TTinCo, there are similar stories out there to what you posted, I believe they are true myself.
I know the stuff about the death benifits is true, it's actually a licensed practice in some states. Of course Walmart being Walmart they fight tooth an nail to make sure no one other than the company ever gets this money, not the families. And they have to break the law as usual, in Texas this is an illegal practice, but they did it anyways and took out the insurance with a company in Georgia, and then told the person's family that no such policy exsisted after she found ot about it later on. She had to go to court to get the money. And of course, no real consequences for Walmart for blatantly lying and breaking the law, as per usual!
I know the stuff about the death benifits is true, it's actually a licensed practice in some states. Of course Walmart being Walmart they fight tooth an nail to make sure no one other than the company ever gets this money, not the families. And they have to break the law as usual, in Texas this is an illegal practice, but they did it anyways and took out the insurance with a company in Georgia, and then told the person's family that no such policy exsisted after she found ot about it later on. She had to go to court to get the money. And of course, no real consequences for Walmart for blatantly lying and breaking the law, as per usual!
This article appears in the Nov. 14, 2003 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. Wal-Mart Is Not a Business, It's an Economic Disease
by Richard Freeman and Arthur Ticknor
(See also ``Wal-Mart Collapses U.S. Cities and Towns,'' Nov. 14, 2003; ``Wal-Mart Eats More Manufacturers, Jobs,'' Nov. 21, 2003; Wal-Mart Family Trust--The Real Beast of Bentonville, Ark., Jan. 23, 2004.)
The Wal-Mart department store chain, which employs 1.3 million people at 4,700 stores worldwide, and in 2002 became the largest corporation in the world, is levelling economies of the U.S., industrial nations, and the Third World.
Wal-Mart is a driving force behind the decadent Imperial Roman model of the United States. Unable any longer to reproduce its own population's existence through its own physical economy, the United States has, for the past two decades, used an over-valued dollar to suck in physical goods from around the globe for its survival. Wal-Mart is both the public face and working sinews of that policy. It brings in cheap pants from Bangladesh, cheap shirts from China, cheap food from Mexico, etc. Workers who produce these things are paid next to nothing.
Not since the days of the British East India Company as the cornerstone of the British imperial system, has one single corporate entity been responsible for so much misery. At the core of its policy, Wal-Mart demands of its suppliers that they sell goods to Wal-Mart at such a low price, that they can only do so by outsourcing their work to low-wage factories overseas. This causes the exodus of millions of production jobs from the United States and the setting up of slave-labor concentration camps around the globe. Wal-Mart's policy includes crushing living standards in America, forbidding its workers from unionizing, bringing in workers illegally from abroad, and bankrupting tens of thousands of stores and outlets on Main Street, ripping apart communities and their tax bases.
On Nov. 1, 2004, Presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche declared that Wal-Mart and its destructive policy must be stopped. LaRouche declared a boycott against Wal-Mart, to expose it and take it down. LaRouche told a cadre school gathering of the LaRouche Youth Movement in Philadelphia, "Wal-Mart is not a company, it's an epidemic disease. Wal-Mart is one of the biggest factors in causing unemployment in the United States.... Wal-Mart is your enemy.... It's destroying our community; it represents globalization; it represents an institutionalization of the values which stink." (See full text in Feature.)
Wal-Mart has been primed for this role since 1962, when it was founded by Sam Walton in his hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas. It has such immense power in the United States, and leverage overseas, that it has run roughshod over all opposition—until now.
Sam's Club ... Over Your Head
Sam Walton started in the retailing business when he bought a Ben Franklin five and dime store in Newport, Arkansas in 1945. In 1962, he opened the first store under the name "Wal-Mart." In 1970, Wal-Mart made its first public stock offering; the issue was underwritten by Stephens, Inc. of Little Rock, an investment bank which has been identified with some shady dealings.
In 1987, a turning point came for Wal-Mart, when it opened its first superstore, called Hypermarket*USA, modeled on the hypermarkets of Europe. At that time, the average clothing or grocery store in America had 15-22,000 square feet of space. By contrast, the hypermarkets, now called supercenters, had 150-200,000 feet. The supercenter was based on the idea of one-stop shopping: In the same store, one could buy groceries, merchandise and appliances, fast food, and photo development; one could also do one's banking. Wal-Mart took advantage of an advanced inventory system; its bulk purchases of goods, which led to price discounts; and a ferocious anti-labor policy keeping wages very low.
The company set out to obliterate its competition. At the Bentonville headquarters, Wal-Mart still displays the pictures of the heads of its 24 major food and merchandise chain competitors, each framed like an FBI "Wanted" poster. It now builds one new store every 42 hours.
Figure 1 shows that Wal-Mart's annual sales quadrupled from $55.5 billion in its Fiscal Year 1993, to $244.5 billion in FY 2003 (which ended Jan. 1, 2003).
Walmart has grabbed a dominant or near-dominant position in key sectors of the retail market:
* It sells 19% of all grocery-store food in the United States, making it the largest food seller. It plans to double grocery and related sales from $82 billion to $165 billion during the next five years, which would give it command of 35% of the market. It plans to open 40 supercenters in California over the next five years, which is a major cause for the grocery strike in southern California. Managements at the three major grocery stores in southern California, where 70,000 United Food and Commercial Workers (UCFW) workers are striking, have said they are trying to renegotiate lower employer contributions to health-care benefits, because they fear that Wal-Mart plans to saturate southern California with stores, and they will be unable to compete.
* It handles 16% of all pharmacy-drug sales in the United States, and plans to increase that share to 25% by 2008, which would make it the largest pharmacy in America.
* It controls 30% of the U.S. household staples market—paper towels, toothpaste, shampoo—and analysts predict that it will increase that share to 50% before decade's end.
* It is Hollywood's biggest outlet, selling 15-20% of all CDs, videos, and DVDs in the United States.
* It sells 15% of all single-copy news publications.
Reciprocally, Wal-Mart controls a large and increasing share of the business done by almost every major consumer-products company: 28.3% of Dial's (soap products); 24% of Del Monte Foods'; 23% of Clorox's (bleaches and cleaners); and 23% of Revlon's (cosmetics). It controls one-fifth or more of the business done by Proctor & Gamble (household products and soaps); Levi Strauss (jeans and clothing); and Newell Rubbermaid (household consumer rubber products). That is, Wal-Mart is all of these firms' biggest outlet, by a wide margin.
This gives Wal-Mart tremendous leverage over all its producers/suppliers, even though many of them are in the Fortune 500. Twenty years ago, the supplier of products went to Wal-Mart, and told Wal-Mart the price to charge for each product. Today, Wal-Mart "co-determines" the price; it tells the supplier what type of product it wants, how to arrange its inventory, what sort of product line to develop. Because Wal-Mart determines how much shelf space each supplier receives, it has life-and-death control over that supplier. If Wal-Mart says that it wants a product's price to be lowered by 20-25%, that supplier will be forced to outsource an increasing share of its production.
Likewise, Wal-Mart has become a conveyor belt, either directly or through its suppliers, for imported goods, mostly from cheap-labor countries. Wal-Mart imports 10% of all America's total imports from China. According to the Sept. 26, 2003 Irish Independent, "If Wal-Mart were a country, it would rank ahead of Great Britain and Russia in total imports."
Destruction of Labor
Wal-Mart uses its power to ferociously attack and decimate labor power, and it is the leading force in the mass exodus of U.S. manufacturing capacity and jobs.
The company is militantly anti-union. Reportedly it has instructed its managers never to hire workers who once belonged to a union. It also reportedly fires workers who score too high on a "union probability index." When a union tries to unionize a Wal-Mart cluster of stores, "labor experts" are flown in from Bentonville to counterorganize. Workers are ordered to sit in on weekly "labor relations classes," where management tells them why they should not join a union, and gives them badges saying, "We can speak for ourselves." At one store in Texas, where a union tried to organize, 15 surveillance cameras were installed.
The results? Wal-Mart's grocery workers earn an average $8.23 per hour—23% less than grocery workers at unionized stores. Many Wal-Mart workers are allowed to work a maximum of only 28 hours per week. More than two-thirds of all Wal-Mart workers who have a full-time job earn an annual wage that is below the poverty level for a family of three.
According to the AFL-CIO, 66% of unionized workers at large companies are covered by health insurance. According to one study, only 45% of Wal-Mart workers are covered, and according to another study, only 38% are covered.
When a worker works overtime, Wal-Mart will not credit it on his or her time sheet. In many reported cases, workers have been locked into stores after hours to work late into the night and early morning on special displays, but were not paid overtime. Thousands of workers have recorded that they have worked overtime unpaid, but Wal-Mart says it has no record of the cases. There are court suits against Wal-Mart in 36 states on this issue alone.
Mass Unemployment
There are hundreds of American manufacturing plants which have shut down, and shipped production overseas, either partially or entirely due to Wal-Mart. In addition, many other retail outlets have been forced to adopt Wal-Mart's methods. We look at a few of the hundreds of cases in which Wal-Mart was directly involved:
Newell Rubbermaid is the largest producer of consumer rubber products in the United States, and Wal-Mart sells by far the largest volume of Rubbermaid products of any retail store. In January 2001, Joseph Galli was appointed the new chief executive officer of Rubbermaid, and he and his staff had an intensive series of meetings with Wal-Mart management on what products Rubbermaid should bring on line, including Wal-Mart's not-so-subtle suggestions about the price of the products. Since January 2001, Rubbermaid has shut down 69 out of its 400 facilities, and fired 11,000 workers. The equity research director at Associated Trust & Co., C. Mark Heaseldon, bluntly stated the reason, "To be able to meet the demands from key customers, like Wal-Mart ... [Rubbermaid has] to become competitive in price." He added that Galli would have to "shift about 50% of production to low-cost countries." This could force the closure of an additional 131 Rubbermaid facilities, and the firing of an additional 20,000 workers.
General Electric is one of the five biggest companies in America and the biggest producer of appliances, such as dishwashers, refrigerators, stoves, and TVs. The biggest outlet for GE goods is Wal-Mart. During the last few years, GE has conducted a large amount of outsourcing. The IUE union, which represents GE workers, has estimated that during the last five to seven years, GE has fired more than 100,000 workers, one of the nation's biggest outsourcing massacres. Most of this work was outsourced to Mexico, China, and Asia in general.
At Masterlock, 250 union workers lost their jobs in 2000 when Wal-Mart suddenly dropped the company's products and switched to an offshore, low-wage competitor.
Levi Strauss is one of the biggest manufacturers of jeans and denim products, including the line of Docker slacks. Wal-Mart is the biggest retailer of Levi Strauss products. During the past 18 months, after meetings with Wal-Mart, Levi Strauss announced it will shut down its four remaining production plants in North America and shift the work to Ibero-America and Asia. Several hundred jobs will be lost.
Dial Soap sells 28.3% of its production to Wal-Mart. Under Wal-Mart pressure, Dial is shutting down its Compton, California plant and shifting work to Argentina.
There are hundreds of similar stories. As a result of the Wal-Mart model, combined with the depression, more than 1 million manufacturing production jobs producing consumer goods have been lost since July 2000 alone.
Overseas Slave-Labor
Meanwhile, Wal-Mart is operating slave-labor camps overseas. It does this through its suppliers and, increasingly, in its own name. One of the most infamous slave-labor camps is that in American Somoa—the Daewoosa Factory, where 230 workers, mostly young women from Vietnam and China, worked under conditions of indentured servitude. According to records, they were cheated of their meager wages, beaten, starved, sexually harassed, and threatened with deportation if they complained. On Feb. 21, 2003, in a court in Hawaii, the proprietor of the factory, Kil Soo Lee, was found guilty of 14 of 18 counts brought against him for indentured servitude. This factory sewed clothing for Wal-Mart, under Wal-Mart's "Beach Cabana" label (as well as producing for other retailers).
Wal-Mart has plundered the productive functions of the U.S. economy. It's time to shut down Wal-Mart!
http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2003/3044wal-mart.html
by Richard Freeman and Arthur Ticknor
(See also ``Wal-Mart Collapses U.S. Cities and Towns,'' Nov. 14, 2003; ``Wal-Mart Eats More Manufacturers, Jobs,'' Nov. 21, 2003; Wal-Mart Family Trust--The Real Beast of Bentonville, Ark., Jan. 23, 2004.)
The Wal-Mart department store chain, which employs 1.3 million people at 4,700 stores worldwide, and in 2002 became the largest corporation in the world, is levelling economies of the U.S., industrial nations, and the Third World.
Wal-Mart is a driving force behind the decadent Imperial Roman model of the United States. Unable any longer to reproduce its own population's existence through its own physical economy, the United States has, for the past two decades, used an over-valued dollar to suck in physical goods from around the globe for its survival. Wal-Mart is both the public face and working sinews of that policy. It brings in cheap pants from Bangladesh, cheap shirts from China, cheap food from Mexico, etc. Workers who produce these things are paid next to nothing.
Not since the days of the British East India Company as the cornerstone of the British imperial system, has one single corporate entity been responsible for so much misery. At the core of its policy, Wal-Mart demands of its suppliers that they sell goods to Wal-Mart at such a low price, that they can only do so by outsourcing their work to low-wage factories overseas. This causes the exodus of millions of production jobs from the United States and the setting up of slave-labor concentration camps around the globe. Wal-Mart's policy includes crushing living standards in America, forbidding its workers from unionizing, bringing in workers illegally from abroad, and bankrupting tens of thousands of stores and outlets on Main Street, ripping apart communities and their tax bases.
On Nov. 1, 2004, Presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche declared that Wal-Mart and its destructive policy must be stopped. LaRouche declared a boycott against Wal-Mart, to expose it and take it down. LaRouche told a cadre school gathering of the LaRouche Youth Movement in Philadelphia, "Wal-Mart is not a company, it's an epidemic disease. Wal-Mart is one of the biggest factors in causing unemployment in the United States.... Wal-Mart is your enemy.... It's destroying our community; it represents globalization; it represents an institutionalization of the values which stink." (See full text in Feature.)
Wal-Mart has been primed for this role since 1962, when it was founded by Sam Walton in his hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas. It has such immense power in the United States, and leverage overseas, that it has run roughshod over all opposition—until now.
Sam's Club ... Over Your Head
Sam Walton started in the retailing business when he bought a Ben Franklin five and dime store in Newport, Arkansas in 1945. In 1962, he opened the first store under the name "Wal-Mart." In 1970, Wal-Mart made its first public stock offering; the issue was underwritten by Stephens, Inc. of Little Rock, an investment bank which has been identified with some shady dealings.
In 1987, a turning point came for Wal-Mart, when it opened its first superstore, called Hypermarket*USA, modeled on the hypermarkets of Europe. At that time, the average clothing or grocery store in America had 15-22,000 square feet of space. By contrast, the hypermarkets, now called supercenters, had 150-200,000 feet. The supercenter was based on the idea of one-stop shopping: In the same store, one could buy groceries, merchandise and appliances, fast food, and photo development; one could also do one's banking. Wal-Mart took advantage of an advanced inventory system; its bulk purchases of goods, which led to price discounts; and a ferocious anti-labor policy keeping wages very low.
The company set out to obliterate its competition. At the Bentonville headquarters, Wal-Mart still displays the pictures of the heads of its 24 major food and merchandise chain competitors, each framed like an FBI "Wanted" poster. It now builds one new store every 42 hours.
Figure 1 shows that Wal-Mart's annual sales quadrupled from $55.5 billion in its Fiscal Year 1993, to $244.5 billion in FY 2003 (which ended Jan. 1, 2003).
Walmart has grabbed a dominant or near-dominant position in key sectors of the retail market:
* It sells 19% of all grocery-store food in the United States, making it the largest food seller. It plans to double grocery and related sales from $82 billion to $165 billion during the next five years, which would give it command of 35% of the market. It plans to open 40 supercenters in California over the next five years, which is a major cause for the grocery strike in southern California. Managements at the three major grocery stores in southern California, where 70,000 United Food and Commercial Workers (UCFW) workers are striking, have said they are trying to renegotiate lower employer contributions to health-care benefits, because they fear that Wal-Mart plans to saturate southern California with stores, and they will be unable to compete.
