And I KNOW it sounds like all I'm doing is defending Wal-Mart, but I am not on the defensive--after reading others' experiences, I'm trying to share the differing encounter with W*M I have had. Note that I have many negative things to say about Wal-Mart too
I worked at Wal-Mart and I was not treated like $hit. I was treated pretty well; they were understanding when I needed days off. I had input as to how I thought things should be done and I had a great degree of freedom in setting up my department's displays and merchandise (even as a regular joe floor employee). And others had the same options, so it's not just because I was a manager's kid (and blood relations are not allowed to work where one is supervisor over another so I was not even at my dad's store). I also know that my dad is really good with his employees--he respects them, listens to them, will work alongside them in the aisle. He walks around to see how his store is actually running--Wal-Mart needs more people like that, but he's from that older generation of managers. Things have changed, I've always admitted that--it takes a LOT more work to achieve the same kind of personal relations in the supercenters than it did in the days of the small Wal-Mart stores dedicated to general merchandise. Hence, it often just doesn't get done.
I mean, even though my dad has had times when he was pushed around or not treated fairly, he has had many more positive and supportive experiences. *shrug*
(by the way, for a little trivia--they changed the dash to a star to commemorate Sam Walton... it's still called a squiggly in the good ol' Wal*Mart cheer)