Speaker 1: But I do respect the way that they made choices

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Speaker 1: around their marketing, which we'll we'll dive into, but this

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Speaker 1: latest choice was certainly a doozy. It was a doozy,

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Speaker 1: and I think for a lot of their fans online,

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Speaker 1: certainly a surprising one. So to take it back to

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Speaker 1: Walmart for a minute, I know you might be thinking, Okay,

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Speaker 1: so Walmart is one store, it's one retailer. Why should

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Speaker 1: anybody care what they do and what their labor practices

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Speaker 1: look like. But here's why you should care. Walmart is

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Speaker 1: actually the world's largest private employer. They employed two point

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Speaker 1: three million employees worldwide. That's more than all of the U.

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Speaker 1: S is active military personnel, which is pretty cute. It's

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Speaker 1: like our milletary. It rivals our military. The Walmart workforce

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Speaker 1: is its own army. Yeah, that's an accurate statement. Army, Navy,

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Speaker 1: every every branch. That's crazy. Yeah, it's it's huge, it's massive.

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Speaker 1: So really, we should all kind of be invested in

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Speaker 1: how Walmart shoots its employees because the way that Walmart

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Speaker 1: does things sets the tone for other retailers. If Walmart

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Speaker 1: can get away with something in terms of labor practices,

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Speaker 1: other smaller retailers feel like they probably can to the

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Speaker 1: sheer volume and influence that Walmart brings to the table

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Speaker 1: influences what folks expect in the working world, um, and

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Speaker 1: what they can get away with. Just like you said,

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Speaker 1: Bridget it's payroll and it's pay and it's practices for

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Speaker 1: employee management and talent management. Really moves the needle in

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Speaker 1: terms of what workers can expect in terms of rights

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Speaker 1: in this country, definitely and across the world definitely, definitely,

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Speaker 1: because Walmart does have global reach. So unless you've been

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Speaker 1: living under a rock, you might already know that Walmart

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Speaker 1: isn't really own for treating employees very fairly. Um, there's

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Speaker 1: a whole If we did an entire podcast about all

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Speaker 1: the allegations made against Walmart, this would be a seven

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Speaker 1: hour podcast and you would probably unless you were driving

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Speaker 1: across country, you would never listen to it. Um. To

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Speaker 1: sum it up, Walmart has had a long history of

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Speaker 1: treating employees and not so well. In twelve, Walmart was

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Speaker 1: fine at the Department of Labor for denying workers over

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Speaker 1: time pay have to pay back four point eight million

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Speaker 1: in back wages. Honestly, like you said, if we went

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Speaker 1: through every allegation, we would be here forever. So in

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Speaker 1: terms of recent proven violations of workers rights. They also

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Speaker 1: were ordered to pay truck drivers fifty four million dollars

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Speaker 1: after a California jury found that they had intentionally underpaid them,

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Speaker 1: And just as recently as this summer, a report from

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Speaker 1: workers advocacy group A Better Balance found that Walmart routinely

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Speaker 1: refuses to accept doctor's notes, pedalizes workers who take care

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Speaker 1: of a sick family member, and otherwise punishes employees for

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Speaker 1: lawful absences. There's a ton of retaliation in the Walmart culture,

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Speaker 1: and it feels like, despite what the policies might be

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Speaker 1: on the books, that managers in each and every store

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Speaker 1: had a ton of leeway and made kind of arbitrary

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Speaker 1: choices and how they treated workers fairly or not so fairly,

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Speaker 1: exactly Emily, And later on in the show, we're gonna

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Speaker 1: talk to Janie Grice, a Walmart employee who says that's

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Speaker 1: exactly what's going on at Walmart. And a recent report,

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Speaker 1: based on the survey of more than a thousand employees

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Speaker 1: just like Janie, accuses Walmart violating the American with Disabilities Act,

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Speaker 1: the Family and Medical Leave Act, and a whole bunch

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Speaker 1: of other worker protection laws that are already on the books.

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Speaker 1: These are workers rights that we've already fought for, and

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Speaker 1: by the way, we don't really have that many in

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Speaker 1: this country right now, and a lot of them have

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Speaker 1: been peeled back or or or rolled back in states

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Speaker 1: that are right to work, states where labor laws have

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Speaker 1: become even weaker, and protections for workers have become sort

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Speaker 1: of a passe and not quite a thing anymore. But

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Speaker 1: even when it comes to the laws that we do

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Speaker 1: have on the books, and earlier complaint was made with

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Speaker 1: the e O c our our pals that we always

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Speaker 1: like to mention friends of the show, the Equal Employment

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Speaker 1: Opportunity Commission, and in a lawsuit filed last month, uh

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Speaker 1: reports show that Walmart discriminated against pregnant workers. And when

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Speaker 1: you really drilled down on the way that Walmart deals

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Speaker 1: with women, you really see that the problem is magnified

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Speaker 1: when you bring gender into the mix. The vast majority

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Speaker 1: of associates receive no paid leave or flexible schedules to

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Speaker 1: help them take care of their families. And actually Walmart

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Speaker 1: doesn't release their data on pay equity, but a two

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Speaker 1: thousand and one study found the man at Walmart make

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Speaker 1: an average of five thousand two hundred dollars more than women.

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Speaker 1: And that's just for the same work. And that's just

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Speaker 1: what we know about, right, So it's not good. It's

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Speaker 1: not good, and I think it's you know, we all

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Speaker 1: sort of know that Walmart sucks. We know that they

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Speaker 1: don't give their employees benefits, and those prices, the low

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Speaker 1: low prices like lure so many of us in um

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Speaker 1: and I always feel guilty when I, on occasion, stroll

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Speaker 1: into a Walmart because I'm in the middle of nowhere

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Speaker 1: on the road and i need a protein bar or something,

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Speaker 1: and they've made the experience seem really quite friendly and pleasant,

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Speaker 1: and they've really tried to brand themselves as like low

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Speaker 1: prices because you America deserves a break, and they play

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Speaker 1: into the financial insecurity that they're perpetuating. That's something I've

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Speaker 1: always found so difficult to wrap my head around with

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Speaker 1: Walmart is that I get it if you are a

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Speaker 1: frazzled single parent and you just need to run in

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Speaker 1: to grab some stuff on the sheep and then like

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Speaker 1: run back home and make dinner. Part of me can

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Speaker 1: totally understand why maybe Walmart's labor practices aren't the first

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Speaker 1: and foremost thing in your mind when you're just trying

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Speaker 1: to get through your day. Yeah, and everybody's got to

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Speaker 1: make those tough choices about the family budget and stretching

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Speaker 1: the family dollar. But it's important to know what you're supporting.

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Speaker 1: It's important to know that. In two thousand one, Walmart

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Speaker 1: was at the center of a of a lawsuit, a

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Speaker 1: class action lawsuit, Duke's versus Walmart, which was a landmark

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Speaker 1: gender discrimination case that made it all the way up

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Speaker 1: to the Supreme Court. Betty Duke's Walmart greeter, despite six

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Speaker 1: years of work and totally positive performance reviews, she was

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Speaker 1: denied the training that she needed to advance to a

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Speaker 1: higher salaried position, which, by the way, is something that

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Speaker 1: Walmart constantly is telling people. You know, the opportunities are

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Speaker 1: here for you. You You just gotta pull yourself up by

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Speaker 1: your blue Walmart best, you know what I mean. Like

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Speaker 1: they make it sound like if you're not rising in

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Speaker 1: the ranks of management, that's on you, because we've given

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Speaker 1: you every opportunity, And they try to make it clear

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Speaker 1: or at least there's i think a branded message that

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Speaker 1: we're here to offer career paths, and that's not the case.

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Speaker 1: In reality, a lot of the workers that we've heard

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Speaker 1: from and Janey, who we're going to hear from in

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Speaker 1: a minute, makes it very clear that those opportunities are

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Speaker 1: not given freely or equally. Yeah, I couldn't agree more.

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Speaker 1: Even in researching this episode, when you go to Walmart's

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Speaker 1: own website for employees and potential employees, the first thing

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Speaker 1: that jumps out at you is opportunity in advancement. They've

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Speaker 1: clearly sold potential employees on this idea that if they

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Speaker 1: join up with Walmart and work hard, they can work

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Speaker 1: their way through their ranks. And they love having all

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Speaker 1: these stats about how many of their employees started as

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Speaker 1: associates and then worked throwing up to management. It's clearly

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Speaker 1: a branding choice that they love relying on and selling

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Speaker 1: and packaging to make themselves seem really warm and cuddly.

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Speaker 1: Doesn't it sound like the American dreams? It does sound

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Speaker 1: like the American dream is also a false sale, Yeah,

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Speaker 1: which is not really like class mobility. What the hell

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Speaker 1: is that in this country anymore? You know what I mean?

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Speaker 1: So it seems like a battle of perception. Is it

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Speaker 1: on you, the individual to rise in the ranks, and therefore,

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Speaker 1: if you don't it's a personal failure or is it

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Speaker 1: the systemic injustices that are perpetuated by clear, calculated, strategic,

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Speaker 1: and structural choices about how this organized station runs its business. Well,

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Speaker 1: the one point six million women involved in this duke's

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Speaker 1: case would say it is not their choices, it's a

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Speaker 1: systematic way of keeping women down who work at Walmart.

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Speaker 1: In this filing, one plaintiffs store manager justified giving a

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Speaker 1: large raise to a male employee because he had a

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Speaker 1: family to support all the daddy bump. Remember we talked

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Speaker 1: about the mommy tax, which what was it? The daddy bonus?