* It handles 16% of all pharmacy-drug sales in the United States, and plans to increase that share to 25% by 2008, which would make it the largest pharmacy in America.
* It controls 30% of the U.S. household staples market—paper towels, toothpaste, shampoo—and analysts predict that it will increase that share to 50% before decade's end.
* It is Hollywood's biggest outlet, selling 15-20% of all CDs, videos, and DVDs in the United States.
* It sells 15% of all single-copy news publications.
Reciprocally, Wal-Mart controls a large and increasing share of the business done by almost every major consumer-products company: 28.3% of Dial's (soap products); 24% of Del Monte Foods'; 23% of Clorox's (bleaches and cleaners); and 23% of Revlon's (cosmetics). It controls one-fifth or more of the business done by Proctor & Gamble (household products and soaps); Levi Strauss (jeans and clothing); and Newell Rubbermaid (household consumer rubber products). That is, Wal-Mart is all of these firms' biggest outlet, by a wide margin.
This gives Wal-Mart tremendous leverage over all its producers/suppliers, even though many of them are in the Fortune 500. Twenty years ago, the supplier of products went to Wal-Mart, and told Wal-Mart the price to charge for each product. Today, Wal-Mart "co-determines" the price; it tells the supplier what type of product it wants, how to arrange its inventory, what sort of product line to develop. Because Wal-Mart determines how much shelf space each supplier receives, it has life-and-death control over that supplier. If Wal-Mart says that it wants a product's price to be lowered by 20-25%, that supplier will be forced to outsource an increasing share of its production.
Likewise, Wal-Mart has become a conveyor belt, either directly or through its suppliers, for imported goods, mostly from cheap-labor countries. Wal-Mart imports 10% of all America's total imports from China. According to the Sept. 26, 2003 Irish Independent, "If Wal-Mart were a country, it would rank ahead of Great Britain and Russia in total imports."
Destruction of Labor
Wal-Mart uses its power to ferociously attack and decimate labor power, and it is the leading force in the mass exodus of U.S. manufacturing capacity and jobs.
The company is militantly anti-union. Reportedly it has instructed its managers never to hire workers who once belonged to a union. It also reportedly fires workers who score too high on a "union probability index." When a union tries to unionize a Wal-Mart cluster of stores, "labor experts" are flown in from Bentonville to counterorganize. Workers are ordered to sit in on weekly "labor relations classes," where management tells them why they should not join a union, and gives them badges saying, "We can speak for ourselves." At one store in Texas, where a union tried to organize, 15 surveillance cameras were installed.
The results? Wal-Mart's grocery workers earn an average $8.23 per hour—23% less than grocery workers at unionized stores. Many Wal-Mart workers are allowed to work a maximum of only 28 hours per week. More than two-thirds of all Wal-Mart workers who have a full-time job earn an annual wage that is below the poverty level for a family of three.
According to the AFL-CIO, 66% of unionized workers at large companies are covered by health insurance. According to one study, only 45% of Wal-Mart workers are covered, and according to another study, only 38% are covered.
When a worker works overtime, Wal-Mart will not credit it on his or her time sheet. In many reported cases, workers have been locked into stores after hours to work late into the night and early morning on special displays, but were not paid overtime. Thousands of workers have recorded that they have worked overtime unpaid, but Wal-Mart says it has no record of the cases. There are court suits against Wal-Mart in 36 states on this issue alone.
Mass Unemployment
There are hundreds of American manufacturing plants which have shut down, and shipped production overseas, either partially or entirely due to Wal-Mart. In addition, many other retail outlets have been forced to adopt Wal-Mart's methods. We look at a few of the hundreds of cases in which Wal-Mart was directly involved:
Newell Rubbermaid is the largest producer of consumer rubber products in the United States, and Wal-Mart sells by far the largest volume of Rubbermaid products of any retail store. In January 2001, Joseph Galli was appointed the new chief executive officer of Rubbermaid, and he and his staff had an intensive series of meetings with Wal-Mart management on what products Rubbermaid should bring on line, including Wal-Mart's not-so-subtle suggestions about the price of the products. Since January 2001, Rubbermaid has shut down 69 out of its 400 facilities, and fired 11,000 workers. The equity research director at Associated Trust & Co., C. Mark Heaseldon, bluntly stated the reason, "To be able to meet the demands from key customers, like Wal-Mart ... [Rubbermaid has] to become competitive in price." He added that Galli would have to "shift about 50% of production to low-cost countries." This could force the closure of an additional 131 Rubbermaid facilities, and the firing of an additional 20,000 workers.
General Electric is one of the five biggest companies in America and the biggest producer of appliances, such as dishwashers, refrigerators, stoves, and TVs. The biggest outlet for GE goods is Wal-Mart. During the last few years, GE has conducted a large amount of outsourcing. The IUE union, which represents GE workers, has estimated that during the last five to seven years, GE has fired more than 100,000 workers, one of the nation's biggest outsourcing massacres. Most of this work was outsourced to Mexico, China, and Asia in general.
At Masterlock, 250 union workers lost their jobs in 2000 when Wal-Mart suddenly dropped the company's products and switched to an offshore, low-wage competitor.
Levi Strauss is one of the biggest manufacturers of jeans and denim products, including the line of Docker slacks. Wal-Mart is the biggest retailer of Levi Strauss products. During the past 18 months, after meetings with Wal-Mart, Levi Strauss announced it will shut down its four remaining production plants in North America and shift the work to Ibero-America and Asia. Several hundred jobs will be lost.
Dial Soap sells 28.3% of its production to Wal-Mart. Under Wal-Mart pressure, Dial is shutting down its Compton, California plant and shifting work to Argentina.
There are hundreds of similar stories. As a result of the Wal-Mart model, combined with the depression, more than 1 million manufacturing production jobs producing consumer goods have been lost since July 2000 alone.
Overseas Slave-Labor
Meanwhile, Wal-Mart is operating slave-labor camps overseas. It does this through its suppliers and, increasingly, in its own name. One of the most infamous slave-labor camps is that in American Somoa—the Daewoosa Factory, where 230 workers, mostly young women from Vietnam and China, worked under conditions of indentured servitude. According to records, they were cheated of their meager wages, beaten, starved, sexually harassed, and threatened with deportation if they complained. On Feb. 21, 2003, in a court in Hawaii, the proprietor of the factory, Kil Soo Lee, was found guilty of 14 of 18 counts brought against him for indentured servitude. This factory sewed clothing for Wal-Mart, under Wal-Mart's "Beach Cabana" label (as well as producing for other retailers).
Wal-Mart has plundered the productive functions of the U.S. economy. It's time to shut down Wal-Mart!
http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2003/3044wal-mart.html
This article appears in the November 21, 2003 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.
Wal-Mart Collapses U.S. Cities and Towns
by Richard Freeman
[The charts referenced in this article are available to paid subscribers of Electronic Intelligence Weekly.]
During the last 20 years, Wal-Mart has moved into communities and destroyed them, wiping out stores, slashing the tax base, and turning downtown areas into ghost-towns. This is accomplished through Wal-Mart's policy of paying workers below subsistence wages, and importing goods that have been produced under slave-labor conditions overseas. Often, communities will even give Wal-Mart tax incentives, for the right to be destroyed.
Wal-Mart both reflects, and is, a major driving force for America's deadly implementation of the Imperial Rome model. Unable to produce physical goods to sustain its own existence, the United States, like Rome, sucks in imported goods from around the world, using, in this case, a dollar that is over-valued by 50-60%. America has been transformed from a producer to a consumer society. From the 1940s through the early 1960s, through its technologically-advanced manufacturing-agricultural economy, America produced new value that contributed to mankind's advancement. Through a "post-industrial society" policy, the bankers have pushed Wal-Mart to the top of the heap, so that it is now the world's largest corporation, with $245.5 billion in sales last year. Wal-Mart, which produces no value-added whatsoever, dominates the geometry that governs the U.S. consumer society. America consumes goods that others produce, which Wal-Mart markets. Wal-Mart dictates, through its demand for low prices, that its suppliers outsource their production to foreign nations, further ripping down America's battered domestic manufacturing and agricultural capability, in a self-feeding process.
Presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche has called for an international boycott of Wal-Mart. He told a cadre school of the LaRouche Youth Movement on Nov. 10: "Wal-Mart is probably one of the major foreign enemies of the United States! And, it's based in the United States. Where Wal-Mart strides, whole communities collapse! It runs in like a vampire: It flies in by night, and sucks the blood of the citizens, and the cows, and so forth. In the morning, there's not much left! Except unemployment and cheap labor. What Wal-Mart is doing to many communities of the Americas, is comparable to what happens to the poor Chinese, who are victims of the cheap-labor programs, which supply most of the product which Wal-Mart sells, as cheap-labor product."
Wal-Mart pays its American workers sweat-shop wages, and enforces a worldwide system of concentration camp production plants, where some workers are literally kept as indentured servants (see EIR, Nov. 14). Here, we look at how Wal-Mart has laid waste communities from Iowa to Mississippi, from Ohio to Oklahoma.
Destroying Iowa
Iowa represents the paradigm of Wal-Mart's destruction of a state and its communities. Iowa is a leading agricultural state, with an industrial center in its northeast. In 1983, Wal-Mart opened its first store in the state. Since that time, the number of other retail stores that Wal-Mart has forced to close in Iowa, in communities of 5,000 or fewer people, is immense.
Sam Walton started Wal-Mart in his home town of Bentonville, Arkansas in 1962. At first he concentrated on Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, along with a few other southern states. Beginning in the 1980s, he spread Wal-Mart out as a national chain, shifting from discount stores with 40-70,000 square feet of sales space, to increasingly building Sam's Club and supercenters, which typically have 150-200,000 square feet. The idea was to use its ability to sell a huge volume of goods, its sweat-shop pay to American workers, and its flood of cheap imports, to blow apart any competition. In the October 1996 issue of Wal-Mart Today, an internal company newsletter, Tom Coughlin, executive vice president for operations, summed up the approach: "At Wal-Mart, we make dust. Our competitors eat dust."
In looking at Iowa, we encounter a myth: that when Wal-Mart opened a store in Town A, it may have hurt by a small amount the sales of stores in other towns neighboring Town A—as the people from the other towns went to Wal-Mart to do some of their shopping; but nonetheless, Wal-Mart so increased the volume of sales at its own store and other stores in Town A, that the stores in the overall region experienced significant sales growth and job growth. Wal-Mart hired compliant research and marketing firms to "prove" this point. This is a lie.
We look at what happened to Iowa communities of 5,000 or fewer people. Significant research has been done in this area by Prof. Kenneth Stone of Iowa State University, which we draw upon. Since it is difficult to see what effect occurred after only one or two years, we look at the effects after ten years or longer.
Using sales tax records, Professor Stone compared the change in sales volume at stores located in towns where Wal-Mart opened one of its stores (a "Wal-Mart Town"), and in the neighboring towns where Wal-mart did not open a store ("Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Town"). In cases selected from the study, the sales at Wal-Mart stores themselves are not included, since the focus here is to measure the "Wal-Mart effect": Once Wal-Mart opens a store, what happens to all the other stores in the neighboring communities, in Iowa communities of 5,000 or fewer people?
Figure 1 presents the change in sales volume for Iowa home furnishings stores (furniture stores, major appliance stores, drapery stores, etc.). One year after Wal-Mart opened a store in a town, in the Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Towns, at home furnishing stores the sales volume collapsed by 14%. People from the Non Wal-Mart Towns travelled to the towns where a Wal-Mart had opened, to purchase a share of their home furnishings at the Wal-Mart store. However, by the tenth year after the Wal-Mart store had opened, in the Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Towns, at home furnishing stores the sales volume had fallen a stunning 31% below the level it had been ten years earlier. A large number of home furnishing stores were forced to close.
In the Wal-Mart Towns, by the tenth year after the Wal-Mart store had opened, the sales volume at home furnishing stores had declined by only 1%. Clearly, the home furnishing stores located at Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Towns, had suffered the brunt of the damage.
Figure 2 presents the change in sales volume for Iowa specialty stores (sporting goods stores, druggists, jewelry stores, card and gift shops, florists, etc.). In the Wal-Mart Towns, by the tenth year after the Wal-Mart store had opened, the sales volume at specialty stores had plunged by 17%. In the Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Towns, by the tenth year after the Wal-Mart store had opened, the sales volume at specialty stores had tumbled by 28%.
Figure 3 presents the change in sales volume for Iowa apparel stores, showing a 28% decline by the tenth year in both Wal-Mart Towns and Non Wal-Mart Towns. The Wal-Mart Towns had not escaped the Wal-Mart effect.
Thus, Wal-Mart's assertion that the sales by a range of stores in Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Towns would fall by a small amount, and that the sales volume by a range of stores in Wal-Mart Towns would rise significantly, is completely false.
Putting aside this myth, Figure 4 shows the catastrophe caused by the Wal-Mart effect in Iowa, inclusive of towns that did and did not have a Wal-Mart store. The period under consideration is 1983-96, three years longer than the earlier study, giving three more years of the devastation. By 1996, 13 years after a Wal-Mart had opened in a town, the volume of sales at department stores, which includes Wal-Mart and other large discount chains, rose by 42%. However, since 1983, sales at grocery stores fell by 11%; sales at drug stores fell by 32%; and sales at men's and boys' stores dropped headlong by 59%. Iowa's retail and grocery stores, which form the underpinning of communities, had been ravaged.
Table 1 shows the second phase of the Wal-Mart effect: the closing of stores whose revenues had collapsed. All told, a staggering 7,326 stores closed in Iowa communities of 5,000 or less people (the table covers a ten-year period through 1993; were it to cover the longer period through 1996, the number of store closings would be even greater). The health and vitality of these communities, including employment at rising wages and benefits, the generation of taxes, etc., will not be restored.
Nationwide Blood-Letting
Wal-Mart destroyed other communities and cities. For example:
Toledo, Ohio. Author Al Norman describes the effect of Wal-Mart and Home Depot (another outsourcing chain) on Toledo: "When I went for a walk in downtown Toledo, I passed the old Lamson dry goods store: 9 stories of empty retail space. Each floor is the size of a football field. The building served as the home of a Macy's Department store from 1924 to 1984. For the past fourteen years, the store has been empty. The City now owns it, which means the taxpayers of Toledo are paying the freight for its upkeep."
Nowata, Oklahoma. In 1982, Wal-Mart opened a store on the outskirts of Nowata, a town of 4,000 people. Half of the small businesses in downtown Nowata shut down. Then in 1994, Wal-Mart abruptly closed this store, as well as another in a nearby town, and opened up a supercenter in Bartlesville, which is 30 miles away, leaving Nowata prostrate.
Mississippi. A study found that in small towns in the state, five years after the opening of a Wal-Mart, the dollar volume of grocery store trade had collapsed 17%.
Vermont. In an attempt to stop Wal-Mart from becoming large in the state, various towns passed restrictions that would halt Wal-Mart construction. Wal-Mart built stores in the neighboring New Hampshire and New York, which sucked business out of Vermont.
Collapsing Tax Revenue
Despite all this, many states and communities are using taxpayers' money to finance subsidies to Wal-Mart, to come in and rape them.
In 1999, it was reported that in Olivette, Missouri, a developer received a tax incentive of up to $38.9 million for a construction project including a Wal-Mart and a Sam's Club—more than a third of the projected total cost of the project. In 1998, it was reported that the city of Chesterfield, Missouri was supplying $25.5 million in tax incentives toward the construction of a $100 million-plus mall, anchored by a Wal-Mart. In 2001, Ohio approved $10 million in tax credits and other assistance for Wal-Mart to build two distribution centers and an eyeglass-manufacturing facility.
