Outcome of the 5 walmart that were suddenly closed?

A couple of years ago there was a lot of press about 5 walmart that were suddenly close. Some people thought that it was to do with asbestos in the restrooms, but other peple linked it to union activity or even to conspiracies about Operation Jade Helm.

Did anybody ever get to the bottom of this, or is it still a mystery?

I've seen a number of threads about it but they seem to have lots of outdated or contradictory information, or have wandered off topic so they are hard to follow.

Could somebody please give me very basic rundown of what we know as per 2020?

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Believe the reasoning was due to plumbing problems but at the same time there were also labor grievances and labor union chatter.

Did they fix the plumbing issues? No idea but what is more believable; Walmart struggling to fix some pipes or, Walmart saying no way jose to labor unions?

A rational mind would double down on Walmart giving two middle fingers to ornery employees and greedy unions. Just my two cents.

**** Update North Midland TX Walmart Reopened ****

It reopened with major renovations after 7 months. Could be a legit reason or could be a good excuse to ice labor unions. Who knows. If it happens again then yeah, I think it's safe to say this is how Walmart deals with unions; take your toys away for a while and tell everyone to chill out.

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

That would sue explain all the fencing and such in area. To go along with the stores being cleared out the way they were. The official story is always the good one to go with I take it?

a reply to: Kocag

Would have to research the other 4 stores with plumbing problems. I do find it interesting that they said plumbing but did not say massive renovations initially for this one location. They didn't tell the employees or press about the remodeling, just the plumbing problem. Kinda looks like they said plumbing until they figured out their next move, pure speculation on my part but this would be a great way to wait out the employees and unions and build some more political capital in the city.

originally posted by: AaarghZombies
A couple of years ago there was a lot of press about 5 walmart that were suddenly close. Some people thought that it was to do with asbestos in the restrooms, but other peple linked it to union activity or even to conspiracies about Operation Jade Helm.

Did anybody ever get to the bottom of this, or is it still a mystery?

I've seen a number of threads about it but they seem to have lots of outdated or contradictory information, or have wandered off topic so they are hard to follow.

Could somebody please give me very basic rundown of what we know as per 2020?

I worked for Walmart at the time and it was because those store were trying to unionize. Remember when they closed all those neighborhood markets? Same thing. In the media they spin about great they are to their employees but everytime you see something like they are always screwing them over in another way. Every time.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

The Walmart that was closed in my town is now being turned into an indoor vertical farming factory for marijuana. I imagine once it's ready New Jersey will suddenly legalize pot.

NJ marijuana: Vacant Walmart in Readington to become production facility

originally posted by: Flesh699

originally posted by: AaarghZombies
A couple of years ago there was a lot of press about 5 walmart that were suddenly close. Some people thought that it was to do with asbestos in the restrooms, but other peple linked it to union activity or even to conspiracies about Operation Jade Helm.

Did anybody ever get to the bottom of this, or is it still a mystery?

I've seen a number of threads about it but they seem to have lots of outdated or contradictory information, or have wandered off topic so they are hard to follow.

Could somebody please give me very basic rundown of what we know as per 2020?

I worked for Walmart at the time and it was because those store were trying to unionize. Remember when they closed all those neighborhood markets? Same thing. In the media they spin about great they are to their employees but everytime you see something like they are always screwing them over in another way. Every time.

That's what I thought. I will say, I don't like Walmart, never shop there but I do not blame Walmart for fighting unions. As bad as Walmart is, unions are equally as bad if not worse. There is no way somebody should be earning median income working an entry level job unless the company is very generous and if they are they won't be in business for long.

I have seen unions destroy towns. Whole communities wiped out over uncontrolled greed. No matter the wages it's never enough, benefits never enough. What starts out as mutualism eventually turns into a parasite that eventually kills its host.

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

It's not unions that were the problem. Chinese currency manipulation creating extremely unfair trade practices. What difference does it make how much we pay our workers. The value of money in an economy is set by labor and cost of goods. We have had HUGE increases in productivity easily supporting union wages. The idea the only way companies can compete is by having slave labor is misguided.

My problem with Walmart is the Walmart children are worth billions. Every year Walmart makes about 8 billion in profit. Instead of pay poverty wages if Walmart actually provided healthcare for it's workers the profits would be about 4 billion. But the way it is now most Walmart workers qualify for government assistance. Why should you and I pay for Walmart worker's healthcare? What can't the Walmart children get an additional 4 billion per year instead of 8 billion? Why is it okay for theft and redistribution of wealth according to right wing ideology okay but it's not okay on the left?

No way that union excuse was a crock o #. Walmart has never had an issue with closing stores due to unions in the past. I used to work for Walmart back in 2014 when this was a thing. Management would tell you straight up what could happen if threats of a union came to fruition. I remember about a store in Texas (not one of the fivewin question) where the meat packers (years prior to already packaged meats was the norm like the nineties) attempted to unionize. They shut down the entire facility And simply built a new one a few miles away.

When this conspiracy thing happened round Jade helm, they were adament about it being plumbing issues. They never came up with excuses for Union shutdown before, and I do not believe they did it then so either. It was something else entirely.