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Speaker 1: He basically openly acknowledged, this is why I'm giving this

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Speaker 1: dude to promotion. And all the women and mothers in

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Speaker 1: the room were like than. He later suggestive to the

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Speaker 1: plaintiff that she quote doll up and quote blow the

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Speaker 1: cobwebs off her makeup to make herself more promotable. Who

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Speaker 1: the says blow the cobwebs off your makeup? I can

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Speaker 1: close my eyes and see who this guy is. A

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Speaker 1: packed lip of dip. He's like, you know what, sweetheart,

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Speaker 1: if you just blow the cobwebs off that makeup? Now,

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Speaker 1: what is this accent? I don't know. I like went

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Speaker 1: for some Texan and then it turned into like something

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Speaker 1: really not Texan. But it feels like this, like deep South,

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Speaker 1: good old boy. It's like a complete throwback, and I

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Speaker 1: think that that really illustrates the kind of climate that

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Speaker 1: these women say they were dealing with the Walmart. I

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Speaker 1: just offended all of our listeners in the deeps. I'm sorry.

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Speaker 1: I actually love Texas. Just the record, So we were

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Speaker 1: talking about this class action lawsuit and how they systematically

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Speaker 1: discriminated against women. So in a bunch of the store

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Speaker 1: managers at California, Walmart's not deep South. By the way,

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Speaker 1: we're advised at the institute where Walmart trains its managers

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Speaker 1: that the reason there are few senior female managers at

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Speaker 1: Walmart is because men were quote more aggressive in achieving

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Speaker 1: those levels of responsibility than women, which, by the way,

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Speaker 1: we already know as BS all the data set is

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Speaker 1: that it's not the fact that women are less aggressive

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Speaker 1: and not going for promotions and things like that. Actually

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Speaker 1: that's not true. Wants to embrace aggression. Who's like lauding

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Speaker 1: aggression here? What the hell is that about? I think

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Speaker 1: they mean an assertive which is a different soapbox that

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Speaker 1: I could get on. And this also just goes to

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Speaker 1: show you how much bad HR training is out there.

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Speaker 1: In my like putting on my diversity and inclusion HR

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Speaker 1: training hat, like, there are slides out there that say,

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Speaker 1: here's why women just can't get it right, Like, come on, ladies,

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Speaker 1: be more like men? What is with me in accents today?

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Speaker 1: I love it. I'm in like a loopy rage about

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Speaker 1: this though, So listen to this. The managers at the institute,

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Speaker 1: we're cautioned that efforts to promote women could lead to

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Speaker 1: the selection of less qualified women over more qualified men,

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Speaker 1: Which is that same tired idea that if you promote

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Speaker 1: women to promoting people who aren't as good, which we've

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Speaker 1: already debunked and our Silicon Valley episode. It is the

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Speaker 1: equal and opposite reaction to the gender and inclusion conversation,

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Speaker 1: and it doesn't surprise me, sadly, but it does remind

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Speaker 1: me of how basic the fundamental differences are between folks

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Speaker 1: who see gender and inclusion training and promotion as fixing

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Speaker 1: a flawed and inherently biased problem versus folks who think

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Speaker 1: it's like giving an upper hand and you know, stealing

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Speaker 1: jobs from white men stealing jobs from more qualified white

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Speaker 1: candidates than giving them to less qualified women and people

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Speaker 1: of color. Yeah, it also belieses the assumption that aggressive

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Speaker 1: is the model archetype of leadership, which is partly probably

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Speaker 1: the reason why so many of their managers pursue such

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Speaker 1: abhorrent policy. Totally, and you know, I have a whole

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Speaker 1: thing against that. I hate when people say, oh, if

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Speaker 1: you want to get ahead, just be just be more aggressive,

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Speaker 1: be more like men. I actually don't think that's good advice. Same.

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Speaker 1: I have a whole thing on assertive versus aggressive, which

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Speaker 1: will will dabble into more, but it's real. It's assertive.

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Speaker 1: You want to be assertive. You want to be reciprocal

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Speaker 1: in caring about other people's rights, but clear about what

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Speaker 1: you want and need, but not aggressive, not steamrolling over

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Speaker 1: other people. That's not what leaders do anyway. Sadly, this

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Speaker 1: case was granted class action status, but when it landed

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Speaker 1: in the Supreme Court, basically due to a loyally legal technicality,

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Speaker 1: the status was reversed. In a five for decision. The

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Speaker 1: conservative judges of the court felt that the women's complaints

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Speaker 1: were too dissimilar, there were too many, there was such

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Speaker 1: a myriad of ways in which women were being screwed

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Speaker 1: over that it wasn't fair to lump them into one

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Speaker 1: class action suit, which is just like, really, there's too

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Speaker 1: many nuances to how they women over like to make

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Speaker 1: it a class action lawsuits exactly. And you know who

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Speaker 1: we have to thank for that is the late Anton Scalia.

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Speaker 1: But of course our old friend and notorio RBG. Ruth

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Speaker 1: Bader Ginsburg had a lot to say about that. She

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Speaker 1: was a dissending vote in this case, and she said

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Speaker 1: that she found that gender bias suffused Walmart's corporate culture. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: and it sounds like all the judges agreed that there

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Speaker 1: was a problem with the form of the case, which

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Speaker 1: didn't argue that one million plus employees were discriminated against

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Speaker 1: in the same way. So it seems like someone's legal

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Speaker 1: team got lost on a technicality. Yeah, and it really

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Speaker 1: kind of set the tone that Walmart was able to,

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Speaker 1: I think, get away with unfair labor practices, particularly as

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Speaker 1: it pertains to women, for a while on a mass scale,

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Speaker 1: without repercussions. And I'm sure they had the best lawyers

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Speaker 1: in the world, you know. And and we're not lawyers,

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Speaker 1: so you know, we're not we're not able to break

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Speaker 1: apart the flaws in the case that was made, but

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Speaker 1: it does feel like they missed the point that the

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Speaker 1: justices agreed on the fact that these were discriminatory practices,

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Speaker 1: but they were just not similar enough in nature to

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Speaker 1: file in a class action lawsuit exactly. And these kinds

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Speaker 1: of disputes have not gone away, And in fact, earlier

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Speaker 1: this week, almost six years after the courts throughout the

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Speaker 1: Duke's case, more women are coming forward to sue Walmart

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Speaker 1: alleging gender discrimination. Now, this new suit alleges that Walmart

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Speaker 1: is violating Title seven of the Civil Rights Act of

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Speaker 1: nineteen sixty four. Right, So that's a federal law that

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Speaker 1: prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color,

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Speaker 1: national origin, and religion. And it really applies to businesses

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Speaker 1: with fifteen or more employees, including governments. So obviously Walmart

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Speaker 1: fits the bill. And in this lawsuit, they alleged that

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Speaker 1: Walmart's in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee,

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Speaker 1: in Virginia had a disparate impact. So that could mean,

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Speaker 1: you know, in wages, in hiring rates, in promotions, in

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Speaker 1: firing in terms of its female employees in those regions,

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Speaker 1: and it was not justified by any kind of business necessity,

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Speaker 1: So it was just pure discrimination. And I think the

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Speaker 1: guests that we'll talk to later in the episode, who

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Speaker 1: is actually based in South Carolina, can really speak to

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Speaker 1: what she's seen as a female employee working at Walmart.

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Speaker 1: We're gonna dive into some of the ways that Walmart

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Speaker 1: has tried to shed their not so nice image in

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Speaker 1: favor of a cuter, cuddlier, dare I say, more feminist

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Speaker 1: branding after this clickbreak and we're back, and we were

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Speaker 1: just talking about some of the ways that we kind

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Speaker 1: of already know Walmart isn't so great, But what's the

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Speaker 1: deal with Modcloth? Where do they come in? So you

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Speaker 1: may have noticed that Amazon is really taking over our,

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Speaker 1: you know, e commerce landscape, and Walmart has really been

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Speaker 1: trying to adopt a hipper, more modern vibe to compete exactly.

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Speaker 1: So They've added free shipping on their website, They've acquired

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Speaker 1: trendy e commerce outlets like jet dot com, and this

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Speaker 1: expansion for Walmart is, okay, how do we keep our

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Speaker 1: big box retailers relevant in an e comm era? And

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Speaker 1: so they've made strategic acquisitions to their company that can

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Speaker 1: help with their brand, can help them stay relevant, can

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Speaker 1: help them stay forward facing, and that is part of

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Speaker 1: the reason that they wanted to and successfully acquired mod Cloth.

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Speaker 1: So Montcloth is one of those companies with a cult following.

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Speaker 1: If you're like me, Like I said earlier in the show,

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Speaker 1: you Love It, women lived for this brand, and I

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Speaker 1: can totally understand why it had one of those cute

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Speaker 1: founding stories. Montcloth was founded in two thousand two in

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Speaker 1: a college dorm room. Susan Gregg Koger and her then

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Speaker 1: boyfriend Eric Coger founded it while they were students at

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Speaker 1: Carnegie Mellon. And basically it's one of those companies that

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Speaker 1: went from being founded in a dorm room to being really,

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Speaker 1: really successful and lucrative, which I think is a story

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Speaker 1: that everyone kind of loves. So after nixing this idea

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Speaker 1: of selling on eBay because she was a thrifter and

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Speaker 1: apparently there was a thing that a lot of boss

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Speaker 1: ladies were doing in this time period, um, the couple

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Speaker 1: ended up being able to support themselves throughout school by

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Speaker 1: starting their own site. So Monecloth was initially selling vintage

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Speaker 1: clothing through their website, but because they only had like

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Speaker 1: one or two sizes per item, and they were getting

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Speaker 1: to the point between two thousand and two and two

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Speaker 1: thousand and five when they were getting like seventy thousand

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Speaker 1: unique shoppers a day, and realized, Hey, even though we're

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Speaker 1: just college students and this was sort of a hobby,

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Speaker 1: this is something I could do as a full time

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Speaker 1: job upon graduation in a year. So it was certainly

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Speaker 1: more interesting than what the career center had to offer.