These insane subsidies draw down the public finances. At the same time, Wal-Mart decimates the tax-base through other methods:
Many stores which, unlike Wal-Mart, did not get tax breaks, are closed. This causes the loss to many states of sales taxes, and to all states of corporate profit taxes.
Workers at established stores that have been closed by the Wal-Mart effect, who were paid higher wages than workers at Wal-Mart, have been fired, causing a drop in state income taxes.
Wal-Mart's outsourcing caused the loss of 1-1.5 million manufacturing production jobs, and thus the taxes that these workers and the manufacturing plants that they worked at, would have paid.
States and cities often have to finance downtown revitalization programs for the areas devastated by Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart certainly produces a wealth effect: the loss of wealth. Just walk through any community downtown with its empty or boarded-up stores, to see the workings of the Wal-Mart effect.
http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2003/3045walmart_iowa.html
Wal-Mart Collapses U.S. Cities and Towns
by Richard Freeman
[The charts referenced in this article are available to paid subscribers of Electronic Intelligence Weekly.]
During the last 20 years, Wal-Mart has moved into communities and destroyed them, wiping out stores, slashing the tax base, and turning downtown areas into ghost-towns. This is accomplished through Wal-Mart's policy of paying workers below subsistence wages, and importing goods that have been produced under slave-labor conditions overseas. Often, communities will even give Wal-Mart tax incentives, for the right to be destroyed.
Wal-Mart both reflects, and is, a major driving force for America's deadly implementation of the Imperial Rome model. Unable to produce physical goods to sustain its own existence, the United States, like Rome, sucks in imported goods from around the world, using, in this case, a dollar that is over-valued by 50-60%. America has been transformed from a producer to a consumer society. From the 1940s through the early 1960s, through its technologically-advanced manufacturing-agricultural economy, America produced new value that contributed to mankind's advancement. Through a "post-industrial society" policy, the bankers have pushed Wal-Mart to the top of the heap, so that it is now the world's largest corporation, with $245.5 billion in sales last year. Wal-Mart, which produces no value-added whatsoever, dominates the geometry that governs the U.S. consumer society. America consumes goods that others produce, which Wal-Mart markets. Wal-Mart dictates, through its demand for low prices, that its suppliers outsource their production to foreign nations, further ripping down America's battered domestic manufacturing and agricultural capability, in a self-feeding process.
Presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche has called for an international boycott of Wal-Mart. He told a cadre school of the LaRouche Youth Movement on Nov. 10: "Wal-Mart is probably one of the major foreign enemies of the United States! And, it's based in the United States. Where Wal-Mart strides, whole communities collapse! It runs in like a vampire: It flies in by night, and sucks the blood of the citizens, and the cows, and so forth. In the morning, there's not much left! Except unemployment and cheap labor. What Wal-Mart is doing to many communities of the Americas, is comparable to what happens to the poor Chinese, who are victims of the cheap-labor programs, which supply most of the product which Wal-Mart sells, as cheap-labor product."
Wal-Mart pays its American workers sweat-shop wages, and enforces a worldwide system of concentration camp production plants, where some workers are literally kept as indentured servants (see EIR, Nov. 14). Here, we look at how Wal-Mart has laid waste communities from Iowa to Mississippi, from Ohio to Oklahoma.
Destroying Iowa
Iowa represents the paradigm of Wal-Mart's destruction of a state and its communities. Iowa is a leading agricultural state, with an industrial center in its northeast. In 1983, Wal-Mart opened its first store in the state. Since that time, the number of other retail stores that Wal-Mart has forced to close in Iowa, in communities of 5,000 or fewer people, is immense.
Sam Walton started Wal-Mart in his home town of Bentonville, Arkansas in 1962. At first he concentrated on Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, along with a few other southern states. Beginning in the 1980s, he spread Wal-Mart out as a national chain, shifting from discount stores with 40-70,000 square feet of sales space, to increasingly building Sam's Club and supercenters, which typically have 150-200,000 square feet. The idea was to use its ability to sell a huge volume of goods, its sweat-shop pay to American workers, and its flood of cheap imports, to blow apart any competition. In the October 1996 issue of Wal-Mart Today, an internal company newsletter, Tom Coughlin, executive vice president for operations, summed up the approach: "At Wal-Mart, we make dust. Our competitors eat dust."
In looking at Iowa, we encounter a myth: that when Wal-Mart opened a store in Town A, it may have hurt by a small amount the sales of stores in other towns neighboring Town A—as the people from the other towns went to Wal-Mart to do some of their shopping; but nonetheless, Wal-Mart so increased the volume of sales at its own store and other stores in Town A, that the stores in the overall region experienced significant sales growth and job growth. Wal-Mart hired compliant research and marketing firms to "prove" this point. This is a lie.
We look at what happened to Iowa communities of 5,000 or fewer people. Significant research has been done in this area by Prof. Kenneth Stone of Iowa State University, which we draw upon. Since it is difficult to see what effect occurred after only one or two years, we look at the effects after ten years or longer.
Using sales tax records, Professor Stone compared the change in sales volume at stores located in towns where Wal-Mart opened one of its stores (a "Wal-Mart Town"), and in the neighboring towns where Wal-mart did not open a store ("Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Town"). In cases selected from the study, the sales at Wal-Mart stores themselves are not included, since the focus here is to measure the "Wal-Mart effect": Once Wal-Mart opens a store, what happens to all the other stores in the neighboring communities, in Iowa communities of 5,000 or fewer people?
Figure 1 presents the change in sales volume for Iowa home furnishings stores (furniture stores, major appliance stores, drapery stores, etc.). One year after Wal-Mart opened a store in a town, in the Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Towns, at home furnishing stores the sales volume collapsed by 14%. People from the Non Wal-Mart Towns travelled to the towns where a Wal-Mart had opened, to purchase a share of their home furnishings at the Wal-Mart store. However, by the tenth year after the Wal-Mart store had opened, in the Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Towns, at home furnishing stores the sales volume had fallen a stunning 31% below the level it had been ten years earlier. A large number of home furnishing stores were forced to close.
In the Wal-Mart Towns, by the tenth year after the Wal-Mart store had opened, the sales volume at home furnishing stores had declined by only 1%. Clearly, the home furnishing stores located at Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Towns, had suffered the brunt of the damage.
Figure 2 presents the change in sales volume for Iowa specialty stores (sporting goods stores, druggists, jewelry stores, card and gift shops, florists, etc.). In the Wal-Mart Towns, by the tenth year after the Wal-Mart store had opened, the sales volume at specialty stores had plunged by 17%. In the Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Towns, by the tenth year after the Wal-Mart store had opened, the sales volume at specialty stores had tumbled by 28%.
Figure 3 presents the change in sales volume for Iowa apparel stores, showing a 28% decline by the tenth year in both Wal-Mart Towns and Non Wal-Mart Towns. The Wal-Mart Towns had not escaped the Wal-Mart effect.
Thus, Wal-Mart's assertion that the sales by a range of stores in Neighboring Non Wal-Mart Towns would fall by a small amount, and that the sales volume by a range of stores in Wal-Mart Towns would rise significantly, is completely false.
Putting aside this myth, Figure 4 shows the catastrophe caused by the Wal-Mart effect in Iowa, inclusive of towns that did and did not have a Wal-Mart store. The period under consideration is 1983-96, three years longer than the earlier study, giving three more years of the devastation. By 1996, 13 years after a Wal-Mart had opened in a town, the volume of sales at department stores, which includes Wal-Mart and other large discount chains, rose by 42%. However, since 1983, sales at grocery stores fell by 11%; sales at drug stores fell by 32%; and sales at men's and boys' stores dropped headlong by 59%. Iowa's retail and grocery stores, which form the underpinning of communities, had been ravaged.
Table 1 shows the second phase of the Wal-Mart effect: the closing of stores whose revenues had collapsed. All told, a staggering 7,326 stores closed in Iowa communities of 5,000 or less people (the table covers a ten-year period through 1993; were it to cover the longer period through 1996, the number of store closings would be even greater). The health and vitality of these communities, including employment at rising wages and benefits, the generation of taxes, etc., will not be restored.
Nationwide Blood-Letting
Wal-Mart destroyed other communities and cities. For example:
Toledo, Ohio. Author Al Norman describes the effect of Wal-Mart and Home Depot (another outsourcing chain) on Toledo: "When I went for a walk in downtown Toledo, I passed the old Lamson dry goods store: 9 stories of empty retail space. Each floor is the size of a football field. The building served as the home of a Macy's Department store from 1924 to 1984. For the past fourteen years, the store has been empty. The City now owns it, which means the taxpayers of Toledo are paying the freight for its upkeep."
Nowata, Oklahoma. In 1982, Wal-Mart opened a store on the outskirts of Nowata, a town of 4,000 people. Half of the small businesses in downtown Nowata shut down. Then in 1994, Wal-Mart abruptly closed this store, as well as another in a nearby town, and opened up a supercenter in Bartlesville, which is 30 miles away, leaving Nowata prostrate.
Mississippi. A study found that in small towns in the state, five years after the opening of a Wal-Mart, the dollar volume of grocery store trade had collapsed 17%.
Vermont. In an attempt to stop Wal-Mart from becoming large in the state, various towns passed restrictions that would halt Wal-Mart construction. Wal-Mart built stores in the neighboring New Hampshire and New York, which sucked business out of Vermont.
Collapsing Tax Revenue
Despite all this, many states and communities are using taxpayers' money to finance subsidies to Wal-Mart, to come in and rape them.
In 1999, it was reported that in Olivette, Missouri, a developer received a tax incentive of up to $38.9 million for a construction project including a Wal-Mart and a Sam's Club—more than a third of the projected total cost of the project. In 1998, it was reported that the city of Chesterfield, Missouri was supplying $25.5 million in tax incentives toward the construction of a $100 million-plus mall, anchored by a Wal-Mart. In 2001, Ohio approved $10 million in tax credits and other assistance for Wal-Mart to build two distribution centers and an eyeglass-manufacturing facility.
These insane subsidies draw down the public finances. At the same time, Wal-Mart decimates the tax-base through other methods:
Many stores which, unlike Wal-Mart, did not get tax breaks, are closed. This causes the loss to many states of sales taxes, and to all states of corporate profit taxes.
Workers at established stores that have been closed by the Wal-Mart effect, who were paid higher wages than workers at Wal-Mart, have been fired, causing a drop in state income taxes.
Wal-Mart's outsourcing caused the loss of 1-1.5 million manufacturing production jobs, and thus the taxes that these workers and the manufacturing plants that they worked at, would have paid.
States and cities often have to finance downtown revitalization programs for the areas devastated by Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart certainly produces a wealth effect: the loss of wealth. Just walk through any community downtown with its empty or boarded-up stores, to see the workings of the Wal-Mart effect.
http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2003/3045walmart_iowa.html
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:lolBIG: Blue, I went to grad school in Econ, so seeing this makes me sick.
This article appears in the November 28, 2003 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.
Wal-Mart `Eats' More U.S. Manufacturers
by Richard Freeman
In mid-November, Wal-Mart, the world's largest corporation and leader of the "globalization" drive, forced the closing of a national children's clothing store, Kids 'R' Us, and pushed the famous Hoover vacuum cleaner manufacturer to the brink; by the end of November, it is expected that Hoover may announce the shift of a substantial portion of its production facilities to Mexico, laying off hundreds of American workers.
Forcing the closure of competing retail stores is a Wal-Mart specialty, as is its destruction of many of America's leading textile and apparel manufacturers and food companies.
As EIR has shown in a series of articles (Nov. 14, Nov. 21), Wal-Mart is a driving force for America's implementation of the Imperial Rome model: Unable to reproduce its own population's existence, the United States has, for the past two decades, used an over-valued dollar to import goods from abroad. Wal-Mart markets an immense volume of these goods, many of which are produced under slave-labor conditions. It pays below-subsistence wages to its American workers, and drives down the wages of competing retail stores.
On Nov. 1, Democratic Presidential pre-candidate Lyndon LaRouche put a spotlight on the matter, with a call for a national and international boycott of Wal-Mart. On Nov. 18, he told a campaign meeting in St. Louis, Missouri: "The most important subversive enemy against the United States people and economy today, is Wal-Mart!" He denounced Wal-Mart's forcing companies to outsource, causing the exodus of millions of manufacturing jobs. The reason households shopped at Wal-Mart, he said, is that their collapsed incomes make them unable to purchase goods at higher prices.
Gutting Companies
On Nov. 17, the national retail chain Toys 'R' Us, announced that it would close 146 of the stores of its Kids 'R' Us subdivision, which sells clothing, as well as 36 of its Imaginarium stores (which sell "educational" toys and games). The shutdowns will be completed by Jan. 31, 2004, eliminating up to 3,800 jobs. Kids 'R' Us was unable to slash the prices of its children's clothing deeply enough to compete with Wal-Mart.
Moreover, Wal-Mart has launched an aggressive campaign, through cut-throat pricing, to destroy the parent company, Toys 'R' Us, the second-largest toy seller (after Wal-Mart) in America. As an example of how this strategy operates: The popular Hot Wheels T-Wreck Play Set toy sells for $42 wholesale. However, according to the Nov. 19 Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart is now selling that very toy at $29.74, a loss of more than $10 per unit. Wal-Mart sells 21% of all toys sold in America, and if it knocks out its leading competitor, its share could reach 30%.
Hoover has been a leading name in vacuum cleaners for nearly 100 years. During the third quarter of this year, Hoover's vacuum-cleaner sales declined by 20%, which the company blamed on competitors' models priced at $79—made in Asia to meet Wal-Mart's price demands—outselling Hoover's $100-plus vacuums produced in the United States. Hoover cannot withstand such drops in sales volumes. Hoover's parent company, Maytag, is demanding cuts in health insurance and other benefits, plus changes in job-security rules for production workers at its Hoover vacuum manufacturing plant in North Canton, Ohio. If the workers don't cave in, Maytag has stated that it will move Hoover vacuum production to cheap-wage sites in Texas, and to maquiladoras in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
Textile and Apparel, and Food Sectors
No company is safe from Wal-Mart's unswerving assault, but particularly at risk are manufacturing concerns in the textile and apparel sector, and in the food sector.
Wal-Mart has ravaged companies by leveraging its enormous sales power, and its access to products produced by slave-labor, to make suppliers follow its pricing decisions. If the supplier company doesn't sell its goods at the price Wal-Mart sets, Wal-Mart denies them shelf space at its stores, which destroys that company. However, even when a supplier meets Wal-Mart's prices, the prices are so low, and the supplier loses so much money, that the supplier is forced into bankruptcy. Wal-Mart's 2002 sales of $244.5 billion were larger than the sales of Sears, Target, J.C. Penny, K-Mart, Safeway, and Kroger combined.
Textiles and Apparel:
Carolina Mills is a 75-year-old company that supplies thread, yarn, and textile finishing to apparel-makers—half of which supply Wal-Mart. But since 2000, Carolina Mills' customers have begun to find imported clothing sold so cheaply at Wal-Mart, that Carolina Mills could not compete even if they paid their workers nothing! Since 2000, Carolina Mills has shrunk from 17 factories to 7, and from 2,600 employees to 1,200. Steve Dobbins, the CEO of Carolina Mills, told the December issue of Fast-Company magazine: "People ask, 'How can it be bad for things to come into the U.S. cheaply? How can it be bad to have a bargain at Wal-Mart?' But you can't buy anything if you're not employed. We are shopping ourselves out of jobs" (emphasis added).
Lovable Garments, which was founded in 1926, had, by the 1990s, become the sixth-largest producer of women's lingerie in the United States, employing 700 workers. Wal-Mart became the biggest purchaser of Lovable's goods; in 1995, Wal-Mart demanded that Lovable slash its prices to compete with cheap imports. When Lovable indicated it could not do that, Wal-Mart illegally reneged on its contract, and outsourced the lingerie production to Ibero-America, Asia, and China. Without the Wal-Mart market, in 1998 Lovable had to close its American manufacturing facilities and fire the workers. Stated Frank Garson, who was then Lovable's president, "Their actions to pulverize people are unnecessary. Wal-Mart chewed us up and spit us out."