Union Democrats are their own worse enemy. They run off good companies and refuse to vote to curb illegal immigration (their replacements). All because they firmly believe they should be making 80K a year screwing on bolts and fixing broken rollers on an line.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

The one by Lodi, NJ closed due constant flooding in rainy days, as far as I know.

They moved right in front of the Teterboro airport, really convenient.

Now the place is like a mall. Many restaurants and other business. It was a good move.

We need to just make Unions illegal. The corporations know what's best for their workers and how much to pay them and what kind of working conditions they need. Hurt on the job? just malingering crybabies.


Walmart employees should thank God they are allowed to work for such a fine American family. HoRay for ..Sams Club as well.

originally posted by: worldstarcountry
No way that union excuse was a crock o #. Walmart has never had an issue with closing stores due to unions in the past. I used to work for Walmart back in 2014 when this was a thing. Management would tell you straight up what could happen if threats of a union came to fruition. I remember about a store in Texas (not one of the fivewin question) where the meat packers (years prior to already packaged meats was the norm like the nineties) attempted to unionize. They shut down the entire facility And simply built a new one a few miles away.

When this conspiracy thing happened round Jade helm, they were adament about it being plumbing issues. They never came up with excuses for Union shutdown before, and I do not believe they did it then so either. It was something else entirely.

Corporate Walmart is ran by college graduates that never set foot in a store, and they create these policies that will theoretically work if you've never set foot in a store. Those policies create terrible situations for workers at store level bottom up.

Corporate really doesn't give two #s about shutting down a store if there's the slightest whimper of unionization. When they blasted the media with how great their new benefits were (adoption benefits lmfao) they restructured many positions and axed a # load of people. A year or two before that they did the same thing and took away holiday wages and made it so if the employee wants to get paid for working holidays it comes out of their vacation pay. But in the news they were saints just helping out the common man.

a reply to: olaru12

Oh yeah, the CEOs and billionaires always have the worker's best interests at heart.

originally posted by: olaru12
We need to just make Unions illegal. The corporations know what's best for their workers and how much to pay them and what kind of working conditions they need. Hurt on the job? just malingering crybabies.


Walmart employees should thank God they are allowed to work for such a fine American family. HoRay for ..Sams Club as well.

You do realise that America is essentially one big union. Right?

Without the union between states America wold have lost the cold War as no individual state could have stood up to the Russians..

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: olaru12

Oh yeah, the CEOs and billionaires always have the worker's best interests at heart.

As a committed Union man, IATSE and SAG/AFTRA it was sarcasm. We need more Unions, not less.

Either we have collective bargaining or the CEOs and billionaires have complete control.....it a company screws you and you aren't unionized, you are SOL.

oh yeah, take your grievance to the state labor board, they'll fix it, they always side with the working man....

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: olaru12

Oh yeah, the CEOs and billionaires always have the worker's best interests at heart.

This was essentially why socialism was invented.

Sometimes people on this forum really surprise me. Siding with the wealthy elite in big business against the common man?

I thought we were supposed to be the voice of the people, not a mouthpiece of the establishment.

Unions are great, they help secure things like regular rest stops for truckers, and bathroom breaks for warehouse staff. Unions help to prevent milionarses like Clinton and bezos from importing cheap labor by mandating that new highers must come from the local community.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

It was sarcasm mate! Union proud, Union Strong!!!!

A Walmart near me was closed for plumbing problems years ago. They reopened it. Starting last year, that walmart super center quit staying open 24/7 due to crime and thief at night. All the crime and thief moved to next nearest walmart 5 miles away, that walmart decided to close at 12am too.

The same store received 1,500 larceny calls between 2012 and 2014 (before closing in 2015 for plumbing and remodeling). People have been robbed and shot in the parking lot.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: Stupidsecrets

It's not unions that were the problem. Chinese currency manipulation creating extremely unfair trade practices. What difference does it make how much we pay our workers. The value of money in an economy is set by labor and cost of goods. We have had HUGE increases in productivity easily supporting union wages. The idea the only way companies can compete is by having slave labor is misguided.

My problem with Walmart is the Walmart children are worth billions. Every year Walmart makes about 8 billion in profit. Instead of pay poverty wages if Walmart actually provided healthcare for it's workers the profits would be about 4 billion. But the way it is now most Walmart workers qualify for government assistance. Why should you and I pay for Walmart worker's healthcare? What can't the Walmart children get an additional 4 billion per year instead of 8 billion? Why is it okay for theft and redistribution of wealth according to right wing ideology okay but it's not okay on the left?

Increases in “productivity” could also termed “efficiency” - meaning technology. Computers, robots, AI, machine learning, etc.

Which means fewer humans required - which is good for business when at this point (though it might change later) the bots haven’t come for occupations that require high-level decision making and analysis.

They have started to come for the factory worker.

Unions ruin economies and end up costing companies a fortune in benes, high comp for menial jobs and legal fees.

If I ran a company and my employees unionized it would be game over - fire all of them and sell the company. No way I’d deal with that.

Oh, and last time I checked, it’s a free job market. Don’t like what you’re getting paid? Find a new job. Can’t get a better job? Then get some additional skills and then get a better job. You can hate that all you want but that’s reality.

I don’t see a lot of driven, successful, motivated people begging to join a union. Just sayin.