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Speaker 1: And they realized if they got serious about scaling their

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Speaker 1: business that they could actually pursue it. So Susan and

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Speaker 1: Eric decided they were going to pursue financing. They went

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Speaker 1: to a major fashion trade show in Las Vegas. They

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Speaker 1: put together their first own original collection that was not

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Speaker 1: thrifted but was inspired by the sort of vintage look

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Speaker 1: that Monocloth had built its brand around, and they ended

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Speaker 1: up raising some serious capital. Folks put a million dollars

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Speaker 1: into the business and it took off, and so Moncloth

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Speaker 1: grew from this very like, oh, very scrappy, thrifty female

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Speaker 1: lead endeavor to a venture backed, scalable business that was

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Speaker 1: making real money, which is so cool. I mean that

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Speaker 1: story of just being someone who loved to shop in

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Speaker 1: fifth stores and vintage stores and had an eye for fashion,

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Speaker 1: turning that from a hobby that you do from your

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Speaker 1: dorm room into a million dollar company. That's the stuff

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Speaker 1: dreams are made of. Another thing that I think made

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Speaker 1: Modo such a cult favorite is that they actually genuinely

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Speaker 1: seem to care about women and feminist causes. Right they

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Speaker 1: walked the walk, they didn't just talk the talk. So

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Speaker 1: in two thousand and fourteen, they were the first retailer

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Speaker 1: to sign the Hero's Pledge in advertising, which promised not

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Speaker 1: to use photoshop on their images. They were really known

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Speaker 1: for using staff members as models and other real women

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Speaker 1: instead of professional models, and had always been good about

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Speaker 1: inclusive of sizing and fit for different body types. The

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Speaker 1: employees also seem to really believe in its feminist mission.

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Speaker 1: One employee told jez Bell that it was an absolute

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Speaker 1: dream job. The thing that made it so special is

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Speaker 1: that the company was genuine when it talked about its values.

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Speaker 1: Everyone that worked there shared those values personally. It was

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Speaker 1: a place that you all felt good about the work

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Speaker 1: that you were doing. Those values explicitly involved feminism. She

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Speaker 1: adds Susan is a feminist, she's open about that, and

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Speaker 1: the company aligned with those values. I think that's why

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Speaker 1: it grew so rapidly. And I really agree. I think

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Speaker 1: there are so many crappy companies out there that talk

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Speaker 1: a big game about being good for women and wanting

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Speaker 1: to market toward women. Maybe your Ivanka Trump's of the

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Speaker 1: world might be included in that, But then when you

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Speaker 1: pick it apart, it actually is terrible for women or

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Speaker 1: treats women badly, or is it feminist at all, or

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Speaker 1: makes all kinds of crappy gross employment and labor choices.

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Speaker 1: I think it was really refreshing for women to have

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Speaker 1: a clothing retailer that actually one made clothes that you

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Speaker 1: would want to wear, and to seem to really respect

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Speaker 1: feminist ideals, not just in a way that was lips

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Speaker 1: of this, but in a way that was authentic. Also.

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Speaker 1: This was like years before Beyonce I danced in front

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Speaker 1: of the word feminist. This was before feminism was the

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Speaker 1: de facto marketing strategy for all women's business models. Um

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Speaker 1: And then in March, Modcloth was acquired by Walmart, Like what, like,

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Speaker 1: how does that happen? How does that story end? That way,

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Speaker 1: it seems like such a strange choice for Modcloth that

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Speaker 1: you have to wonder why. Yeah, I mean, that's certainly

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Speaker 1: what their fans were asking. There was a lot of

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Speaker 1: outcry online. Connie Warner, a Modcloth fan who started the

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Speaker 1: boycott Modcloth page on Facebook, said, the thing I loved

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Speaker 1: about Modcloth is that I knew the clothes I bought

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Speaker 1: there couldn't be found at Macy's and weren't worn by

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Speaker 1: the masses no more. I've unsubscribed from their emails. I

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Speaker 1: refused to shop at a store owned by Walmart, And

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Speaker 1: it just seems like for Walmart, a brand booster and

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Speaker 1: a digital acquisition in t stay relevant in this era

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Speaker 1: of e commerce. For Modcloth, it seems like a death

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Speaker 1: sentence totally, especially when your customers have so much writing

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Speaker 1: on you as this warm, cuddly, you know, feminist warm

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Speaker 1: fuzzies organization. To just sort of yank that rug from

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Speaker 1: under them seems like such a strange choice to me.

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Speaker 1: And it's no wonder that people on Twitter there was

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Speaker 1: so much hate. Like when the founder of mod Cloth

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Speaker 1: put the statement out on her blog that they were

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Speaker 1: getting bought by Walmart, all of the comments were basically like, oh,

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Speaker 1: you're selling your soul enjoying all the money. You said

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Speaker 1: that you were a feminist, but clearly you have sold

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Speaker 1: us out. I hope it was worth it. Yeah, Well,

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Speaker 1: tech crunches reporting that it's sold for between fifty and

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Speaker 1: seventy five million, So I'm pretty sure that the Kogers

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Speaker 1: are sitting on a pile of money saying, oh, our

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Speaker 1: internet fans are are mad at us, but somehow we'll

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Speaker 1: get on. She's like wiping her tears and hundred dollar

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Speaker 1: bills exactly, just like blowing her nose in them, you

409
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Speaker 1: know what I mean. Like the state meant she put

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Speaker 1: out about this was very eye opening in my opinion.

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Speaker 1: And I'll be clear here y'all. I was never a

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Speaker 1: big modcloth fan. I am not a Zoe Deschanel aesthetic

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Speaker 1: type Portlandia chick. This is not my thing. So I

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Speaker 1: was totally not in the cult of modcloth. And when

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Speaker 1: I read this quote from her, her statement that she

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Speaker 1: put out about this, which I should say, she's a

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Speaker 1: co owner with her husband, so we shouldn't put all

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Speaker 1: the blame on her. But when I read the statement

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Speaker 1: that they made about this sale in this choice, I

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Speaker 1: was like, this is the most narcissistic thing I've ever

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Speaker 1: read that does not value the response that her fans

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Speaker 1: are giving her. Here's what she said, so she told

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Speaker 1: Jezebel quote, I spent the last fifteen years of my

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Speaker 1: life working on this business and trying to make a

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Speaker 1: positive difference in the world. It hurts to hear former

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Speaker 1: employees and customers tell me that I'm selling out or

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Speaker 1: that I'm ruining the brand a k A. My life's

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Speaker 1: worked so far, But now that I've had some time

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Speaker 1: to think about everything, I've realized the negative reactions are

430
00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:09,600
Speaker 1: actually an indication of how strong the Modcloth brand and

431
00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:14,240
Speaker 1: community are. People truly and passionately care about it and

432
00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,200
Speaker 1: feel like it's something that they own, and that's extremely

433
00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:19,480
Speaker 1: hard to create in a brand. So I'm proud of

434
00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:23,120
Speaker 1: that reaction too in some way. Okay, first of all,

435
00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:27,920
Speaker 1: that is some real double speak of oh, well, actually

436
00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:29,720
Speaker 1: it's a good thing because it just shows that our

437
00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:32,920
Speaker 1: customers love our brand that much but they hate us now, Yeah,

438
00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:36,359
Speaker 1: I mean, aren't I amazing at creating a brand that

439
00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,199
Speaker 1: so many people bought into that they now hate me

440
00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:42,399
Speaker 1: for making this totally off brand choice about how to

441
00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:45,000
Speaker 1: cash out. Also, do you buy that she didn't quite

442
00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:47,760
Speaker 1: know how passionately people felt about this brand. Do you

443
00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,000
Speaker 1: think that's just something she's saying after that, I think

444
00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,240
Speaker 1: she's I mean, who knows. I'm speculating, But if I

445
00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,760
Speaker 1: saw Sophia m Rosso bankrupt her business and sell Girl

446
00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:01,760
Speaker 1: Boss like she's been selling it and start holding women's

447
00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:06,800
Speaker 1: empowerment conferences and traveling the world talking about what women

448
00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:10,159
Speaker 1: entrepreneurs should be doing, I would probably cash in on

449
00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,800
Speaker 1: that too. And maybe she had no options. Maybe she's

450
00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,720
Speaker 1: got reasons that we don't know about, but she's said

451
00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:18,280
Speaker 1: that she wants to travel the world. I'm sure she's

452
00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:19,680
Speaker 1: going to have her face on the cover of a

453
00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:23,600
Speaker 1: book sometime soon, touting how to start a feminist revolution

454
00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:26,960
Speaker 1: one vintage piece of clothing at a time. And honestly,

455
00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:31,159
Speaker 1: that like grinds my gears a little bit because she

456
00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:35,040
Speaker 1: left her company in the hands of CEO Matt Cannis,

457
00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,399
Speaker 1: who routinely makes negative comments about the use of plus

458
00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:42,040
Speaker 1: size models and wanted to see fewer of them on

459
00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:46,439
Speaker 1: the site, telling employees that they weren't quote aspirational to

460
00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,600
Speaker 1: look at. Although he denies saying that, Yeah, he denies

461
00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,040
Speaker 1: making these comments. He says that he never said that.