Food:
Vlasic Pickles was roped into a contract with Wal-Mart, in which Wal-Mart sold a 3 gallon jar of whole pickles for $2.97. Wal-Mart sold 240,000 gallons of pickles per week. But the price of the 3 gallon jar was so low, that it vastly undercut Vlasic's sales of 8 ounce and 16 ounce jars of cut pickles; further, Vlasic only made a few pennies per 3 gallon jar. With its profits tumbling, Vlasic asked Wal-Mart for the right to raise the price per 3 gallon jar to $3.49, and according to a Vlasic executive, Wal-Mart threatened that if Vlasic tried to back out of this feature of the contract, Wal-Mart would cease carrying any Vlasic product. Eventually, a Wal-Mart executive said, "Well, we've done to pickles what we did to orange juice. We've killed it"—meaning it had wiped out competitor products. Finally, it allowed Vlasic to raise prices; but in January 2001, Vlasic filed for bankruptcy.
Destroying Labor Overseas
Wal-Mart buys a lot of its goods from China, which in many sections of the country, pays very low wages. One case that has come to light concerns the Ching Hai Electric Works Co. in Shajing, which produces electric fans. The factory makes several million fans per year, and sells them under many of the world's leading brand names, and also under two of the company's own names. The workers' starting salary is $32 per month, which is more than 40% below China's minimum wage of $56 per month. There are also reportedly many workplace accidents in the factory. In the late 1990s, Wal-Mart started making demands that the price of the fans be lowered, and they have fallen from approximately $7, to $4 per fan. But to lower the price, the manager of the plant had to cut its workforce in half, to 1,500 workers, while maintaining the same level of orders. This has led to many workers working 14 hours per day, for a pittance.
Meanwhile, American factories that produce fans are shutting down.
International Spotlight
The situation has become so outrageous, that it is drawing international attention. On Nov. 19, the Observer of London carried an article on the destruction of the City of Buffalo, New York, mentioning the role of Wal-Mart. The article tells the story of Buffalo Color, a manufacturing plant where indigo dye for denim was produced. Once employing 3,000 workers, Buffalo Color lost business to plants established in China, which produce the indigo dye at half the cost that Buffalo Color does. The indigo dye is used to color the denim, most of which is used in clothing, and Wal-Mart has driven down the price it will pay for clothing, and thus all its constituent ingredients must be cheaper. Buffalo Color now employs 12 people, and functions strictly as a resale operation. The article also reports on the Made in the USA group, which consists of many small- and medium-sized manufacturers, whose chairman states that its primary enemy is Wal-Mart.
On Nov. 18-19, the City of London's mouthpiece, the Financial Times, ran four articles on Wal-Mart, centered on Wal-Mart's practices of hiring and directing cleaning companies that employed foreign illegal workers who cleaned Wal-Mart stores, seven nights a week, under hideous conditions.
http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2003/3046wal-mart_pricing.html
This article appears in the November 28, 2003 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.
Wal-Mart `Eats' More U.S. Manufacturers
by Richard Freeman
In mid-November, Wal-Mart, the world's largest corporation and leader of the "globalization" drive, forced the closing of a national children's clothing store, Kids 'R' Us, and pushed the famous Hoover vacuum cleaner manufacturer to the brink; by the end of November, it is expected that Hoover may announce the shift of a substantial portion of its production facilities to Mexico, laying off hundreds of American workers.
Forcing the closure of competing retail stores is a Wal-Mart specialty, as is its destruction of many of America's leading textile and apparel manufacturers and food companies.
As EIR has shown in a series of articles (Nov. 14, Nov. 21), Wal-Mart is a driving force for America's implementation of the Imperial Rome model: Unable to reproduce its own population's existence, the United States has, for the past two decades, used an over-valued dollar to import goods from abroad. Wal-Mart markets an immense volume of these goods, many of which are produced under slave-labor conditions. It pays below-subsistence wages to its American workers, and drives down the wages of competing retail stores.
On Nov. 1, Democratic Presidential pre-candidate Lyndon LaRouche put a spotlight on the matter, with a call for a national and international boycott of Wal-Mart. On Nov. 18, he told a campaign meeting in St. Louis, Missouri: "The most important subversive enemy against the United States people and economy today, is Wal-Mart!" He denounced Wal-Mart's forcing companies to outsource, causing the exodus of millions of manufacturing jobs. The reason households shopped at Wal-Mart, he said, is that their collapsed incomes make them unable to purchase goods at higher prices.
Gutting Companies
On Nov. 17, the national retail chain Toys 'R' Us, announced that it would close 146 of the stores of its Kids 'R' Us subdivision, which sells clothing, as well as 36 of its Imaginarium stores (which sell "educational" toys and games). The shutdowns will be completed by Jan. 31, 2004, eliminating up to 3,800 jobs. Kids 'R' Us was unable to slash the prices of its children's clothing deeply enough to compete with Wal-Mart.
Moreover, Wal-Mart has launched an aggressive campaign, through cut-throat pricing, to destroy the parent company, Toys 'R' Us, the second-largest toy seller (after Wal-Mart) in America. As an example of how this strategy operates: The popular Hot Wheels T-Wreck Play Set toy sells for $42 wholesale. However, according to the Nov. 19 Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart is now selling that very toy at $29.74, a loss of more than $10 per unit. Wal-Mart sells 21% of all toys sold in America, and if it knocks out its leading competitor, its share could reach 30%.
Hoover has been a leading name in vacuum cleaners for nearly 100 years. During the third quarter of this year, Hoover's vacuum-cleaner sales declined by 20%, which the company blamed on competitors' models priced at $79—made in Asia to meet Wal-Mart's price demands—outselling Hoover's $100-plus vacuums produced in the United States. Hoover cannot withstand such drops in sales volumes. Hoover's parent company, Maytag, is demanding cuts in health insurance and other benefits, plus changes in job-security rules for production workers at its Hoover vacuum manufacturing plant in North Canton, Ohio. If the workers don't cave in, Maytag has stated that it will move Hoover vacuum production to cheap-wage sites in Texas, and to maquiladoras in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
Textile and Apparel, and Food Sectors
No company is safe from Wal-Mart's unswerving assault, but particularly at risk are manufacturing concerns in the textile and apparel sector, and in the food sector.
Wal-Mart has ravaged companies by leveraging its enormous sales power, and its access to products produced by slave-labor, to make suppliers follow its pricing decisions. If the supplier company doesn't sell its goods at the price Wal-Mart sets, Wal-Mart denies them shelf space at its stores, which destroys that company. However, even when a supplier meets Wal-Mart's prices, the prices are so low, and the supplier loses so much money, that the supplier is forced into bankruptcy. Wal-Mart's 2002 sales of $244.5 billion were larger than the sales of Sears, Target, J.C. Penny, K-Mart, Safeway, and Kroger combined.
Textiles and Apparel:
Carolina Mills is a 75-year-old company that supplies thread, yarn, and textile finishing to apparel-makers—half of which supply Wal-Mart. But since 2000, Carolina Mills' customers have begun to find imported clothing sold so cheaply at Wal-Mart, that Carolina Mills could not compete even if they paid their workers nothing! Since 2000, Carolina Mills has shrunk from 17 factories to 7, and from 2,600 employees to 1,200. Steve Dobbins, the CEO of Carolina Mills, told the December issue of Fast-Company magazine: "People ask, 'How can it be bad for things to come into the U.S. cheaply? How can it be bad to have a bargain at Wal-Mart?' But you can't buy anything if you're not employed. We are shopping ourselves out of jobs" (emphasis added).
Lovable Garments, which was founded in 1926, had, by the 1990s, become the sixth-largest producer of women's lingerie in the United States, employing 700 workers. Wal-Mart became the biggest purchaser of Lovable's goods; in 1995, Wal-Mart demanded that Lovable slash its prices to compete with cheap imports. When Lovable indicated it could not do that, Wal-Mart illegally reneged on its contract, and outsourced the lingerie production to Ibero-America, Asia, and China. Without the Wal-Mart market, in 1998 Lovable had to close its American manufacturing facilities and fire the workers. Stated Frank Garson, who was then Lovable's president, "Their actions to pulverize people are unnecessary. Wal-Mart chewed us up and spit us out."
Food:
Vlasic Pickles was roped into a contract with Wal-Mart, in which Wal-Mart sold a 3 gallon jar of whole pickles for $2.97. Wal-Mart sold 240,000 gallons of pickles per week. But the price of the 3 gallon jar was so low, that it vastly undercut Vlasic's sales of 8 ounce and 16 ounce jars of cut pickles; further, Vlasic only made a few pennies per 3 gallon jar. With its profits tumbling, Vlasic asked Wal-Mart for the right to raise the price per 3 gallon jar to $3.49, and according to a Vlasic executive, Wal-Mart threatened that if Vlasic tried to back out of this feature of the contract, Wal-Mart would cease carrying any Vlasic product. Eventually, a Wal-Mart executive said, "Well, we've done to pickles what we did to orange juice. We've killed it"—meaning it had wiped out competitor products. Finally, it allowed Vlasic to raise prices; but in January 2001, Vlasic filed for bankruptcy.
Destroying Labor Overseas
Wal-Mart buys a lot of its goods from China, which in many sections of the country, pays very low wages. One case that has come to light concerns the Ching Hai Electric Works Co. in Shajing, which produces electric fans. The factory makes several million fans per year, and sells them under many of the world's leading brand names, and also under two of the company's own names. The workers' starting salary is $32 per month, which is more than 40% below China's minimum wage of $56 per month. There are also reportedly many workplace accidents in the factory. In the late 1990s, Wal-Mart started making demands that the price of the fans be lowered, and they have fallen from approximately $7, to $4 per fan. But to lower the price, the manager of the plant had to cut its workforce in half, to 1,500 workers, while maintaining the same level of orders. This has led to many workers working 14 hours per day, for a pittance.
Meanwhile, American factories that produce fans are shutting down.
International Spotlight
The situation has become so outrageous, that it is drawing international attention. On Nov. 19, the Observer of London carried an article on the destruction of the City of Buffalo, New York, mentioning the role of Wal-Mart. The article tells the story of Buffalo Color, a manufacturing plant where indigo dye for denim was produced. Once employing 3,000 workers, Buffalo Color lost business to plants established in China, which produce the indigo dye at half the cost that Buffalo Color does. The indigo dye is used to color the denim, most of which is used in clothing, and Wal-Mart has driven down the price it will pay for clothing, and thus all its constituent ingredients must be cheaper. Buffalo Color now employs 12 people, and functions strictly as a resale operation. The article also reports on the Made in the USA group, which consists of many small- and medium-sized manufacturers, whose chairman states that its primary enemy is Wal-Mart.
On Nov. 18-19, the City of London's mouthpiece, the Financial Times, ran four articles on Wal-Mart, centered on Wal-Mart's practices of hiring and directing cleaning companies that employed foreign illegal workers who cleaned Wal-Mart stores, seven nights a week, under hideous conditions.
http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2003/3046wal-mart_pricing.html
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Here's a bit more about the death befinits story I mentioned TTinCO. It's only fair to point out that this practice is legal in some states, so Walmart isn't breaking any laws there nd other companies do this as well.
BUt of course walmart being how they are, even in states where it is specifically ILLEGAL they just can;t pass up the opportunity, so they break the law and lie to people! (or business as usual for them)
"Despite the fact that insurance companies, which collected an estimated $2.8 billion in premiums in 2001, lobby strongly in support of this barbaric practice, it isn't legal in all states. In Texas, for example, the issuance of an insurance policy is guided by the principle of "insurable interest," which requires some evidence that the person requesting the policy stands to suffer financial hardship or tangible deprivation as the result of a loss. So if your house burns down, or an income-producing spouse dies, that would clearly demonstrate both financial loss and tangible deprivation. Having a billion-dollar corporation insure the life of an $8.00-per-hour clerk, on the other hand, would not.
Texas law, however, did not stop Wal-Mart from taking out 350,000 policies on its Lone Star employees. To bypass those annoying Texas regulations, the retailer insured its employees with a company in Georgia. And no one would have known, except that a tax attorney who happened to be looking into Wal-Mart's affairs uncovered the scam and sent a letter to Linda Waller, whose late husband worked in Wal-Mart's automotive department. Waller was surprised to learn that her husband had been insured for $64,000, and she approached Wal-Mart's human resources department seeking an explanation. She was assured that no such policy existed and that she was being poorly used by ambulance chasers.
But further investigation proved otherwise, and Waller, along with the families of other employees, sued. The U.S. District Court agreed that Wal-Mart had no insurable interest and that the money should go to the estates of the deceased. Wal-Mart had argued that there was nothing untoward about this arrangement at all. Employees were offered a $5,000 "death benefit" and were free to refuse it. Wal-Mart, however, neglected to inform its employees that the policies were worth considerably more than the sum of the benefit, or that the company would be the major beneficiary. And, according to the attorney who uncovered Wal-Mart's insurance practices, if employees refused the special "benefit" they became ineligible for future health insurance.
All of which raises any number of troubling ethical questions. For instance, Wal-Mart hires a great many senior citizens, who either need to supplement their Social Security or simply want to fill the empty hours of retirement. Are these attractive hires because they pay off more quickly? Motivation is, of course, unknowable (unless someone finds the memos), but the practice of purchasing COLI does create some grotesque incentives. "
BUt of course walmart being how they are, even in states where it is specifically ILLEGAL they just can;t pass up the opportunity, so they break the law and lie to people! (or business as usual for them)
"Despite the fact that insurance companies, which collected an estimated $2.8 billion in premiums in 2001, lobby strongly in support of this barbaric practice, it isn't legal in all states. In Texas, for example, the issuance of an insurance policy is guided by the principle of "insurable interest," which requires some evidence that the person requesting the policy stands to suffer financial hardship or tangible deprivation as the result of a loss. So if your house burns down, or an income-producing spouse dies, that would clearly demonstrate both financial loss and tangible deprivation. Having a billion-dollar corporation insure the life of an $8.00-per-hour clerk, on the other hand, would not.
Texas law, however, did not stop Wal-Mart from taking out 350,000 policies on its Lone Star employees. To bypass those annoying Texas regulations, the retailer insured its employees with a company in Georgia. And no one would have known, except that a tax attorney who happened to be looking into Wal-Mart's affairs uncovered the scam and sent a letter to Linda Waller, whose late husband worked in Wal-Mart's automotive department. Waller was surprised to learn that her husband had been insured for $64,000, and she approached Wal-Mart's human resources department seeking an explanation. She was assured that no such policy existed and that she was being poorly used by ambulance chasers.
But further investigation proved otherwise, and Waller, along with the families of other employees, sued. The U.S. District Court agreed that Wal-Mart had no insurable interest and that the money should go to the estates of the deceased. Wal-Mart had argued that there was nothing untoward about this arrangement at all. Employees were offered a $5,000 "death benefit" and were free to refuse it. Wal-Mart, however, neglected to inform its employees that the policies were worth considerably more than the sum of the benefit, or that the company would be the major beneficiary. And, according to the attorney who uncovered Wal-Mart's insurance practices, if employees refused the special "benefit" they became ineligible for future health insurance.
All of which raises any number of troubling ethical questions. For instance, Wal-Mart hires a great many senior citizens, who either need to supplement their Social Security or simply want to fill the empty hours of retirement. Are these attractive hires because they pay off more quickly? Motivation is, of course, unknowable (unless someone finds the memos), but the practice of purchasing COLI does create some grotesque incentives. "
Wal-Mart Dungeon in China
These are the statistics of the Qin Shi Handbag Factory in Sanxiang Town, Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, China. This information was provided through the National Labor Committee for Worker and Human Rights.
<HR>These are the statistics of the Qin Shi Handbag Factory in Sanxiang Town, Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, China. This information was provided through the National Labor Committee for Worker and Human Rights.