462
00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,520
Speaker 1: He says, look at our track record of including you know,

463
00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,879
Speaker 1: plus size women on the site. But a really interesting

464
00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,760
Speaker 1: article from Jez Bell called how Much Health, straight from

465
00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:03,920
Speaker 1: its feminist beginnings and ended at the Walmart property. They

466
00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:07,520
Speaker 1: actually look at glass door reviews from former employees, and

467
00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:11,680
Speaker 1: it really sounds like there was some issue in terms

468
00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:14,480
Speaker 1: of how they were going to move forward with being

469
00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:17,119
Speaker 1: size inclusive. And I think that's so awful considering the

470
00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:19,359
Speaker 1: fact that that was one of the main things that

471
00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,600
Speaker 1: made Modcloth Modcloth was the fact that they offered sizes

472
00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:26,040
Speaker 1: for everybody. They offered closed on everybody, And it seems

473
00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,560
Speaker 1: like this was something that as soon as the company

474
00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:32,520
Speaker 1: switched ownership, they were no longer really invested in protecting.

475
00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:34,520
Speaker 1: It was like this legacy that they had built. As

476
00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:36,840
Speaker 1: soon as they got a new CEO or bought by Walmart,

477
00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:40,520
Speaker 1: that legacy started to be shipped away. And that, I mean,

478
00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:42,879
Speaker 1: those are hard choices to make as a business owner.

479
00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:47,480
Speaker 1: They really are. I can't imagine like a future in

480
00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:49,840
Speaker 1: which I would leave my company in the hands of

481
00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,840
Speaker 1: someone else. But because I care so much about what

482
00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:56,040
Speaker 1: we do, and because I started it, which I understand

483
00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:58,879
Speaker 1: the kind of love that you have for a community

484
00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,640
Speaker 1: and a business that you've create aided just you wouldn't

485
00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:06,200
Speaker 1: hand your baby off to someone who doesn't share your values.

486
00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:09,600
Speaker 1: Wouldn't that be part of the negotiation and vetting process

487
00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:12,919
Speaker 1: of a potential acquisition. I mean, maybe they just felt

488
00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:16,000
Speaker 1: like this was their only option and they wanted out.

489
00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:21,199
Speaker 1: But it just feels like a huge PR win for

490
00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:25,520
Speaker 1: Walmart and a huge fail on so many levels for

491
00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:28,040
Speaker 1: everyone that loved moder Cloth except for those who are

492
00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:32,920
Speaker 1: sitting on a cash pile right now. Yeah, and I

493
00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:35,040
Speaker 1: mean there's there are a lot of their staff members

494
00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,240
Speaker 1: are leaving vocally, a lot of their clients and customers

495
00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:41,520
Speaker 1: are leaving vocally. I mean, who knows exactly how it

496
00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,040
Speaker 1: went down except the folks who were in the room.

497
00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:46,159
Speaker 1: But the founders said that they would be spending the

498
00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:49,239
Speaker 1: next year traveling the world and writing a book, and

499
00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:52,040
Speaker 1: that we've lived three lifetimes in the last fifteen years

500
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:54,679
Speaker 1: and it would feel really good to share our successes,

501
00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:59,879
Speaker 1: failures and learnings with others. And y'all get ready for

502
00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:04,120
Speaker 1: some pr campaign around how she did it and how

503
00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,399
Speaker 1: you can do it too. And that's the thing that

504
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,720
Speaker 1: bothers me most of all. It's like Girl Boss all

505
00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:13,680
Speaker 1: over again, which they just made a financially ruinous decision

506
00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:17,040
Speaker 1: for their company and she's going to capitalize on it. Well,

507
00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:19,240
Speaker 1: that's exactly the thing. As jez Bell points out at

508
00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:21,360
Speaker 1: the end of this article, you know who doesn't really

509
00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:24,679
Speaker 1: have the option to travel the world and sell their story.

510
00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:27,200
Speaker 1: The rest of the employees who are still let my cloth.

511
00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:29,280
Speaker 1: One of them is quoted in this article of saying

512
00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,720
Speaker 1: I'm left really sad and conflicted. I've been actively boycotting

513
00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,359
Speaker 1: Walmart for years. Having to sign papers saying I now

514
00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:37,919
Speaker 1: work for them is a tough pill to swallow, and

515
00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:40,920
Speaker 1: it just makes you think they probably learned all these

516
00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,080
Speaker 1: people into working for what they thought was this great

517
00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:46,160
Speaker 1: feminist company, only to pull the rug from under them,

518
00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:49,680
Speaker 1: you know, for money. Well, it's just like faux feminism

519
00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:51,880
Speaker 1: on display, y'all. It's not about what you say, it's

520
00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,040
Speaker 1: about what you do. It is not about one woman's

521
00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,760
Speaker 1: success story. That's all feminism is. It's not about supporting

522
00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:03,640
Speaker 1: a corporate conglomy like Walmart that routinely discriminates against women.

523
00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:07,440
Speaker 1: How can you reconcile those two beliefs. I am not

524
00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:10,840
Speaker 1: trying to throw shade at a woman entrepreneur or any

525
00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,240
Speaker 1: entrepreneur who's trying to make a buck. I get it, like,

526
00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:17,080
Speaker 1: good on you, but don't talk the feminist talk and

527
00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:22,760
Speaker 1: hand your company over to Walmart with their labor practices

528
00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,720
Speaker 1: and their outright hostility towards women exactly. And I think

529
00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:30,160
Speaker 1: you know, as women as consumers, something that we advocate

530
00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,320
Speaker 1: a lot more on the show is just knowing where

531
00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,880
Speaker 1: your money is going. So if you're someone who shops

532
00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:38,520
Speaker 1: at Walmart, shops at Modcloth, know what you're getting into,

533
00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:40,400
Speaker 1: know where your dollar is going, and know what you're

534
00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:43,640
Speaker 1: going to support. That's that's been my argument since day one.

535
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:45,880
Speaker 1: I get it. I get that not everybody is ready

536
00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:48,160
Speaker 1: to cut Walmart out of their life completely, because maybe

537
00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:50,960
Speaker 1: that's not realistic for everybody. But I think that we

538
00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:55,240
Speaker 1: should be advocating or folks to understand what the companies

539
00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,680
Speaker 1: they support are actually doing in the world. And I

540
00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:02,520
Speaker 1: think that's what is so troubling for me, particularly when

541
00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:05,560
Speaker 1: you look at the fact that Walmart kind of obscures

542
00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:07,560
Speaker 1: that they own mod Cloth. When you go to modcloth

543
00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:11,120
Speaker 1: dot com, it doesn't say a Walmart company there there,

544
00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:13,360
Speaker 1: and I don't think that's a coincidence. Oh yeah, they

545
00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:16,280
Speaker 1: want this not to be in our podcast. They explicitly

546
00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:19,960
Speaker 1: want to not associate their Walmart brand. They want to

547
00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,360
Speaker 1: keep taking millennial women's money exactly. That's what they want, y'all.

548
00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,080
Speaker 1: So just know you're being duped into supporting Walmart for

549
00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:29,160
Speaker 1: shopping out Modclough right now. And as feminists, you know,

550
00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,120
Speaker 1: it's always important to be thinking about all different kinds

551
00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,520
Speaker 1: of women. If your feminism is just for upper middle

552
00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,960
Speaker 1: class ladies, it's not really, at least in my book,

553
00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:39,760
Speaker 1: it's not really feminism. And so when you're spending your money,

554
00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:43,560
Speaker 1: think about how other women are being treated, how that

555
00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:47,480
Speaker 1: money is impacting other women who might not be like yourself.

556
00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:49,600
Speaker 1: What are you going to support in their life. We're

557
00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:51,320
Speaker 1: gonna talk a little bit more about what it looks

558
00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:54,160
Speaker 1: like for women employees at Walmart after this thick break

559
00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,400
Speaker 1: and we're back today. We are so thrilled to be

560
00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:08,120
Speaker 1: joined by Jamie Grace. Janie is a Walmart associate and

561
00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:12,040
Speaker 1: a member of our Walmart, an organization that really harnesses

562
00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:15,400
Speaker 1: the power of Walmart associates to campaign for better labor

563
00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:18,520
Speaker 1: practices and therapy. Janie, thank you so much for being

564
00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:22,200
Speaker 1: here today. Thank you for having me so, Jennie, tell

565
00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:25,080
Speaker 1: us a little bit about our Walmart. What is our Walmart?

566
00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:30,080
Speaker 1: Our Walmart is this fabulous organization that I was lucky

567
00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:33,520
Speaker 1: enough to be able to join. Um. It's an organization

568
00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:38,320
Speaker 1: that were founded by current and former associates of Walmart,

569
00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:43,360
Speaker 1: fightings for the needs of the associates. And how long

570
00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:46,640
Speaker 1: have you been a Walmart associate? How did you find

571
00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:50,800
Speaker 1: yourself working there? Wow, I've been with Walmart now for

572
00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:54,040
Speaker 1: four years as of yesterday. I used to hear such

573
00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:56,480
Speaker 1: good things about Walmart and how it was a great

574
00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,760
Speaker 1: company to work for. Well, evidently that was long before

575
00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:03,720
Speaker 1: my term because I hadn't seen it yet. And what

576
00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:08,800
Speaker 1: happened with me personally, I lost my job UM that

577
00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:13,680
Speaker 1: I had prior, Well, it was years prior. The unemployment

578
00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:16,680
Speaker 1: rate in my my my my talent was so high,

579
00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:19,640
Speaker 1: we had the whole we had the highest unemployment rate

580
00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:24,200
Speaker 1: in the state of South Carolina, and it was really

581
00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:26,880
Speaker 1: really hard trying to sign a job. And I put

582
00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:29,640
Speaker 1: in an application of Walwar Walbar maybe two or three

583
00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:32,800
Speaker 1: years prior to me actually getting a job. I actually

584
00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:37,120
Speaker 1: had a job with UM the library when I got

585
00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:39,520
Speaker 1: hired on at Walmart, And the reason why I left

586
00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:42,520
Speaker 1: that job is because it was actually parts fine. So

587
00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:46,680
Speaker 1: when I was hired at Walmart, the manager who hired

588
00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:49,720
Speaker 1: me said that she would give me, you know, enough

589
00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:51,840
Speaker 1: hours to where you know, I could live in for

590
00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:54,239
Speaker 1: a while. That's that's what was happening. But you know,

591
00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:58,400
Speaker 1: with different managers, different things happened. So it all depends

592
00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,360
Speaker 1: on who. You know. Why is it important to you

593
00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:04,600
Speaker 1: to join an organization like our Walmart that's involved in

594
00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:08,160
Speaker 1: helping associates speak up for better better pay and better

595
00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:13,160
Speaker 1: labor practices. Well because I, I, for one, I got

596
00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:16,440
Speaker 1: tired of UM feeling like I was alone in this.