There are 1000 workers at the Qin Shi Handbag Factory in Zhongshan City. 90% of them are young men 16 to 23 years of age; almost all migrants are from rural areas.
Wal-Mart started producing Kathie Lee handbags at the Qin Shi factory in September, 1999. The workers passed the NLC a Qin Shi/Wal-Mart invoice form dated September 2, 1999 which calls for the production of 5,400 Kathie Lee handbags (style #62657 70575) to be delivered no later than October 20, 1999.
Before that, Qin Shi produced handbags for Payless carrying the Predictions label. (In 1999, Payless was the eighth largest importer by weight of goods entering the United States. Wal-Mart was, of course, the first. In the latest six-month period available—October 1999 to March 2000-a search of U.S. Customs Department shipping records made available in the PIERS database, show that 53 percent of Wal-Mart’s total imports worldwide come from China.)
Qin Shi Factory/Wal-Mart: Indentured Servants held under prison-like conditionsWal-Mart started producing Kathie Lee handbags at the Qin Shi factory in September, 1999. The workers passed the NLC a Qin Shi/Wal-Mart invoice form dated September 2, 1999 which calls for the production of 5,400 Kathie Lee handbags (style #62657 70575) to be delivered no later than October 20, 1999.
Before that, Qin Shi produced handbags for Payless carrying the Predictions label. (In 1999, Payless was the eighth largest importer by weight of goods entering the United States. Wal-Mart was, of course, the first. In the latest six-month period available—October 1999 to March 2000-a search of U.S. Customs Department shipping records made available in the PIERS database, show that 53 percent of Wal-Mart’s total imports worldwide come from China.)
The daily work shift at the Qin Shi Factory is 12 to 14 hours, seven days a week, 30 days a month.At the end of the day the workers return “home” to a cramped dorm room sharing metal bunk beds with 16 other people.At most, workers are allowed outside of the factory for just one and one half hours a day. Otherwise they are locked in.
Working up to 98 hours a week, it is not easy to find the time to go out. But the workers have another fear as well. Before entering the Qin Shi factory, management confiscates the identification documents of each worker.When someone goes outside, the company also takes away their factory I.D. tag, leaving them with no identification at all. If you are stopped by the local security police you could be detained and deported back to your rural province as an illegal migrant.
When you need to use the bathroom the company again confiscates your factory I.D. and monitors the time you spend. If you are away from your workstation for more than eight minutes you will receive a severe fine.
All new employees are illegally charged a deposit of 80 rmb ($9.64 U.S.) for a three year work contract, along with another 32 rmb ($3.86) for the first 10 days living expenses, which includes two dismal meals a day. Working up to 98 hours a week, it is not easy to find the time to go out. But the workers have another fear as well. Before entering the Qin Shi factory, management confiscates the identification documents of each worker.When someone goes outside, the company also takes away their factory I.D. tag, leaving them with no identification at all. If you are stopped by the local security police you could be detained and deported back to your rural province as an illegal migrant.
When you need to use the bathroom the company again confiscates your factory I.D. and monitors the time you spend. If you are away from your workstation for more than eight minutes you will receive a severe fine.
Further deductions from the workers’ wages are made for the temporary residency and work permits the workers need, which the factory management intentionally delays applying for for several months. This also leaves the workers trapped and afraid to leave the factory grounds, since without these legal permits they can be deported at any minute.
Qin Shi management also illegally withholds the workers first month’s wages, so it is only at the end of the second month that the workers receive, or may receive, their first pay. Because of all of the deductions and fines, many workers earn nothing at all after two months work, and instead, are actually in debt to the company.
Fines for violating any of the strict company rules are severe, a practice made even worse by the fact that armed company security guards can keep 30 percent of any fines they levy against the workers.
The workers making Wal-Mart Kathie Lee handbags report being subjected to body searches, as well as physical and verbal abuse by security guards and quality control supervisors.
The workers are charged 560 rmb ($67.47 U.S.) for dorm and living expenses, which is an enormous amount given that the highest take home wage our researchers found in the factory was just 10 cents an hour. There were others who earned just 36 cents for more than a month’s work, earning just 8/100th of a cent an hour. Many workers earned nothing at all and owed money to the company.
Seventy percent of the workers said they lacked money for even the most basic expenses, and were forced, for example, to go without even bread and tea for breakfast.
Lacking money and with constraints on their freedom of movement the Qin Shi workers making Kathie Lee handbags were being held in conditions resembling indentured servitude.
In a vicious trap, they did not even have enough money to travel to look for other work.
<TABLE height=57 cellPadding=10 width="88%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%" bgColor=#cccccc height=1>Wal-Mart Bags Made Under Slave-like Conditions in China
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
A Wal-Mart Production order was carried out of the Qin Shi Handbag Factory by the workers. The production order was signed on September 2, 1999 by Yu Lin Chen and Su Chun Wong.
<TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN-LEFT: 126.9pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-layout-alt: fixed; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt" height=130 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=206 bgColor=#cccccc border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid" vAlign=top width=190 height=130></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
A Wal-Mart Production order was carried out of the Qin Shi Handbag Factory by the workers. The production order was signed on September 2, 1999 by Yu Lin Chen and Su Chun Wong.
<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O
> Kathie Lee Handbags
#62657 70575
Made in China
All Man Made Materials
Dept. 31
KL 6021E
$8.96</O>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>> Kathie Lee Handbags#62657 70575
Made in China
All Man Made Materials
Dept. 31
KL 6021E
$8.96</O
>The Qin Shi Handbag Factory was to produce 5,400 Kathie Lee handbags, style #62557 70575 with a delivery date of October 20, 1999. The invoice notes that Wal-Mart will accept no late deliveries.Label notes: “A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this product will be donated to various children’s charities.”<O>
The Qin Shi factory has such a notorious reputation for cruelty and exploitation that the workers admit they are ashamed to tell anyone where they actually work – to endure such conditions must mean that you are very, very poor and down on your luck. <O> ></O>Wal-Mart carried out an inspection/audit at Qin Shi in early November 1999 and the factory passed with flying colors. The audit was obviously a farce – as will become clear later – and one can only conclude that Wal-Mart simply does not know and does not care what its contractors are doing. <O
> </O>Eventually the workers at Qin Shi could stand no more abuse, and fought back. Eight hundred workers were fired in December, but they did at least win some of their back wages.
Hours: 12 to 14 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week, 30 Days a Month<O
> <O></O>The “regular” daily work shift is:<O
> </O>· 7:00 a.m. to 12 noon<O> </O>
· 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.<O> </O>
· 6:30 to 9:30, 10:30 or 11:30 p.m. </O>
The workers are at the Qin Shi factory up to 115½ hours per week, from 7:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., or 16 1/2 hours a day, seven days a week. This was the schedule in September, which is their busy season, when they were making the Wal-Mart handbags.> </O>· 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.<O
> </O>· 6:30 to 9:30, 10:30 or 11:30 p.m. </O
>But they were paid for only 14 hours a day, and 98 hours a week.
Working seven days a week and 30 days a month, essentially the workers would receive one day off every other month.
All overtime work is mandatory. The 98-hour workweek at Qin Shi exceeds the legal limit on total overtime by 200 percent. (China’s labor law states that overtime cannot exceed 36 hours a month, or 9 hours a week over the regular 40-hour, 5-day workweek).
Despite these excessively long hours, the workers receive no overtime premium, earning always the same standard piece rate.
Wages: Average wage - 3 cents an hour! Highest wage 10 cents an hour, 46% of the workers earn nothing at all and in fact owe the company money.<O
> </O>All the workers at Qin Shi are paid according to a piece rate system, which varies given the type of operation required. Piece rates per unit completed ranged from 1/10th of a cent to 4/10ths of a cent, with the average being just a little over 2/10ths of a cent. So, for example, if a worker sewed 100 pieces for the Kathie Lee handbags, he or she would earn 24 cents.
In September and October, when the factory was producing Wal-Mart, the range of the workers wages varied wildly, but no one came even remotely close to making the already below-subsistence legal minimum wage of about 31 cents an hour, on which no one can possibly survive.<O
> </O>The highest take-home wage we found in the factory was just 10 cents an hour, or $1.20 a day -- $44.22 for 37 days of work.<O
> </O>The average wage in a sample of 24 workers amounted to only 3 cents an hour. However, of that sample 46 percent of the workers earned nothing at all after more than a month’s work, and in fact owed the company money due to all the deductions for company dorm and food expenses, fines and other illegal withholdings.
One worker earned 36 cents for the entire month of August, which would amount to 8 cents a week, or 8/100ths of a cent an hour.
The Kathie Lee handbag the workers make at the Qin Shi Factory retails at Wal-Mart for $8.76, which by American standards is quite cheap. However from the perspective of the average worker in the factory, earning just 3 cents an hour, the Kathie Lee handbag is very expensive indeed. At 3 cents an hour, he would have to work 299 hours to purchase such a handbag for his girlfriend.
Because of the pitiful and illegally low wages at the Qin Shi factory the workers were forced to go without even the most basic necessities. Seventy percent of the workers reported lacking the money for even a tiny breakfast. Kept in the position of indentured servants, the workers had no money or savings even to leave the factory to look for other work.
Working for Wal-Mart in China…For Nothing <OBecause of the pitiful and illegally low wages at the Qin Shi factory the workers were forced to go without even the most basic necessities. Seventy percent of the workers reported lacking the money for even a tiny breakfast. Kept in the position of indentured servants, the workers had no money or savings even to leave the factory to look for other work.
> 10 cents an hour is the highest wages
Nearly half the workers surveyed (46%) actually owed the company money after a month’s work!
The pay records below were drawn from a sample of 24 workers from the Qin Shi Handbag Factory in Zhongshan, China, where they sew Kathie Lee handbags for Wal-Mart. The workers are paid according to a piece rate. They work 12 to 14 hours a day. The paycheck they received on October 31, 1999 covered the 37-day period from August 20 to September 27. The names of the workers are being withheld to protect their security. Since Qin Shi factory management fines the workers $2.49 for failure to return their pay records, the workers had to take advantage of their one-hour supper break to sneak out and xerox their pay stubs.
19 Workers Surveyed from the Sewing Department <O
> </O><TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-table-layout-alt: fixed; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="85%" border=1><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid" vAlign=top align=middle width=20>Worker</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top align=middle width=65></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top align=middle width=45></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top align=middle width=55></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top align=middle width=30>
</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$35.30</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>J</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>3-4 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.44</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>40</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$17.71</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>393</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$33.61</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>K</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>3-4 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.43</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>37</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$16.63</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>434</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$32.41</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>L</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>35</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $7.11)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>398.4</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$27.71</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>M</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>32</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $20.72)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>401</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$22.53</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>N</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>23</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $18.92)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>691.83</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$18.19</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>O</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>31</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $19.16)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>474</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$17.95</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>P</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>19</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $23.61</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>515</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$13.49</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>Q</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>17</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $26.39)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>309.5</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$10.72</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>R</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>9</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $33.49</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>324</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$ 3.61</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>S</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>10</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $34.46)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>186</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$ 2.65</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.15pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width="50%" colSpan=8>--Five Workers Surveyed from the Gluing Department--</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>T</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>7-9 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$1.03</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>37</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$38.19</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>740.11</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$54.10</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>U</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>1 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.15</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>32</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$4.91</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>541</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$42.05</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>V</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>5 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.65</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>35</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$22.77</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>480.34</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$38.67</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>W</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>27</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $11.20)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>340</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>3/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$25.90</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>X</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>24</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $20.84)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>446</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>15/100 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$16.27</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Hourly Wage
</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top align=middle width=40>Daily Wage
(12-14 hr workday)
</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top align=middle width=30>No. Days Worked
Net Pay
(after deductions for dorm, food, fines)
</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top align=middle width=37>Number of Pieces
Sewn each day
Average piece rate pay per unit
Total Gross Pay
(before deductions)
</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>A</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>9-10 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$1.20</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>37</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$44.22</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>1,010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$60.12</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>B</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>8-9 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$1.09</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>34</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$36.99</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>413</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>4/10<SUP> </SUP>of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$52.89</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>C</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>6-7 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.86</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>38</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$32.77</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>1,073</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$48.67</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>D</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>6-7 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.86</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>37</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$31.69</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>760.22</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$47.59</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>E</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>6-7 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.83</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>37</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$30.60</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>673.30</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$46.51</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>F</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>6-7 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.81</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>37</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$30</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>622</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$45.90</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>G</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0.8-0.9 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.11</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>27</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$2.89</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>361</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>4/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$40.00</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>H</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>4-5 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.61</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>35</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$21.20</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>331</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>3/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$37.11</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>I</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>35</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $1.81)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>684</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent ($0.0014759)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$35.30</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>J</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>3-4 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.44</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>40</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$17.71</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>393</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$33.61</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>K</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>3-4 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.43</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>37</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$16.63</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>434</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$32.41</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>L</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>35</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $7.11)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>398.4</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$27.71</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>M</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>32</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $20.72)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>401</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$22.53</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>N</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>23</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $18.92)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>691.83</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$18.19</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>O</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>31</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $19.16)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>474</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$17.95</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>P</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>19</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $23.61</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>515</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$13.49</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>Q</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>17</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $26.39)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>309.5</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$10.72</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>R</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>9</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $33.49</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>324</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$ 3.61</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>S</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>10</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $34.46)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>186</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>1/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$ 2.65</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.15pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width="50%" colSpan=8>--Five Workers Surveyed from the Gluing Department--</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>T</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>7-9 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$1.03</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>37</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$38.19</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>740.11</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 7.1pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$54.10</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>U</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>1 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.15</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>32</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$4.91</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>541</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$42.05</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>V</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>5 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.65</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>35</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>$22.77</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>480.34</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>2/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$38.67</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>W</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>27</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $11.20)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>340</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>3/10 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$25.90</TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=20>X</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=65>0 cents</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=40>$0.00</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>24</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=45>(owed $20.84)</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=37>446</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=55>15/100 of 1 cent</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=30>$16.27</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Note: The monthly payday is on an irregular schedule, varying according to production volume and delivery date. Deductions are withheld from the workers’ wages for living/dorm expenses, food, job placement fee, temporary residency permit and various fines (e.g.-for not returning ones pay record). The exchange rate is 8.3 rmb to $1.00 U.S.
The Wal-Mart Audit: A True FarceAfter having begun production at the Qin Shi factory in September, Wal-Mart sent an inspection team to visit the factory in early November to conduct an audit.
The visit was announced in advance and Qin Shi management was well prepared. Before Wal-Mart arrived, management split the factory in two. Those still working on the first and second floors of the building remained Qin Shi employees, while those working on the third and fourth floors would now be working for a separate front company called the Yecheng Leather Parts Factory. This factory was illegal and unregistered, and in fact the 800 workers there still continued to do the same work producing the Kathie Lee handbags. The Yecheng Leather Parts Factory was simply a front company set up to fool or appease Wal-Mart. On the third and fourth floors conditions remained wretched with excessively long overtime hours till 11 p.m. and criminally low wages, since the workers had to strain to also finish uncompleted production quotas from the first two floors, which were now turned into a “model” factory of sorts.
Meanwhile, in November, the 200 workers left on the first and second floors started to receive 350 rmb ($12.17 U.S.) a month in back wages, to make up for the below-minimum wages they had been earning since September when the Wal-Mart work began. Also, from November onward these workers were to be paid the legal minimum wage $12.51 a week, even if the company continued to cheat and fudge on the amount of overtime actually worked.
The first and second floors were cleaned, and fancy high quality toilet paper was installed in the bathrooms. Wal-Mart’s Code of Conduct went up on the wall. Even Wal-Mart’s human rights hotline numbers were posted: 1-800-WM-ETHIC for the U.S. and 1-800-963-8442 for outside the U.S.
Any serious auditor would realize rather quickly that those 200 workers alone could not be producing the amount of goods Wal-Mart ordered, and might even have walked up the flight of stairs to see the other 800 workers doing the vast majority of the work.
But Wal-Mart’s audits are a farce, and one can only conclude that Wal-Mart does not care, and really does not know what its contractors are doing. Wal-Mart then covers this farce by threatening to pull out of any factory violating Wal-Mart’s Code of Conduct --that is, in the unlikely event that they are actually exposed by a handful of tiny NGOs searching for the estimated 1,000 hidden contractors Wal-Mart uses in China alone. Of course, Wal-Mart refuses to publicly disclose to the American people even the names and locations of the factories they use in China. They claim this information is a trade secret.
The Workers Fight Back and 800 are Fired.
But They Did Win a Significant Victory.
On November 28, Qin Shi management posted an announcement stating that the 800 workers on the third and forth floors would, as of December 10, have to start purchasing food coupons in order to eat in the factory canteen. But the workers were already penniless and miserably underpaid, and lacked even the money to purchase the food coupons. It was another way of saying that many of the workers would now have to starve.
- <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in">The use of child labor <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in">Body searches <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in">Confiscating worker identification documents <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in">Fines <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in">Below-minimum, starvation wages <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in">Excessively long overtime hours, working until 11:00 p.m., seven days a week <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in">Physical and verbal abuse <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in">Recruitment fees and other illegal deductions
- The total repression of all human and worker rights, even the right to complain or raise a grievance, which were immediately met with firings
But the workers refused to leave until they received their back wages and the deposits which they were owed – and they won!
This might not seem like much of a victory, unless one understands the climate of total suppression of all worker rights in China.
A Worker Tries to Call Wal-Mart’s Hotline
A worker at the Qin Shi factory tried to call Wal-Mart’s human rights complaint phone number: AT&T Direct 1-800-963-8442 (outside the U.S.). The worker could not get through.
Later a letter was sent to Wal-Mart headquarters on Bentonville, Arkansas. It is not known if that got through. At any rate, there has been no response from Wal-Mart.
As of our last contact with the workers in mid-January 2000, Wal-Mart production continued at the Qin Shi factory.
Wal-Mart Discloses Factory Locations to Government in China
Why does Wal-Mart refuse to provide this same information to the American People?
The National Labor Committee recently purchased a Disney garment in a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Shenzhen in the south of China. A hangtag on the garment identified the specific name and location of the factory in China where the Disney child’s sweatshirt was made.<O> </O><O></O>
The question is: If Wal-Mart and Disney will provide the authoritarian government in China with the names and addresses of the factories in China where they are making their goods, then why do they continue to refuse to release this very same information to the American people?<O> </O> <O> </O>
In China, under the Law of Consumers Rights (Chapters 2 and 3), consumers have the right to know the origin of the products they purchase, including supplier information. Of course, like all laws in China, implementation can be weak and spotty. Still, the principle exists and in some cases Wal-Mart and Disney respect the law and make available their suppliers’ names and locations. <O>
Why is it that Wal-Mart can trust the Chinese government, but it will not trust the American people?<O> </O> <O> </O>
From the hangtag on the Disney garment we learn that it was sewn at the Midway Daily Products Factory, located in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.<O> </O> <O> </O>
Not that Wal-Mart or Disney would have much to brag about regarding conditions at the Midway factory. During the busy season, workers will be at the factory up to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, from seven a.m. to 10 p.m. earning just 33 cents an hour. Ten workers share a single dorm room. Any attempt to form an independent union will be crushed. If a worker is absent for three days, he or she is fired. Arriving at work 15 minutes late is punished with a fine amounting to more than a full day’s wages.<O> </O> <O> </O>
During the slow season, when workers are in a 50-hour weekly schedule, they earn $16,68. Overtime is rewarded with an extra 10-cent-an-hour premium. <O>
Another example of wages at the Qin Shi Factory, where they sew Kathie Lee handbags for Wal-Mart, is outlined below. At Qin Shi, the regular shift is 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, with one day off per month.
1.) Mr. X, Shandong Province: Started working in the trimming section of the factory in March 1999, earning just 65 cents an hour (5.4 rmb) in August and around $6.02 (50 rmb) in September. This would put Mr. X’s average wage for these two months at 77 cents a week—8/10ths of a cent per hour. <O> </O>
2.) Mr. Y, Guangxi Province: Started working in the factory on April 30, 1999 and by October 29, after working 5 months and 29 days—had earned a total of $19.52 (162 rmb). This amounts to 75 cents for a full 91-hour workweek, or 8/10ths of one cent per hour. <O> </O>
3.) Mr. A, Guangxi Province: Started working in the factory May 4, 1999, and after nearly six months of work, on October 30, was paid a total of $42.17 (350 rmb). This would come to $1.62 a week—2 cents an hour.<O> </O> <O> </O>
4.) Mr. B, Guizhou Province: Was able to earn just $39.76 (330 rmb) in five months of work, and received his first pay only after completing three months of work. His pay averaged $1.84 a week—2 cents an hour. <O>
5.) Mr. C, Henan Province: Started working on July 22, 1999, receiving his August wages on September 30, earning $30.24 (251 rmb). This was the highest wage in the group, coming to $6.98 a week—8 cents an hour. However, the following month, he received only partial payment. <O> </O>
6.) Mr. D, Henan Province: Started working on June 18, 1999 and received just 36 cents for the full month of August. This amounts to earnings of 8 cents a week, or 1/10<SUP>th</SUP> of a cent (.09 cents) an hour. The following month, Mr. D did much better, earning $14.46 (120 rmb) for September. His 4-cent-an-hour wages, $3.34 for the week—ranked him among the top 30 percent of wage earners in his production team of 80 people. <O> </O>
7.) Mr. E, Henan Province: Started working on June 7, 1999, but by the end of October had earned nothing at all, and in fact owed the factory $12.05 (100 rmb). After 19 weeks of work, Mr. E had actually lost money. <O> </O>
8.) Mr. F, Henan Province: Started working on June 14, 1999 and received $24.14 (200.4 rmb) for July, ranking him 10<SUP>th</SUP> in earnings among his 100-member production section. For August, Mr. F received $12.05 (100 rmb) which still ranked him in the top 14 percent of his team. For the two months, Mr. F’s average weekly wage was $4.18—5 cents an hour. <O> </O>
<O></O>
<O>http://www.lizmichael.com/qinshi.htm
</O> </O><O></O>The question is: If Wal-Mart and Disney will provide the authoritarian government in China with the names and addresses of the factories in China where they are making their goods, then why do they continue to refuse to release this very same information to the American people?<O
> </O> <O> </O>In China, under the Law of Consumers Rights (Chapters 2 and 3), consumers have the right to know the origin of the products they purchase, including supplier information. Of course, like all laws in China, implementation can be weak and spotty. Still, the principle exists and in some cases Wal-Mart and Disney respect the law and make available their suppliers’ names and locations. <O
> Why is it that Wal-Mart can trust the Chinese government, but it will not trust the American people?<O
> </O> <O> </O>From the hangtag on the Disney garment we learn that it was sewn at the Midway Daily Products Factory, located in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.<O
> </O> <O> </O>Not that Wal-Mart or Disney would have much to brag about regarding conditions at the Midway factory. During the busy season, workers will be at the factory up to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, from seven a.m. to 10 p.m. earning just 33 cents an hour. Ten workers share a single dorm room. Any attempt to form an independent union will be crushed. If a worker is absent for three days, he or she is fired. Arriving at work 15 minutes late is punished with a fine amounting to more than a full day’s wages.<O
> </O> <O> </O>During the slow season, when workers are in a 50-hour weekly schedule, they earn $16,68. Overtime is rewarded with an extra 10-cent-an-hour premium. <O
> Another example of wages at the Qin Shi Factory, where they sew Kathie Lee handbags for Wal-Mart, is outlined below. At Qin Shi, the regular shift is 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, with one day off per month.
1.) Mr. X, Shandong Province: Started working in the trimming section of the factory in March 1999, earning just 65 cents an hour (5.4 rmb) in August and around $6.02 (50 rmb) in September. This would put Mr. X’s average wage for these two months at 77 cents a week—8/10ths of a cent per hour. <O
> </O>2.) Mr. Y, Guangxi Province: Started working in the factory on April 30, 1999 and by October 29, after working 5 months and 29 days—had earned a total of $19.52 (162 rmb). This amounts to 75 cents for a full 91-hour workweek, or 8/10ths of one cent per hour. <O
> </O>3.) Mr. A, Guangxi Province: Started working in the factory May 4, 1999, and after nearly six months of work, on October 30, was paid a total of $42.17 (350 rmb). This would come to $1.62 a week—2 cents an hour.<O
> </O> <O> </O>4.) Mr. B, Guizhou Province: Was able to earn just $39.76 (330 rmb) in five months of work, and received his first pay only after completing three months of work. His pay averaged $1.84 a week—2 cents an hour. <O
> 5.) Mr. C, Henan Province: Started working on July 22, 1999, receiving his August wages on September 30, earning $30.24 (251 rmb). This was the highest wage in the group, coming to $6.98 a week—8 cents an hour. However, the following month, he received only partial payment. <O
> </O>6.) Mr. D, Henan Province: Started working on June 18, 1999 and received just 36 cents for the full month of August. This amounts to earnings of 8 cents a week, or 1/10<SUP>th</SUP> of a cent (.09 cents) an hour. The following month, Mr. D did much better, earning $14.46 (120 rmb) for September. His 4-cent-an-hour wages, $3.34 for the week—ranked him among the top 30 percent of wage earners in his production team of 80 people. <O
> </O>7.) Mr. E, Henan Province: Started working on June 7, 1999, but by the end of October had earned nothing at all, and in fact owed the factory $12.05 (100 rmb). After 19 weeks of work, Mr. E had actually lost money. <O
> </O>8.) Mr. F, Henan Province: Started working on June 14, 1999 and received $24.14 (200.4 rmb) for July, ranking him 10<SUP>th</SUP> in earnings among his 100-member production section. For August, Mr. F received $12.05 (100 rmb) which still ranked him in the top 14 percent of his team. For the two months, Mr. F’s average weekly wage was $4.18—5 cents an hour. <O
> </O><O
></O> <O
>http://www.lizmichael.com/qinshi.htm></O></O></O></O></O>Criticism of Wal-Mart
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Bumper sticker critical of Wal-Mart produced by ReclaimDemocracy.org
It has been suggested that Wal-Mart employee and labor relations be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)
Several groups have criticised Wal-Mart's policies and/or business practices, including community groups, grassroots organizations, labor unions,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-mkabel_0>[1]</SUP> religious organizations,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-0>[2]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-1>[3]</SUP> and environmental groups. In particular, several labor unions have specific concerns regarding the company's anti-union stance, as well as several employee relations issues. Other areas of concern include the corporation's extensive foreign product sourcing, treatment of employees and product suppliers, environmental practices, the use of public subsidies, and the impact of stores on the local economies of towns in which they operate.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-2>[4]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-3>[5]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-4>[6]</SUP>
In 2005, several organizations were created by labor unions to confront these issues, including Wake Up Wal-Mart (United Food and Commercial Workers) and Wal-Mart Watch (Service Employees International Union). By the end of 2005, Wal-Mart launched, Working Families for Wal-Mart, to counter the criticisms of the other two groups. Additional efforts to counter many criticisms include launching a public relations campaign in 2005 through their public relations website,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-5>[7]</SUP> as well as several television commercials. The company also retained the public relations firm Edelman to respond to negative media attention,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-newweapon_0>[8]</SUP> and has started looking beyond mainstream media and interacting directly with bloggers, by directly sending them news, suggesting topics for postings, and even inviting them to visit their corporate headquarters.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-bloggerPR_0>[9]</SUP> In August 2006, the company initiated a voter education program by sending a letter to its 18,000 Iowa associates regarding the decision of a few elected leaders and candidates for office to attack the company at union-funded publicity events in the state.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-votereducation_0>[10]</SUP> They also plan to send similar letters to associates in other key states, including South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Nevada, as well as to invite various candidates to tour their stores and meet associates.
Several independent critics have suggested that Wal-Mart is a success in the system of free enterprise because it sells products at low prices that people want to buy, satisfying customer's needs, but at the same time their lower prices draw customers away from established business, "hurting the community."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-6>[11]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-7>[12]</SUP> Others argue that Wal-Mart is attacked simply because it is a, "leader of the Fortune 500 list," "the largest employer in America," and a, "free-market success story."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-8>[13]</SUP>
<TABLE class=toc id=toc summary=Contents><TBODY><TR><TD>Contents
[hide]
[edit] Local Communities
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[edit] Store openings
Wal-Mart opened their Teotihuacán Superstore 1.9 miles from the Pyramid of the Moon (shown) amid community protests.
When planning new store locations, Wal-Mart often faces many concerns from the affected communities. Local critics that oppose new Wal-Mart store openings cite concerns such as traffic problems, environment problems, public safety, absentee landlordism, bad public relations,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-9>[14]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-10>[15]</SUP> low wages and benefits, and predatory pricing.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wm_vs_ad_0>[16]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-The_Hometown_Advantage_0>[17]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-German_High_Court_0>[18]</SUP> Critics that defend Wal-Mart cite consumer choice, economic studies,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-sobel_dean_0>[19]</SUP> as well as the underlying political response. Opposition may include rejections for developer applications from city councils as well as protest marches formed by activists, unions, and even religious groups.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-11>[20]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-12>[21]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-13>[22]</SUP> In some instances, activists have demonstrated opposition by causing property damage to store buildings or by creating bomb scares.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-14>[23]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-15>[24]</SUP>
One such criticized store location was a Wal-Mart Superstore that opened in 2004 in Mexico, 1.9 miles away from the historic Teotihuacán Pyramid of the Moon and archaeological excavation site.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wal-mart_pyramid_0>[25]</SUP> During construction, a 3 foot square ancient altar was uncovered 1 foot beneath the grade of where the store's parking lot is now located.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wal-mart_pyramid_1>[25]</SUP> The store proposal received much international media attention. Critics that opposed the Wal-Mart store opening included the local community resistance, as well as environmental groups and anti-globalist policy groups, which protested the store opening.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-16>[26]</SUP> Homero Aridjis, one of the store's lead opponents in the community characterized the opening as being, "supremely symbolic", and, "...like planting the staff of globalization in the heart of ancient Mexico."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-17>[27]</SUP> Other critics compared the store opening to Hernan Cortés and the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Wal-Mart stated that they, "are not building 'next to' the pyramids at Teotihuacán, but miles away. ... Our construction is in an area designated for commercial buildings and residences, and hundreds are currently located there. The only opposition to our store has come from a small group of merchants who find competition unwelcome and are seeking to misrepresent our plans for their own interests."<SUP class=noprint>[citation needed]</SUP> The Wal-Mart location was supported by Mexico's national anthropology institute, the United Nations and the Paris-based International Council on Monuments and Sites.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-18>[28]</SUP>
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[edit] Economic impact
This Bizarro comic is an example of the commonly cited criticism that Wal-Mart forces smaller, locally-owned stores out of business.