597
00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,360
Speaker 1: I didn't know that there were a whole lot of

598
00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:21,840
Speaker 1: more associates that was going through the exact, exact same

599
00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:24,959
Speaker 1: things that me and so many more of my coworkers

600
00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:29,240
Speaker 1: were going through. So being able to reach out or

601
00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,240
Speaker 1: have to or reach out to you and let you know, well,

602
00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:36,480
Speaker 1: we have an organization and we need people like you

603
00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:39,880
Speaker 1: to you know, speak out about injustices that that are

604
00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:45,040
Speaker 1: going on within Walmart. So that was just like uh

605
00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:49,040
Speaker 1: eye opener for me. Yeah, it's probably really impactful to

606
00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:50,880
Speaker 1: know that you're not alone with your with what you're

607
00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:54,040
Speaker 1: dealing with. So, if you're dealing with low pay, discrimination,

608
00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:57,400
Speaker 1: things that don't seem fair, sometimes it probably feels like

609
00:33:57,600 --> 00:33:59,720
Speaker 1: you're dealing with that just on your own and you

610
00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:02,280
Speaker 1: have to a shoulder that burden just on your own.

611
00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:04,760
Speaker 1: But when you find out actually a lot of associates

612
00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,080
Speaker 1: at Walmart are dealing with this, it could probably be

613
00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:11,040
Speaker 1: pretty powerful. I was amazed that how many other people

614
00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:13,719
Speaker 1: was going through exactly what I was going through. So

615
00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:16,160
Speaker 1: what are some of the stories that you've heard about

616
00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:22,000
Speaker 1: other people's experiences at Walmart? Oh? We where should I start? Um?

617
00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:26,480
Speaker 1: I've heard about associates who we're really really sick and

618
00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:29,720
Speaker 1: had to go into work, and some have actually fallen dead,

619
00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:31,920
Speaker 1: you know, because they didn't want to take their time

620
00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,960
Speaker 1: off to you know, go to the doctor, to take

621
00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:37,560
Speaker 1: the care of themselves because they couldn't afford them its work.

622
00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:43,600
Speaker 1: And I've heard so many stories about how pregnant women,

623
00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:47,360
Speaker 1: you know, they're out and they're only out for like

624
00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:49,600
Speaker 1: a little bit of time. They can't really involve with

625
00:34:49,680 --> 00:34:51,720
Speaker 1: their kids because they have to get back to work.

626
00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:55,880
Speaker 1: And oh my goodness, there's it's there's so many horror stories.

627
00:34:56,840 --> 00:35:00,400
Speaker 1: That sounds like such a tough choice to have to make. Right,

628
00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,880
Speaker 1: to have to choose between putting money on you know,

629
00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:07,880
Speaker 1: in the bank, and food on the table, and working

630
00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:12,239
Speaker 1: conditions that leave people feeling like there's no choice? How

631
00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:15,719
Speaker 1: do you How does that make you feel like going

632
00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:18,399
Speaker 1: into work every day? It makes you upset? I mean,

633
00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:22,640
Speaker 1: because nobody should have to choose between work and home

634
00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:25,880
Speaker 1: or you know, family, that that should be a given

635
00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:27,880
Speaker 1: at what's the point of time Walmart was a family

636
00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:31,320
Speaker 1: oriented company? Is so much has change. It used to

637
00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,920
Speaker 1: be more about the associates in them being with their families,

638
00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:40,480
Speaker 1: but now it's more, uh, Walmart and money. So yeah,

639
00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:43,719
Speaker 1: it makes you upset because it's just not right. It's

640
00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:46,279
Speaker 1: not fair. It's not fair for their associates. Has there

641
00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:49,319
Speaker 1: ever been a time when you felt like you were

642
00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:53,400
Speaker 1: facing a really impossible choice about what you needed to

643
00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:56,680
Speaker 1: be doing to provide for yourself or your loved ones.

644
00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:00,200
Speaker 1: Was there a choice that you've had to face that

645
00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:06,120
Speaker 1: in terms of how Walmart treats its associates every single week.

646
00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:11,920
Speaker 1: Don't pay for that choice. Because now that I was promoted,

647
00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:15,880
Speaker 1: I make good by the hour, But when you're not

648
00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:20,840
Speaker 1: getting any hours, it's difficult. So it's every sent the

649
00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:23,640
Speaker 1: the entire four years that I've been with Walmart, it's

650
00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:26,319
Speaker 1: always been a choice of am I gonna pay my rent?

651
00:36:26,640 --> 00:36:28,759
Speaker 1: Am I gonna pay my car payment? How am I?

652
00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:32,000
Speaker 1: How am I gonna pay my light bill? So it's always,

653
00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:36,160
Speaker 1: you know, it's it's been a struggle. It's always been

654
00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:38,759
Speaker 1: a struggle since I've been with Walmart. And and that's

655
00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:43,200
Speaker 1: frustrating in itself, because nobody should have to choose how

656
00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:45,719
Speaker 1: you're gonna pay your bills or how are you gonna eat,

657
00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:47,200
Speaker 1: or how are you gonna say it here of your family?

658
00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:49,839
Speaker 1: That should never be a choice. And it sounds like

659
00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:53,680
Speaker 1: you've been moving up the pipeline in Walmart. So what

660
00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:56,360
Speaker 1: a folks at Walmart had to say about this, you know,

661
00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:59,960
Speaker 1: when when you were given this promotion but yet still

662
00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:02,799
Speaker 1: don't get the hours that you need to make ends

663
00:37:02,920 --> 00:37:06,160
Speaker 1: meet all the time? How do the folks at Walmart

664
00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:10,360
Speaker 1: make that case to you about why you should stay

665
00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:15,800
Speaker 1: working with them and why you should invest in their company. Well,

666
00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:18,680
Speaker 1: they try to run the line. Well, you know, there's

667
00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:22,440
Speaker 1: always career opportunities to Walmart and you can always advance

668
00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:27,400
Speaker 1: and you know, in your career. But that's not necessarily true.

669
00:37:28,719 --> 00:37:32,919
Speaker 1: It is, but it's not because the way the way

670
00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:35,680
Speaker 1: that they do things now, they make people not want

671
00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,600
Speaker 1: to stay, you know, because they don't have these full

672
00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:41,439
Speaker 1: time positions that they talk so much about. It's only

673
00:37:41,480 --> 00:37:45,160
Speaker 1: certain departments, uh that have full time positions. And see

674
00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:47,719
Speaker 1: me myself, I work on the front end. I'm a

675
00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:52,120
Speaker 1: customer service manager. So we see a lot of cashiers

676
00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:56,000
Speaker 1: and customer service managers who just work part term. You

677
00:37:56,280 --> 00:38:00,160
Speaker 1: may go in for four hours a day, and that's

678
00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:02,960
Speaker 1: just ridiculous as an adult to have to go in

679
00:38:03,040 --> 00:38:05,600
Speaker 1: for those few hours when we have a whole family

680
00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:08,240
Speaker 1: that keep trying to maintain. It doesn't seem like it's

681
00:38:08,239 --> 00:38:10,839
Speaker 1: it makes you feel like a dignified person. It doesn't

682
00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:16,360
Speaker 1: feel like it gives you that. It almost seems like disrespectful. Yeah,

683
00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:20,640
Speaker 1: it does, it does. It really really does. Because I

684
00:38:21,239 --> 00:38:24,280
Speaker 1: have an eighteen year old and when he was working,

685
00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:27,160
Speaker 1: he works, you know, he works maybe four or five

686
00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:30,120
Speaker 1: hours a day. Here I am almost forty years old

687
00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:32,920
Speaker 1: and I'm doing the same thing as my eight year o.

688
00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:35,959
Speaker 1: It doesn't make sense. I mean, I don't understand how

689
00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:39,960
Speaker 1: they expect for anyone with the family to actually take

690
00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:43,560
Speaker 1: care of their family when you're working so few hours.

691
00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:46,440
Speaker 1: And it's not like they don't need to help, right,

692
00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:49,800
Speaker 1: It's just that they're taking all the work hours that

693
00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:52,640
Speaker 1: they have and chopping them up into tiny, little kinds

694
00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:56,840
Speaker 1: of shift work for associates like you, which seems like

695
00:38:56,880 --> 00:38:59,759
Speaker 1: a very intentional practice, doesn't it. It It seems like a

696
00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:03,600
Speaker 1: very intentional choice that Walmart has made that leaves workers

697
00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:07,640
Speaker 1: like you who are willing and able to give more

698
00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:10,319
Speaker 1: time feeling like you can't even get the hours that

699
00:39:10,360 --> 00:39:13,080
Speaker 1: you want. Jimmy, can you speak a little bit about

700
00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:16,680
Speaker 1: how Walmart is for women? Um? What's the climate like

701
00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:20,279
Speaker 1: for the women who work there? Hell, the majority of

702
00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:23,919
Speaker 1: people who work there are women. UM, I can't really

703
00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:26,960
Speaker 1: say that, you know, it's an awful company that really,

704
00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:33,760
Speaker 1: you know, supports women, because that's not what I've seen. Um.