As one of the largest corporations in the world, the presence of Wal-Mart in local communities has a significant impact on the local economies in which it operates. Studies on the economic impact of Wal-Mart indicate that there are both positive and negative effects that arise from the presence of a store. For example, a study at Iowa State University in 1997 found that small towns can lose almost half of their retail trade within ten years of Wal-Mart opening.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-19>[29]</SUP> A subsequent study in collaboration with Mississippi State University indicated that there are, "both positive and negative impacts on existing stores in the area where the new supercenter locates."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-20>[30]</SUP> A June 2006 article published by the Ludwig von Mises Institute suggests that the economic effects of Wal-Mart are overwhelmingly positive, and that all of the fundamental complaints of Wal-Mart's critics are based on profound ignorance of Wal-Mart's actual economic significance.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-ultimate_0>[31]</SUP> Wal-Mart's low prices cause some existing businesses to close, yet also creates new opportunities for other small business and that, as a result, "the process of creative destruction unleashed by Wal-Mart has no statistically significant impact on the overall size of the small business sector in the United States."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-sobel_dean_1>[19]</SUP>
A study commissioned by Wal-Mart by Global Insight, claimed that their stores' presence saves working families more than $2,329 per year, while creating more than 210,000 part time, minimum wage jobs in the U.S.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-21>[32]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-22>[33]</SUP> From 1985–2004, Wal-Mart was found to be, "associated with a cumulative decline of 9.1% in food-at-home prices, a 4.2% decline in commodities (goods) prices, and a 3.1% decline in overall consumer prices."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-globalinsight_0>[34]</SUP> The study also indicated that, "nominal wages are 2.2% lower, but given that consumer prices are 3.1% lower, real disposable income is 0.9% higher than it would have been in a world without Wal-Mart."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-globalinsight_1>[34]</SUP>
Another study at the University of Missouri further examined Wal-Mart's specific impact on local employment, which found that an individual store's entry into a county increased net retail employment in that county by 100 jobs in the short term, with half of this increase disappearing as other retail establishments close or reduce employment over a five-year period, while still producing net gain of 50 jobs.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-23>[35]</SUP> Furthermore, Wal-Mart's low prices provide for an increase in real income. For example, one study has shown that Wal-Mart's discounting on food alone boosts the welfare of shoppers by at least $50 billion per year.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-24>[36]</SUP> A study in 2005 at MIT that measured the effect on consumer welfare found that the poorest segment of the population benefits the most from the existence of discount retailers.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-25>[37]</SUP>
However, while Wal-Mart is providing jobs for more people and their low prices are providing advantages in the marketplace, their low wages are also increasing the burden on taxpayers. For example, a 2002 survey by the state of Georgia's subsidized healthcare system, PeachCare, found that Wal-Mart was the largest private employer of the parents of children enrolled in its program, and also found that one quarter of the employees at Georgia Wal-Marts qualified to enroll their children in Medicaid.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-26>[38]</SUP>A 2004 study at the University of California, Berkeley further asserted that Wal-Mart's low wages and benefits resulted in an increased burden on the social safety net, costing California taxpayers $86 million.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-27>[39]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-28>[40]</SUP> A Pennsylvania State University study, also in 2004, showed that U.S. counties with more Wal-Mart stores showed evidence of increasing rates of poverty relative to those with fewer stores.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-PSUstudy_0>[41]</SUP> This could be due to the displacement of workers from higher-paid jobs in the retailers that are driven out of business, Wal-Mart providing lower levels of local philanthropy than the replaced businesses, or a shrinking pool of local leadership and reduced social capital due to a reduced number of local independent businesses.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-PSUstudy_1>[41]</SUP>
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[edit] Corporate welfare
Some U.S. critics also point to more than $1 billion in taxpayer-supported developmental incentives that Wal-Mart has received in the U.S.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-29>[42]</SUP> Such development incentives have been termed by critics as, "Corporate welfare", a pejorative term describing a government's bestowal of grants and/or tax breaks on corporations or other, "special favorable treatment" from the government.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-30>[43]</SUP>
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[edit] Predatory pricing and supplier issues
Wal-Mart has faced several accusations of, "predatory pricing", or intentionally selling a product below cost in order to drive some or all competitors out of the market. In 1995, in the case of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. American Drugs, Inc., American Drugs accused Wal-Mart of intentionally selling individual items below cost for the purpose of injuring competitors and destroying competition. While the lower court ruled in favor of American Drug, the Supreme Court of Arkansas ruled in favor of Wal-Mart, citing that their pricing strategies, including the use of loss leaders, did not constitute predatory pricing.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wm_vs_ad_1>[16]</SUP> In 2000, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection accused Wal-Mart of selling butter, milk, laundry detergent, and other staple goods below cost, with the intention of forcing competitors out of business and gaining a monopoly in local markets.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wisconsin_0>[44]</SUP> Crest Foods filed a similar lawsuit in Oklahoma, accusing the company of predatory pricing on several of its products, in an effort to drive their own company-owned store in Edmond, Oklahoma out of business.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-31>[45]</SUP> Both cases were settled out of court, with no fine and no admission of wrongdoing. There was a stipulation in the Wisconsin case, however, that Wal-Mart would face double or triple fines for any future violations.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wisconsin_1>[44]</SUP>
In 2003, Mexico's antitrust agency, the Federal Competition Commission, investigated Wal-Mart for, "monopolistic practices", prompted by various charges that the retailer has abused its market power by pressuring suppliers to sell goods below cost or at prices significantly less than those available to other stores.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-32>[46]</SUP> Later, in 2003, the German High Court ruled that Wal-Mart's below cost pricing strategy undermined competition and violated the country's antitrust laws.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-German_High_Court_1>[18]</SUP>
Wal-Mart has also been accused of using monopsony power to force suppliers into self-defeating practices. For example, Barry C. Lynn, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, argues that Wal-Mart's constant demand for lower prices caused Kraft Foods to "shut down thirty-nine plants, to let go [of] 13,500 workers, and to eliminate a quarter of its products." Kraft's cost of production had gone up due to higher energy and raw material costs. Lynn argues that in a free market (referring to a non-monopsony market, as opposed to the general economic definition of a free market), Kraft could have passed those costs on to its distributors and ultimately consumers.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-33>[47]</SUP>
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[edit] Employee and labor relations
<DL><DD>See also: Wal-Mart employee and labor relations </DD></DL>Wal-Mart has been criticized for their policies against labor unions. In North America, the company has largely thwarted unionization by its employees with aggressive anti-union tactics. For example, when meat cutters at the Jacksonville, Texas supercenter voted to unionize in 2000, Wal-Mart closed its meat department and began shipping in pre-packaged meats at all stores.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-34>[48]</SUP> When workers at a Jonquière, Quebec Wal-Mart voted to unionize, Wal-Mart closed the store five months later, citing weak profits.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-35>[49]</SUP> Another store, in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, voted to unionize and Wal-Mart lost a court challenge to the certification process in April, 2006.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-36>[50]</SUP> In Germany, the ver.di union reports that it has organized every local Wal-Mart SuperCenter, but it complains that Wal-Mart ignores German co-determination rules and does not adequately inform ver.di about store closings.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-Struggling_In_Germany_0>[51]</SUP> Company officials say they comply with labor laws. In July 2003, employees affiliated with the ver.di union staged a brief strike.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-A_Bumpy_Ride_in_Europe_0>[52]</SUP>
On July 29, 2006, 30 Wal-Mart employees in the southeast province of Fujian decided to form a local union, affiliated with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), the country's only legal trade union.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-37>[53]</SUP>
In the United States, there are concerns on several labor issues, including low pay and inadequate health care coverage. Additionally, Wal-Mart is facing several lawsuits by current and former hourly associates who allege that the company forced them to work, "off the clock", or failed to provide work breaks, or otherwise claim they were not paid for work performed."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-38>[54]</SUP>
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[edit] Imports and globalization
As the single largest customer to most of its vendors, Wal-Mart openly uses its bargaining power to negotiate lower prices from vendors. Specifically, in its negotiations with suppliers, Wal-Mart requires that prices go down from year to year.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-fastco_0>[55]</SUP> If a vendor does not comply with Wal-Mart's request for reduced prices, they risk having their entire brand removed from Wal-Mart's shelves in favor of a lower-priced competitor or a less expensive store brand.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-pbs_0>[56]</SUP> Critics argue that this pressures vendors to shift manufacturing jobs to China and other third world nations, where the cost of labor is less expensive.
In the mid-1990s, Wal-Mart had a "Buy American", campaign, which was eventually cancelled. By 2005, about 60% of Wal-Mart's merchandise was imported, compared to 6% in 1995.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-pbs_1>[56]</SUP> In 2004, Wal-Mart spent $18 billion on Chinese products alone, and if it were an individual economy, the company would rank as China's eighth largest trading partner, ahead of Russia, Australia, and Canada.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-39>[57]</SUP> The growing deficit with China, heavily influenced by Wal-Mart imports, is estimated to have moved over 1.5 million American jobs to China between 1989 and 2003.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-40>[58]</SUP> According to the AFL-CIO, "Wal-Mart is the single largest importer of foreign-produced goods in the United States", their biggest trading partner is China, and their trade with China alone constitutes approximately 10 percent of the total US trade deficit with China as of 2004.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-41>[59]</SUP> While the company certainly imports many products, the company also claims that it purchases goods from more than 68,000 U.S. vendors, spending $137.5 billion in 2004, and supporting more than 3.5 million supplier jobs in the U.S.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-42>[60]</SUP>
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[edit] Overseas labor concerns
There are many concerns over Wal-Mart's use of foreign labor, particularly over its failure to maintain adequate supervision over its foreign suppliers, as well as incidents of products have been made using sweatshops or alleged slave labor. For example, in 1995, Chinese dissident Harry Wu discovered that Wal-Mart was contracting prison "slave labor" in Guangdong Province.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-palast_0>[61]</SUP> There have also been reports of teenagers in Bangladesh working in, "sweatshops", approximately 80 hours per week, at $0.14 per hour, for Wal-Mart contractor Beximco, and in 1994, Guatemalan Wendy Diaz reported that she had been working for Wal-Mart at $0.30 per hour at the age of 13.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-palast_1>[61]</SUP> The documentary, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, also claims that the factories that produce goods for Wal-Mart are in poor condition and that factory workers are subject to abuse and inhumane conditions.
According to Wal-Mart, as well as many advocates of free trade, comparisons of wage levels between vastly different countries is not a useful way to assess the fairness of a trade policy. The company also asserts that wages paid to overseas workers are comparable to or exceed local prevailing wages. In that case, the company claims that the overseas manufacturing jobs it creates are often an improvement in the quality of life for its employees. They have also asserted that factory jobs with its suppliers are often safer and healthier than local alternatives, which may include prostitution, the drug trade or scavenging.
Wal-mart currently uses in-house monitoring, which, critics say, leaves outsiders unable to verify reforms. Since no external agency, such as Social Accountability International or the Fair Labor Association, is involved and Wal-Mart will not release its audits or even factory names, the public is left to simply take their word for it.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-43>[62]</SUP> In 2004, Wal-Mart began working with Business for Social Responsibility, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, to reach out to groups active in monitoring overseas plants. "Wal-Mart is at an early stage", says BSR President Aron Cramer, "and it's likely that they, like most companies that engage in these processes, will adapt their approach over time."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-44>[63]</SUP>
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[edit] Product selection
Wal-Mart's product selection has been criticized by some groups in the past, primarily as viewed as a promotion of a particular ideology or as a responses to their original rural, religious target market. For example, in 2003, Wal-Mart removed certain men's magazines from their shelves, such as Maxim, FHM, and Stuff, citing customer complaints regarding their racy content.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-45>[64]</SUP> Later that year, they decided to partly obscure the covers of Redbook, Cosmopolitan, and Marie Claire due to, "customer concerns", and also refused to stock an issue of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit special because it took exception to one photograph.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-46>[65]</SUP>
Since 1991, Wal-Mart also has not carried music albums marked with the RIAA's Parental Advisory Label, although they do carry edited versions, with obscentities removed or overdubbed with less offensive lyrics, of such albums.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-47>[66]</SUP> In one example, in 2005, Wal-Mart rejected the original cover of Willie Nelson's reggae album, Countryman, which featured marijuana leaves, in an apparent pro-marijuana statement. To satisfy Wal-mart, the record label, Lost Highway, issued the album with an alternate cover, without recalling the original cover.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-48>[67]</SUP>
In 1999, Wal-Mart announced that it would not stock emergency contraception pills in its pharmacies,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-49>[68]</SUP> claiming that it had the legal right to carry and sell whatever products its consumers and/or shareholders desired. In February 2006, three women filed suit against the company in Massachusetts after they were unable to purchase emergency contraception at their local Wal-Mart stores.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-morningafter_0>[69]</SUP> The women won the suit and the Massachusetts Pharmacy Board ruled that Wal-Mart must stock the drug in all of its pharmacies within Massachusetts.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-morningafter_1>[69]</SUP> Expecting that other states would soon do the same, Wal-Mart reversed its policy and announced that they would begin to stock the drug nationwide.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-morningafter_2>[69]</SUP> The company has maintained its conscientious objection policy, however, which allows any Wal-Mart pharmacy employee who does not feel comfortable dispensing a prescription to refer customers to another pharmacy.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-morningafter_3>[69]</SUP>
Wal-Mart has also been criticized for some of the products that it does carry. For example, the company was criticized for selling the notoriously anti-Semitic, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, text on its website. Most scholars consider the text to be a forgery, but Wal-Mart's product description suggested the text might be genuine. Wal-Mart stopped selling the book in September, 2004, though the document is still available for purchase from many other booksellers, who sell it in the interests of freedom of speech.
In October 2004, Wal-Mart canceled its order for, The Daily Show's America (The Book) after discovering a page that depicts each Supreme Court judge in the nude. A week later, they returned copies of George Carlin's When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, with a cover recreating The Last Supper with Jesus' seat empty and Carlin seated next to it. The company claimed that the copies were shipped to them by mistake and a Wal-mart spokeswoman said she, "didn't believe this particular product would appeal" to its customer base.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-50>[70]</SUP>
In January 2006, the company was criticized for suggesting that some African American-related DVDs, such as Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and documentaries on Martin Luther King, Jr. were items similar to the Planet of the Apes television series DVD box set. They quickly corrected the page, saying that it was a software glitch, though it ultimately blamed the matter on human error.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-51>[71]</SUP>
While Wal-Mart's product selection may be seen by some as censorship, others view this from a free enterprise standpoint, that criticism of Wal-Mart's product selection is misguided because Wal-Mart is free to carry and sell whatever products it chooses and that customers are free to shop elsewhere, and would do so if they were in disagreement with its perceived moral values.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-52>[72]</SUP>
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[edit] Taxes
Until the mid-1990s, Wal-Mart took out corporate-owned life insurance policies on low level employees, such as janitors, cashiers, cart pushers, and stockers. This type of insurance is usually purchased to cover a company against financial loss when an executive or other high ranking employee dies. In this case it is usually known as "Key Man Insurance", but the policies that Wal-Mart took out on its rank-and-file workers were derided as "Dead Peasants Insurance" or "Janitor Insurance". Critics (such as the U.S. Internal Revenue Service) charge that the company was trying to profit from the deaths of its employees, and take advantage of a loophole in a tax law which allowed them to deduct the premiums. The practice was stopped in the mid-1990s when the federal government, which had previously called the financing scheme "tax arbitrage", closed the tax loophole and began to pursue Wal-Mart for back taxes.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-53>[73]</SUP>
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[edit] See also
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[edit] References
[edit] Debate
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[edit] External links
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Bumper sticker critical of Wal-Mart produced by ReclaimDemocracy.org
It has been suggested that Wal-Mart employee and labor relations be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)
Several groups have criticised Wal-Mart's policies and/or business practices, including community groups, grassroots organizations, labor unions,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-mkabel_0>[1]</SUP> religious organizations,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-0>[2]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-1>[3]</SUP> and environmental groups. In particular, several labor unions have specific concerns regarding the company's anti-union stance, as well as several employee relations issues. Other areas of concern include the corporation's extensive foreign product sourcing, treatment of employees and product suppliers, environmental practices, the use of public subsidies, and the impact of stores on the local economies of towns in which they operate.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-2>[4]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-3>[5]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-4>[6]</SUP>
In 2005, several organizations were created by labor unions to confront these issues, including Wake Up Wal-Mart (United Food and Commercial Workers) and Wal-Mart Watch (Service Employees International Union). By the end of 2005, Wal-Mart launched, Working Families for Wal-Mart, to counter the criticisms of the other two groups. Additional efforts to counter many criticisms include launching a public relations campaign in 2005 through their public relations website,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-5>[7]</SUP> as well as several television commercials. The company also retained the public relations firm Edelman to respond to negative media attention,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-newweapon_0>[8]</SUP> and has started looking beyond mainstream media and interacting directly with bloggers, by directly sending them news, suggesting topics for postings, and even inviting them to visit their corporate headquarters.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-bloggerPR_0>[9]</SUP> In August 2006, the company initiated a voter education program by sending a letter to its 18,000 Iowa associates regarding the decision of a few elected leaders and candidates for office to attack the company at union-funded publicity events in the state.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-votereducation_0>[10]</SUP> They also plan to send similar letters to associates in other key states, including South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Nevada, as well as to invite various candidates to tour their stores and meet associates.