705
00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:37,280
Speaker 1: They've been, you know, repeatedly sued for a gender discrination

706
00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:41,600
Speaker 1: and they refused to disclose how much women are paid

707
00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:44,520
Speaker 1: in comparison to men. I actually went to the shareholders

708
00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:49,520
Speaker 1: meeting in Arkansas earlier this year, and I was able

709
00:39:49,560 --> 00:39:53,279
Speaker 1: to actually, you know, ask them to give us those

710
00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:58,439
Speaker 1: numbers and they will not release them at all. And

711
00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:02,680
Speaker 1: from a report two thousand three, they found that women

712
00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:06,320
Speaker 1: working at Walmart at any level, they are a fifty

713
00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:11,000
Speaker 1: two hundred dollars less then they're real counterparts. So that

714
00:40:11,160 --> 00:40:13,759
Speaker 1: that says a lot. That's back in two thousand three

715
00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:18,360
Speaker 1: and here it is. So every daily nothing changed because

716
00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:21,000
Speaker 1: they're not releasing as data. We're asking that they're not

717
00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:24,680
Speaker 1: releasing it. And you did mention that you see a

718
00:40:24,719 --> 00:40:28,240
Speaker 1: lot of pregnant employees at Walmart having to come back

719
00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:32,799
Speaker 1: um soon after giving birth. It sounds like there's no

720
00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:38,440
Speaker 1: rights to maternity leave or paid leave, to take care

721
00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:41,640
Speaker 1: of a sick person in your family, or to recover

722
00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:46,800
Speaker 1: from childbirth. Is that correct? You know, that's great especially

723
00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:50,799
Speaker 1: for it like the lord level associates now management they

724
00:40:50,840 --> 00:40:54,120
Speaker 1: get I think it's about twelve weeks they leave when

725
00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:57,080
Speaker 1: they go out go out with their pregnancies. But as

726
00:40:57,120 --> 00:41:00,279
Speaker 1: far as associates for my level or lord, they don't.

727
00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:02,360
Speaker 1: They don't get the same things. They don't get the

728
00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:06,680
Speaker 1: same things. But but our Walmart, we just want to

729
00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:10,080
Speaker 1: change and got Walmart to adopt the new pregnancy pregnancy

730
00:41:10,239 --> 00:41:14,000
Speaker 1: um policy requiring the company to treat pregnancy as its

731
00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:20,759
Speaker 1: tipperary disability. So now yes, yes, so now pregnant associates

732
00:41:20,760 --> 00:41:24,799
Speaker 1: can have more accommodations. Do associates otherwise get time to

733
00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:27,000
Speaker 1: run to the restroom very often? Or do you feel

734
00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:30,840
Speaker 1: like that's penalized? Well, that's that's that the sands of

735
00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:36,000
Speaker 1: plant management and the stores. It's very very yeah. So

736
00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:38,440
Speaker 1: it sounds like there's a lot of variability based on

737
00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:41,440
Speaker 1: who's calling the shots in a particular store, despite what

738
00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:44,880
Speaker 1: the policies might be. You're saying that it really depends

739
00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:49,319
Speaker 1: on the management that you're a director, That's exactly how

740
00:41:49,360 --> 00:41:53,600
Speaker 1: it goes. Because what I've learned from UM since I've

741
00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:58,600
Speaker 1: been at Walmart, even the managers don't know policies, and

742
00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:02,400
Speaker 1: and with the work app the hour Walmart started, that

743
00:42:02,600 --> 00:42:07,040
Speaker 1: has really, really, really to the associates. It's been beneficial

744
00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:11,000
Speaker 1: to beneficial to management because half the time they don't

745
00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:16,719
Speaker 1: even know the policy. Just recently, UM, I was having

746
00:42:16,719 --> 00:42:21,120
Speaker 1: a conversation with my personnel manager and I was telling her.

747
00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:22,600
Speaker 1: I was like, well, I went back and looking my

748
00:42:22,680 --> 00:42:25,320
Speaker 1: check stuff, and I noticed that if you work a

749
00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:28,560
Speaker 1: consecutives for a weeks full time hours that you're supposed

750
00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:31,440
Speaker 1: to be guaranteed the full supposition. She was like, no,

751
00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:35,000
Speaker 1: full time, it's thirty four hours. I was like, no, ma'am,

752
00:42:35,400 --> 00:42:38,000
Speaker 1: it's thirty two hours. I wanted so bad. It's tell her,

753
00:42:38,080 --> 00:42:41,080
Speaker 1: maybe you need to download work it so tell us

754
00:42:41,080 --> 00:42:45,400
Speaker 1: about this app? Work What is this app? Oh? My

755
00:42:45,520 --> 00:42:50,760
Speaker 1: goodness is what it is? Walmart? The only time associates

756
00:42:50,840 --> 00:42:54,640
Speaker 1: have time to access policies is while they're on the clock.

757
00:42:55,640 --> 00:42:58,719
Speaker 1: And that's not good for anybody because who has time.

758
00:42:59,719 --> 00:43:04,000
Speaker 1: So our decided that they would get together and come

759
00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:08,000
Speaker 1: up with this app so that associates could go in

760
00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:11,359
Speaker 1: and ask questions and we have experts which on one

761
00:43:11,360 --> 00:43:13,840
Speaker 1: of them, and the experts will go in and answer

762
00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:17,920
Speaker 1: these questions for the associates because nobody has time to

763
00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:21,080
Speaker 1: access policy while on the clock. So Our felt like

764
00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:23,840
Speaker 1: we need to do something about that. We need to

765
00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:27,360
Speaker 1: you know, be able to put it policies right in

766
00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:32,239
Speaker 1: the associate's hands. It's like having a policy professional in

767
00:43:32,320 --> 00:43:36,360
Speaker 1: your pocket while you're on the job, right right, But

768
00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:39,040
Speaker 1: it almost makes me I think that's awesome, but it

769
00:43:39,120 --> 00:43:41,040
Speaker 1: almost makes me a little sad that it had to

770
00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:44,160
Speaker 1: come to that that these Walmart associates are up against

771
00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:48,120
Speaker 1: such misinformation from their own managements sometimes that they need

772
00:43:48,120 --> 00:43:51,400
Speaker 1: to have that third party app to be able to say, no,

773
00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:54,040
Speaker 1: here's what the law is, here's what your rights are.

774
00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:56,680
Speaker 1: And if you're and you can't even really expect your

775
00:43:56,719 --> 00:43:59,880
Speaker 1: manager to protect those rates or even really tell you

776
00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:01,840
Speaker 1: accurately what they are, it's like up to you to

777
00:44:01,880 --> 00:44:05,840
Speaker 1: figure that out. You're exactly right, they can't see how

778
00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:08,520
Speaker 1: you accurately what they are because they don't know themselves.

779
00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:11,600
Speaker 1: It seems like a really whackway to run a business,

780
00:44:11,600 --> 00:44:14,359
Speaker 1: to be quite honest, Like I think it is too.

781
00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:16,680
Speaker 1: I think that should be one of the first things

782
00:44:16,719 --> 00:44:20,319
Speaker 1: before you know, becoming a manager. No policy, Yeah, you know,

783
00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:23,440
Speaker 1: it's not like Walmart doesn't have the resources to train people.

784
00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:25,719
Speaker 1: It's not like they aren't training people. It's not like

785
00:44:25,719 --> 00:44:28,880
Speaker 1: they have a small workforce, like they are one of

786
00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:31,960
Speaker 1: the l there is the largest employer in their country

787
00:44:32,120 --> 00:44:35,000
Speaker 1: and they're the largest private employer in the world exactly,

788
00:44:35,120 --> 00:44:39,560
Speaker 1: So you can't have your policies available to workers who

789
00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:44,400
Speaker 1: aren't on the clock. Like really, obviously that's an intentional choice,

790
00:44:44,560 --> 00:44:48,440
Speaker 1: Like come on, really, Like that's what I'm Loft scratching

791
00:44:48,440 --> 00:44:53,000
Speaker 1: my head hearing from you, Janey about the ways in

792
00:44:53,040 --> 00:44:57,200
Speaker 1: which obstacles seem to be put in individuals pass so

793
00:44:57,280 --> 00:44:59,600
Speaker 1: much so that the burden always falls on you. The

794
00:44:59,640 --> 00:45:03,319
Speaker 1: burden falls on the individual associate to advocate for the

795
00:45:03,520 --> 00:45:08,759
Speaker 1: basic fairness that is already stipulated in the policies. But

796
00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:11,759
Speaker 1: maybe your manager doesn't even know or respect them, and

797
00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:15,120
Speaker 1: so I guess, I guess. My question is, you know,

798
00:45:15,239 --> 00:45:18,640
Speaker 1: what do you feel about this situation with mod Cloth?

799
00:45:19,120 --> 00:45:22,320
Speaker 1: I know that you've been involved with our Walmarts Modcloth campaign.

800
00:45:23,120 --> 00:45:24,960
Speaker 1: How do you feel like that's an extension of what

801
00:45:25,000 --> 00:45:27,560
Speaker 1: Walmart's been doing? Or why is it important to know

802
00:45:28,360 --> 00:45:31,239
Speaker 1: or for our listeners to know what mod cloth is

803
00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:36,879
Speaker 1: just signed up for by being acquired by Walmart. I don't.

804
00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:39,520
Speaker 1: I really don't think mark Cloth knows what they're getting into.

805
00:45:39,719 --> 00:45:44,640
Speaker 1: That's that's what I really think. Um. Then Walmart bottom

806
00:45:44,680 --> 00:45:48,920
Speaker 1: out there, you know, their their closmers were really upset

807
00:45:48,960 --> 00:45:51,879
Speaker 1: because they was like, Wow, we can't believe you would

808
00:45:51,880 --> 00:45:55,560
Speaker 1: sell your line to Walmart. Of all people, Walmart, they

809
00:45:55,560 --> 00:45:57,520
Speaker 1: don't stand up for women. They don't, you know, treat

810
00:45:57,560 --> 00:46:01,600
Speaker 1: their women fairly. And I just believe that this is

811
00:46:01,640 --> 00:46:03,719
Speaker 1: nothing more than an attempt to cover up a long

812
00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:06,759
Speaker 1: history of poor treatment of women. Can you tell us

813
00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:09,000
Speaker 1: a little bit about what our Walmart is doing around

814
00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:13,280
Speaker 1: moder cloth, your new campaign about it? Yes, ma'am. Well

815
00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:16,799
Speaker 1: what Hour has done. They've launched this campaign called hashtag

816
00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:29,280
Speaker 1: by my Clock, which is b b ye yes, yes. Um.

817
00:46:29,400 --> 00:46:32,560
Speaker 1: What we're doing is um this cyber Monday. We're calling

818
00:46:32,560 --> 00:46:34,960
Speaker 1: on women to stop shopping at Mar Claus and we're

819
00:46:35,000 --> 00:46:39,000
Speaker 1: asking them to join Walmart Associates, former mar Class Expociates

820
00:46:39,600 --> 00:46:44,080
Speaker 1: and other progressive allies to say hashtag by Mark cloy

821
00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:46,759
Speaker 1: Why do you think it's important for all kinds of

822
00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:49,719
Speaker 1: women to know about the way that Walmart treats its employees,

823
00:46:49,760 --> 00:46:53,799
Speaker 1: particularly female employees, because I mean, they need to know.

824
00:46:54,320 --> 00:46:56,400
Speaker 1: Like you said, Walmart is one of the big is

825
00:46:56,440 --> 00:46:59,839
Speaker 1: the biggest corporations in the world, and they don't want

826
00:46:59,840 --> 00:47:03,880
Speaker 1: to they're associates. They don't give enough hours if they do,

827
00:47:04,640 --> 00:47:08,880
Speaker 1: and the scheduling conflict is so crazy, and you know,

828
00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:11,640
Speaker 1: people they don't have times, you know, to take off

829
00:47:11,719 --> 00:47:15,399
Speaker 1: time for themselves or their families that the ship and

830
00:47:15,520 --> 00:47:18,919
Speaker 1: you know, or take pay family leaves and people even

831
00:47:18,960 --> 00:47:21,320
Speaker 1: know this, they really do. And then that we can't

832
00:47:21,320 --> 00:47:25,440
Speaker 1: actually go out and boycott Walmart, we decided, well, here's

833
00:47:25,440 --> 00:47:27,520
Speaker 1: a better way. Maybe there's a help. You know what

834
00:47:27,600 --> 00:47:31,279
Speaker 1: I'm saying, being that they bought my claws, Let's see

835
00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:33,479
Speaker 1: what we can do. Let's see if we can shut

836
00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:36,319
Speaker 1: them down. That's basically what we're trying to do. I

837
00:47:36,440 --> 00:47:38,879
Speaker 1: love it, Jade. I have to say, you schechly as

838
00:47:38,880 --> 00:47:42,880
Speaker 1: like a really bold, outspoken person taking on Walmart and

839
00:47:42,920 --> 00:47:45,560
Speaker 1: not being afraid to advocate and speak up for better practices.

840
00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:48,520
Speaker 1: Do you ever fear of retaliation from Walmart? Er? Has

841
00:47:48,520 --> 00:47:52,480
Speaker 1: that ever been a problem. I haven't as of yet.

842
00:47:52,520 --> 00:47:54,879
Speaker 1: I mean at my store. Like I said, I'm from

843
00:47:54,880 --> 00:47:58,640
Speaker 1: a little small town and we have a smaller supercenter.

844
00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:03,439
Speaker 1: Everybody knows who I am. Before I even joined Hour,

845
00:48:03,560 --> 00:48:07,360
Speaker 1: I was always outspoken, you know. I never held anything

846
00:48:07,400 --> 00:48:11,200
Speaker 1: back because I always feel like what's right is right

847
00:48:11,320 --> 00:48:14,879
Speaker 1: and what's wrong is wrong. And I've been a big

848
00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:18,759
Speaker 1: advocate for myself since I've worked in Walming. I've never

849
00:48:18,800 --> 00:48:22,160
Speaker 1: advocated so hard for myself, Trying to get hours, trying

850
00:48:22,160 --> 00:48:24,880
Speaker 1: to get a better position, trying to get full time.

851
00:48:25,320 --> 00:48:27,719
Speaker 1: So I had to step up. I had to step

852
00:48:27,800 --> 00:48:30,120
Speaker 1: up because I had I used to get tired of

853
00:48:30,120 --> 00:48:33,600
Speaker 1: associates coming to me talking about, you know, things that

854
00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:36,239
Speaker 1: wasn't going their way or things that wasn't right in

855
00:48:36,239 --> 00:48:39,000
Speaker 1: the store, and I was like, well, you know, why

856
00:48:39,040 --> 00:48:41,799
Speaker 1: not just joined with me. You know, they're trying to

857
00:48:41,800 --> 00:48:45,520
Speaker 1: make things better for ourselves. But it's kind of hard

858
00:48:45,600 --> 00:48:48,120
Speaker 1: because I live in the right to work state, so

859
00:48:48,360 --> 00:48:49,960
Speaker 1: everybody is afraid, Well, I don't want to lose to

860
00:48:50,000 --> 00:48:53,400
Speaker 1: my job and something. I had to stop being afraid.

861
00:48:53,760 --> 00:48:56,880
Speaker 1: I was no longer afraid, you know, whether they were.

862
00:48:56,920 --> 00:48:59,120
Speaker 1: I got the point where I really didn't care whether

863
00:48:59,160 --> 00:49:02,200
Speaker 1: they retaliated and not, because as long as I'm setting

864
00:49:02,239 --> 00:49:05,640
Speaker 1: up for was right, I can't be wrong. Where did

865
00:49:05,640 --> 00:49:09,040
Speaker 1: you find that courage, Janey? Because it isn't easy. What

866
00:49:09,200 --> 00:49:12,680
Speaker 1: you've described to us today does not sound easy. And

867
00:49:12,760 --> 00:49:14,719
Speaker 1: you've got a child at home, right, You've got that

868
00:49:14,800 --> 00:49:18,640
Speaker 1: your eighteen year old son that I mean, and he

869
00:49:18,719 --> 00:49:22,360
Speaker 1: still relies on you. I assume what is it feel

870
00:49:22,360 --> 00:49:24,959
Speaker 1: like to have the courage to advocate for yourself while

871
00:49:25,000 --> 00:49:29,040
Speaker 1: you still really want to provide for your family and

872
00:49:29,080 --> 00:49:32,280
Speaker 1: for yourself and make your life better while making lives

873
00:49:32,280 --> 00:49:34,840
Speaker 1: for all associates better Where do you find that courage?

874
00:49:37,000 --> 00:49:39,799
Speaker 1: And my son, I mean that's why I do this.

875
00:49:40,040 --> 00:49:43,080
Speaker 1: I do this for him, and he has a son,

876
00:49:43,400 --> 00:49:47,879
Speaker 1: so I'm a grandmother. I got yes, So I'm trying

877
00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:50,799
Speaker 1: to make a better life for them. You know, I

878
00:49:50,800 --> 00:49:54,080
Speaker 1: should have to be are here advocating for better hours

879
00:49:54,239 --> 00:49:58,560
Speaker 1: or you know whatever. But I got to because if

880
00:49:58,600 --> 00:50:01,760
Speaker 1: I don't, then i' be stuck getting twenty three hours

881
00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:04,879
Speaker 1: twenty five hours a week. How am I gonna live

882
00:50:04,920 --> 00:50:08,920
Speaker 1: like that? I can't that, I mean, I just it's no,

883
00:50:09,400 --> 00:50:12,600
Speaker 1: I can't do that. So I have to do what

884
00:50:12,640 --> 00:50:15,840
Speaker 1: I have to do as a mom, you know, and

885
00:50:15,880 --> 00:50:20,080
Speaker 1: as a grandmother. So if me advocating for myself is

886
00:50:20,480 --> 00:50:22,960
Speaker 1: what it takes, that's that's what it takes. And I

887
00:50:23,000 --> 00:50:26,600
Speaker 1: get my courage from them. They're my motivation, you know.

888
00:50:27,440 --> 00:50:29,920
Speaker 1: That's what keeps me going day to day. That's what

889
00:50:30,160 --> 00:50:32,440
Speaker 1: keeps me in Walmart. That's why I've been there so

890
00:50:32,520 --> 00:50:34,680
Speaker 1: long because it's not easy trying to find another job.

891
00:50:35,080 --> 00:50:39,120
Speaker 1: I've been putting in applications everywhere, and just recently I've

892
00:50:39,120 --> 00:50:41,760
Speaker 1: been you know, getting called in for interviews, which is fine,

893
00:50:42,120 --> 00:50:44,760
Speaker 1: but no one to say we're here, you know, we

894
00:50:44,600 --> 00:50:47,160
Speaker 1: we We're gonna hire you until that day comes. I'm

895
00:50:47,200 --> 00:50:49,279
Speaker 1: gonna have to stay at Walmart, and I'm gonna have

896
00:50:49,360 --> 00:50:53,880
Speaker 1: to keep, you know, advocating for myself and others. That's beautiful.

897
00:50:54,200 --> 00:50:55,960
Speaker 1: Do you ever feel like your son and I guess

898
00:50:56,000 --> 00:51:00,960
Speaker 1: your grandchild, granddaughter, grandson Instagram soon and son. Do you

899
00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:03,359
Speaker 1: ever feel like your son and your grandson that you're

900
00:51:03,400 --> 00:51:06,160
Speaker 1: actually through what you're doing with our Walmart and advocating

901
00:51:06,200 --> 00:51:08,920
Speaker 1: for yourself and other associates, that you're really setting up

902
00:51:08,960 --> 00:51:12,799
Speaker 1: this idea of women as these strong, vocal advocates who

903
00:51:12,880 --> 00:51:17,759
Speaker 1: fight for positive change? Yes? Yes, do you feel like

904
00:51:17,800 --> 00:51:20,640
Speaker 1: a role model for them? I'm trying to be. It's

905
00:51:20,680 --> 00:51:23,640
Speaker 1: not easy, but it's not easy. I'm trying to be.

906
00:51:23,840 --> 00:51:27,320
Speaker 1: You're like, I mean, I mean, what what mother doesn't

907
00:51:27,360 --> 00:51:30,400
Speaker 1: want their kids or grandkids to actually look up to them?

908
00:51:30,440 --> 00:51:32,480
Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. You have to lead by example,

909
00:51:32,520 --> 00:51:34,920
Speaker 1: and that's what I try to do. I try to,

910
00:51:34,960 --> 00:51:37,359
Speaker 1: you know, to teach my son that you can't let

911
00:51:37,400 --> 00:51:40,000
Speaker 1: anything stand in your way. You have to go out

912
00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:41,880
Speaker 1: there and you have to get it. There's no excuse,

913
00:51:42,760 --> 00:51:46,960
Speaker 1: even though even though you may not always get what

914
00:51:47,040 --> 00:51:51,359
Speaker 1: you want. You have to at least try so. Absolutely.

915
00:51:51,600 --> 00:51:54,520
Speaker 1: How can our listeners who are listening to your story

916
00:51:55,120 --> 00:51:58,000
Speaker 1: and are listening to what's happening with our Walmarts mod

917
00:51:58,080 --> 00:52:02,560
Speaker 1: cloth campaign and with Walmart in general is treating associates

918
00:52:02,560 --> 00:52:06,440
Speaker 1: and women, how can they join you? Because you shouldn't

919
00:52:06,480 --> 00:52:08,840
Speaker 1: have to shoulder this burden all by yourself, right, you

920
00:52:08,880 --> 00:52:11,200
Speaker 1: shouldn't have to be alone in this effort, and it

921
00:52:11,200 --> 00:52:14,799
Speaker 1: shouldn't be up to just Walmart associates to make this

922
00:52:15,320 --> 00:52:20,400
Speaker 1: positive change in the globe's largest employer. What can we

923
00:52:20,480 --> 00:52:23,799
Speaker 1: do to get involved? What can everyday people do to

924
00:52:23,880 --> 00:52:29,200
Speaker 1: support workers rights of Walmart? Okay, well, the first thing

925
00:52:29,239 --> 00:52:33,200
Speaker 1: you can do is can you can support this hashtag

926
00:52:33,360 --> 00:52:37,319
Speaker 1: buy mor clock campaign? And I have three ways of

927
00:52:37,440 --> 00:52:40,520
Speaker 1: how you can do that. First, you could plash to

928
00:52:40,600 --> 00:52:43,239
Speaker 1: stop shopping at mar clos so they treat women with

929
00:52:43,400 --> 00:52:49,600
Speaker 1: respect by visiting www that my clock is Walmart dot org. Two,

930
00:52:50,160 --> 00:52:52,680
Speaker 1: you can say the message to my class on Instagram,

931
00:52:53,120 --> 00:52:56,040
Speaker 1: Facebook or Twitter and said, although why you're no longer

932
00:52:56,120 --> 00:52:58,800
Speaker 1: shop at at mar clock, be sure to use the

933
00:52:58,920 --> 00:53:04,480
Speaker 1: hashtag by my clod. And three, you can share hashtag

934
00:53:04,560 --> 00:53:08,480
Speaker 1: by mom claws content from our Facebook face stand Up

935
00:53:08,480 --> 00:53:11,400
Speaker 1: to Walmart. You can find it on Facebook by just

936
00:53:11,480 --> 00:53:15,120
Speaker 1: typing it stand up to Walmart. So if anybody wants

937
00:53:15,160 --> 00:53:17,640
Speaker 1: to jump in there with us and help us with

938
00:53:17,680 --> 00:53:21,400
Speaker 1: this campaign, that would be great. Hell yeah, by my

939
00:53:21,560 --> 00:53:29,600
Speaker 1: class by clost by it. I'm so honored that you

940
00:53:29,680 --> 00:53:32,280
Speaker 1: took time today to share your story with us, Jennie.

941
00:53:32,480 --> 00:53:37,319
Speaker 1: I feel like so often we talk about workers rights

942
00:53:37,360 --> 00:53:41,480
Speaker 1: and away on this show that doesn't always break down

943
00:53:41,520 --> 00:53:43,920
Speaker 1: the realities of what it actually looks like to be

944
00:53:44,760 --> 00:53:47,839
Speaker 1: on the receiving end of short term shift work from

945
00:53:47,840 --> 00:53:52,360
Speaker 1: a major corporate entity like Walmart. And so your story

946
00:53:52,400 --> 00:53:54,799
Speaker 1: really just made it so real for us in terms

947
00:53:54,800 --> 00:53:57,799
Speaker 1: of what it means to be faced with seriously tough

948
00:53:57,880 --> 00:54:03,840
Speaker 1: choices and unto off of dealing with that injustice, taking

949
00:54:03,960 --> 00:54:08,040
Speaker 1: on the added burden of changing how things are for everyone.

950
00:54:08,440 --> 00:54:11,000
Speaker 1: So thank you, Jenny for being such an inspiration and

951
00:54:11,080 --> 00:54:13,600
Speaker 1: an example of what it looks like to be a

952
00:54:13,640 --> 00:54:17,920
Speaker 1: boss advocate for yourself, even when you're not gonna always

953
00:54:17,920 --> 00:54:20,720
Speaker 1: get what you want. Like you said, like the courage

954
00:54:20,760 --> 00:54:24,600
Speaker 1: that you've just described as so inspiring to me. And

955
00:54:24,600 --> 00:54:27,359
Speaker 1: and I'm so excited that our listeners can weigh in,

956
00:54:27,800 --> 00:54:31,960
Speaker 1: can support your campaign? Can hashtag by mud Cloth all

957
00:54:32,040 --> 00:54:39,319
Speaker 1: day every day and especially on Cyber Monday and Black Friday? Yes? Yes, right, Well,

958
00:54:39,600 --> 00:54:43,120
Speaker 1: I appreciate you guys having me, and I'm hoping that

959
00:54:43,200 --> 00:54:44,800
Speaker 1: you know we have more people than a jump on

960
00:54:44,920 --> 00:54:46,960
Speaker 1: board with this campaign and help us out because we

961
00:54:47,000 --> 00:54:49,879
Speaker 1: need all the help we can get. You know, enough

962
00:54:49,920 --> 00:54:54,919
Speaker 1: is enough and it's just sound for Walmart to take

963
00:54:55,000 --> 00:54:59,560
Speaker 1: responsibility for what they're not doing. So hopefully this I

964
00:54:59,640 --> 00:55:03,440
Speaker 1: hope a lot. Thank you, Thank you lady, Thank you

965
00:55:03,480 --> 00:55:05,719
Speaker 1: so much, Janey. We really appreciate you being here with

966
00:55:05,800 --> 00:55:07,960
Speaker 1: us and you know, all all the best with your

967
00:55:08,000 --> 00:55:11,400
Speaker 1: campaign and continuing to advocate for change both at Walmart

968
00:55:11,480 --> 00:55:14,880
Speaker 1: and to be that awesome role model for your kids.

969
00:55:16,360 --> 00:55:18,960
Speaker 1: Love it? Okay, sminty listeners, what do you think of

970
00:55:18,960 --> 00:55:22,120
Speaker 1: all this? What do you think of the Modcloth Walmart acquisition?

971
00:55:22,239 --> 00:55:24,640
Speaker 1: Do you still shop at Modcloth? Did you never shop

972
00:55:24,680 --> 00:55:27,760
Speaker 1: at Modcloth? Did you love Modcloth? And now you're feeling conflicted?

973
00:55:28,200 --> 00:55:30,239
Speaker 1: How does Walmart show up in your life? We know

974
00:55:30,280 --> 00:55:33,759
Speaker 1: they're the world's largest private retailer. Do you shop there,

975
00:55:33,800 --> 00:55:36,359
Speaker 1: do you work there? Does someone in your life work there? How?

976
00:55:36,360 --> 00:55:38,279
Speaker 1: Does it show up in your life? Join us on

977
00:55:38,320 --> 00:55:41,160
Speaker 1: social media to continue this conversation. You know where to

978
00:55:41,160 --> 00:55:43,960
Speaker 1: find us on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast, hit us

979
00:55:44,000 --> 00:55:46,400
Speaker 1: up on Instagram at stuff Mom Never Told You, And

980
00:55:46,440 --> 00:55:49,160
Speaker 1: as always, we love getting your emails, so send them

981
00:55:49,160 --> 00:56:00,280
Speaker 1: our way at mom Stuff at how stuff works dot com.

982
00:56:00,520 --> 00:56:01,400
Speaker 1: Don't