Several independent critics have suggested that Wal-Mart is a success in the system of free enterprise because it sells products at low prices that people want to buy, satisfying customer's needs, but at the same time their lower prices draw customers away from established business, "hurting the community."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-6>[11]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-7>[12]</SUP> Others argue that Wal-Mart is attacked simply because it is a, "leader of the Fortune 500 list," "the largest employer in America," and a, "free-market success story."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-8>[13]</SUP>
<TABLE class=toc id=toc summary=Contents><TBODY><TR><TD>Contents
[hide]
- <LI class=toclevel-1>1 Local Communities
- <LI class=toclevel-2>1.1 Store openings
- 1.2 Economic impact
- 11 External links
[edit] Local Communities
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[edit] Store openings
Wal-Mart opened their Teotihuacán Superstore 1.9 miles from the Pyramid of the Moon (shown) amid community protests.
When planning new store locations, Wal-Mart often faces many concerns from the affected communities. Local critics that oppose new Wal-Mart store openings cite concerns such as traffic problems, environment problems, public safety, absentee landlordism, bad public relations,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-9>[14]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-10>[15]</SUP> low wages and benefits, and predatory pricing.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wm_vs_ad_0>[16]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-The_Hometown_Advantage_0>[17]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-German_High_Court_0>[18]</SUP> Critics that defend Wal-Mart cite consumer choice, economic studies,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-sobel_dean_0>[19]</SUP> as well as the underlying political response. Opposition may include rejections for developer applications from city councils as well as protest marches formed by activists, unions, and even religious groups.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-11>[20]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-12>[21]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-13>[22]</SUP> In some instances, activists have demonstrated opposition by causing property damage to store buildings or by creating bomb scares.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-14>[23]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-15>[24]</SUP>
One such criticized store location was a Wal-Mart Superstore that opened in 2004 in Mexico, 1.9 miles away from the historic Teotihuacán Pyramid of the Moon and archaeological excavation site.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wal-mart_pyramid_0>[25]</SUP> During construction, a 3 foot square ancient altar was uncovered 1 foot beneath the grade of where the store's parking lot is now located.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wal-mart_pyramid_1>[25]</SUP> The store proposal received much international media attention. Critics that opposed the Wal-Mart store opening included the local community resistance, as well as environmental groups and anti-globalist policy groups, which protested the store opening.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-16>[26]</SUP> Homero Aridjis, one of the store's lead opponents in the community characterized the opening as being, "supremely symbolic", and, "...like planting the staff of globalization in the heart of ancient Mexico."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-17>[27]</SUP> Other critics compared the store opening to Hernan Cortés and the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Wal-Mart stated that they, "are not building 'next to' the pyramids at Teotihuacán, but miles away. ... Our construction is in an area designated for commercial buildings and residences, and hundreds are currently located there. The only opposition to our store has come from a small group of merchants who find competition unwelcome and are seeking to misrepresent our plans for their own interests."<SUP class=noprint>[citation needed]</SUP> The Wal-Mart location was supported by Mexico's national anthropology institute, the United Nations and the Paris-based International Council on Monuments and Sites.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-18>[28]</SUP>
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[edit] Economic impact
This Bizarro comic is an example of the commonly cited criticism that Wal-Mart forces smaller, locally-owned stores out of business.As one of the largest corporations in the world, the presence of Wal-Mart in local communities has a significant impact on the local economies in which it operates. Studies on the economic impact of Wal-Mart indicate that there are both positive and negative effects that arise from the presence of a store. For example, a study at Iowa State University in 1997 found that small towns can lose almost half of their retail trade within ten years of Wal-Mart opening.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-19>[29]</SUP> A subsequent study in collaboration with Mississippi State University indicated that there are, "both positive and negative impacts on existing stores in the area where the new supercenter locates."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-20>[30]</SUP> A June 2006 article published by the Ludwig von Mises Institute suggests that the economic effects of Wal-Mart are overwhelmingly positive, and that all of the fundamental complaints of Wal-Mart's critics are based on profound ignorance of Wal-Mart's actual economic significance.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-ultimate_0>[31]</SUP> Wal-Mart's low prices cause some existing businesses to close, yet also creates new opportunities for other small business and that, as a result, "the process of creative destruction unleashed by Wal-Mart has no statistically significant impact on the overall size of the small business sector in the United States."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-sobel_dean_1>[19]</SUP>
A study commissioned by Wal-Mart by Global Insight, claimed that their stores' presence saves working families more than $2,329 per year, while creating more than 210,000 part time, minimum wage jobs in the U.S.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-21>[32]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-22>[33]</SUP> From 1985–2004, Wal-Mart was found to be, "associated with a cumulative decline of 9.1% in food-at-home prices, a 4.2% decline in commodities (goods) prices, and a 3.1% decline in overall consumer prices."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-globalinsight_0>[34]</SUP> The study also indicated that, "nominal wages are 2.2% lower, but given that consumer prices are 3.1% lower, real disposable income is 0.9% higher than it would have been in a world without Wal-Mart."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-globalinsight_1>[34]</SUP>
Another study at the University of Missouri further examined Wal-Mart's specific impact on local employment, which found that an individual store's entry into a county increased net retail employment in that county by 100 jobs in the short term, with half of this increase disappearing as other retail establishments close or reduce employment over a five-year period, while still producing net gain of 50 jobs.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-23>[35]</SUP> Furthermore, Wal-Mart's low prices provide for an increase in real income. For example, one study has shown that Wal-Mart's discounting on food alone boosts the welfare of shoppers by at least $50 billion per year.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-24>[36]</SUP> A study in 2005 at MIT that measured the effect on consumer welfare found that the poorest segment of the population benefits the most from the existence of discount retailers.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-25>[37]</SUP>
However, while Wal-Mart is providing jobs for more people and their low prices are providing advantages in the marketplace, their low wages are also increasing the burden on taxpayers. For example, a 2002 survey by the state of Georgia's subsidized healthcare system, PeachCare, found that Wal-Mart was the largest private employer of the parents of children enrolled in its program, and also found that one quarter of the employees at Georgia Wal-Marts qualified to enroll their children in Medicaid.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-26>[38]</SUP>A 2004 study at the University of California, Berkeley further asserted that Wal-Mart's low wages and benefits resulted in an increased burden on the social safety net, costing California taxpayers $86 million.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-27>[39]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=_ref-28>[40]</SUP> A Pennsylvania State University study, also in 2004, showed that U.S. counties with more Wal-Mart stores showed evidence of increasing rates of poverty relative to those with fewer stores.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-PSUstudy_0>[41]</SUP> This could be due to the displacement of workers from higher-paid jobs in the retailers that are driven out of business, Wal-Mart providing lower levels of local philanthropy than the replaced businesses, or a shrinking pool of local leadership and reduced social capital due to a reduced number of local independent businesses.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-PSUstudy_1>[41]</SUP>
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[edit] Corporate welfare
Some U.S. critics also point to more than $1 billion in taxpayer-supported developmental incentives that Wal-Mart has received in the U.S.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-29>[42]</SUP> Such development incentives have been termed by critics as, "Corporate welfare", a pejorative term describing a government's bestowal of grants and/or tax breaks on corporations or other, "special favorable treatment" from the government.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-30>[43]</SUP>
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[edit] Predatory pricing and supplier issues
Wal-Mart has faced several accusations of, "predatory pricing", or intentionally selling a product below cost in order to drive some or all competitors out of the market. In 1995, in the case of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. American Drugs, Inc., American Drugs accused Wal-Mart of intentionally selling individual items below cost for the purpose of injuring competitors and destroying competition. While the lower court ruled in favor of American Drug, the Supreme Court of Arkansas ruled in favor of Wal-Mart, citing that their pricing strategies, including the use of loss leaders, did not constitute predatory pricing.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wm_vs_ad_1>[16]</SUP> In 2000, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection accused Wal-Mart of selling butter, milk, laundry detergent, and other staple goods below cost, with the intention of forcing competitors out of business and gaining a monopoly in local markets.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wisconsin_0>[44]</SUP> Crest Foods filed a similar lawsuit in Oklahoma, accusing the company of predatory pricing on several of its products, in an effort to drive their own company-owned store in Edmond, Oklahoma out of business.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-31>[45]</SUP> Both cases were settled out of court, with no fine and no admission of wrongdoing. There was a stipulation in the Wisconsin case, however, that Wal-Mart would face double or triple fines for any future violations.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-wisconsin_1>[44]</SUP>
In 2003, Mexico's antitrust agency, the Federal Competition Commission, investigated Wal-Mart for, "monopolistic practices", prompted by various charges that the retailer has abused its market power by pressuring suppliers to sell goods below cost or at prices significantly less than those available to other stores.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-32>[46]</SUP> Later, in 2003, the German High Court ruled that Wal-Mart's below cost pricing strategy undermined competition and violated the country's antitrust laws.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-German_High_Court_1>[18]</SUP>
Wal-Mart has also been accused of using monopsony power to force suppliers into self-defeating practices. For example, Barry C. Lynn, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, argues that Wal-Mart's constant demand for lower prices caused Kraft Foods to "shut down thirty-nine plants, to let go [of] 13,500 workers, and to eliminate a quarter of its products." Kraft's cost of production had gone up due to higher energy and raw material costs. Lynn argues that in a free market (referring to a non-monopsony market, as opposed to the general economic definition of a free market), Kraft could have passed those costs on to its distributors and ultimately consumers.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-33>[47]</SUP>
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[edit] Employee and labor relations
<DL><DD>See also: Wal-Mart employee and labor relations </DD></DL>Wal-Mart has been criticized for their policies against labor unions. In North America, the company has largely thwarted unionization by its employees with aggressive anti-union tactics. For example, when meat cutters at the Jacksonville, Texas supercenter voted to unionize in 2000, Wal-Mart closed its meat department and began shipping in pre-packaged meats at all stores.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-34>[48]</SUP> When workers at a Jonquière, Quebec Wal-Mart voted to unionize, Wal-Mart closed the store five months later, citing weak profits.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-35>[49]</SUP> Another store, in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, voted to unionize and Wal-Mart lost a court challenge to the certification process in April, 2006.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-36>[50]</SUP> In Germany, the ver.di union reports that it has organized every local Wal-Mart SuperCenter, but it complains that Wal-Mart ignores German co-determination rules and does not adequately inform ver.di about store closings.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-Struggling_In_Germany_0>[51]</SUP> Company officials say they comply with labor laws. In July 2003, employees affiliated with the ver.di union staged a brief strike.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-A_Bumpy_Ride_in_Europe_0>[52]</SUP>
On July 29, 2006, 30 Wal-Mart employees in the southeast province of Fujian decided to form a local union, affiliated with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), the country's only legal trade union.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-37>[53]</SUP>
In the United States, there are concerns on several labor issues, including low pay and inadequate health care coverage. Additionally, Wal-Mart is facing several lawsuits by current and former hourly associates who allege that the company forced them to work, "off the clock", or failed to provide work breaks, or otherwise claim they were not paid for work performed."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-38>[54]</SUP>
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[edit] Imports and globalization
As the single largest customer to most of its vendors, Wal-Mart openly uses its bargaining power to negotiate lower prices from vendors. Specifically, in its negotiations with suppliers, Wal-Mart requires that prices go down from year to year.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-fastco_0>[55]</SUP> If a vendor does not comply with Wal-Mart's request for reduced prices, they risk having their entire brand removed from Wal-Mart's shelves in favor of a lower-priced competitor or a less expensive store brand.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-pbs_0>[56]</SUP> Critics argue that this pressures vendors to shift manufacturing jobs to China and other third world nations, where the cost of labor is less expensive.
In the mid-1990s, Wal-Mart had a "Buy American", campaign, which was eventually cancelled. By 2005, about 60% of Wal-Mart's merchandise was imported, compared to 6% in 1995.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-pbs_1>[56]</SUP> In 2004, Wal-Mart spent $18 billion on Chinese products alone, and if it were an individual economy, the company would rank as China's eighth largest trading partner, ahead of Russia, Australia, and Canada.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-39>[57]</SUP> The growing deficit with China, heavily influenced by Wal-Mart imports, is estimated to have moved over 1.5 million American jobs to China between 1989 and 2003.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-40>[58]</SUP> According to the AFL-CIO, "Wal-Mart is the single largest importer of foreign-produced goods in the United States", their biggest trading partner is China, and their trade with China alone constitutes approximately 10 percent of the total US trade deficit with China as of 2004.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-41>[59]</SUP> While the company certainly imports many products, the company also claims that it purchases goods from more than 68,000 U.S. vendors, spending $137.5 billion in 2004, and supporting more than 3.5 million supplier jobs in the U.S.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-42>[60]</SUP>
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[edit] Overseas labor concerns
There are many concerns over Wal-Mart's use of foreign labor, particularly over its failure to maintain adequate supervision over its foreign suppliers, as well as incidents of products have been made using sweatshops or alleged slave labor. For example, in 1995, Chinese dissident Harry Wu discovered that Wal-Mart was contracting prison "slave labor" in Guangdong Province.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-palast_0>[61]</SUP> There have also been reports of teenagers in Bangladesh working in, "sweatshops", approximately 80 hours per week, at $0.14 per hour, for Wal-Mart contractor Beximco, and in 1994, Guatemalan Wendy Diaz reported that she had been working for Wal-Mart at $0.30 per hour at the age of 13.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-palast_1>[61]</SUP> The documentary, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, also claims that the factories that produce goods for Wal-Mart are in poor condition and that factory workers are subject to abuse and inhumane conditions.
According to Wal-Mart, as well as many advocates of free trade, comparisons of wage levels between vastly different countries is not a useful way to assess the fairness of a trade policy. The company also asserts that wages paid to overseas workers are comparable to or exceed local prevailing wages. In that case, the company claims that the overseas manufacturing jobs it creates are often an improvement in the quality of life for its employees. They have also asserted that factory jobs with its suppliers are often safer and healthier than local alternatives, which may include prostitution, the drug trade or scavenging.
Wal-mart currently uses in-house monitoring, which, critics say, leaves outsiders unable to verify reforms. Since no external agency, such as Social Accountability International or the Fair Labor Association, is involved and Wal-Mart will not release its audits or even factory names, the public is left to simply take their word for it.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-43>[62]</SUP> In 2004, Wal-Mart began working with Business for Social Responsibility, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, to reach out to groups active in monitoring overseas plants. "Wal-Mart is at an early stage", says BSR President Aron Cramer, "and it's likely that they, like most companies that engage in these processes, will adapt their approach over time."<SUP class=reference id=_ref-44>[63]</SUP>
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[edit] Product selection
Wal-Mart's product selection has been criticized by some groups in the past, primarily as viewed as a promotion of a particular ideology or as a responses to their original rural, religious target market. For example, in 2003, Wal-Mart removed certain men's magazines from their shelves, such as Maxim, FHM, and Stuff, citing customer complaints regarding their racy content.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-45>[64]</SUP> Later that year, they decided to partly obscure the covers of Redbook, Cosmopolitan, and Marie Claire due to, "customer concerns", and also refused to stock an issue of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit special because it took exception to one photograph.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-46>[65]</SUP>
Since 1991, Wal-Mart also has not carried music albums marked with the RIAA's Parental Advisory Label, although they do carry edited versions, with obscentities removed or overdubbed with less offensive lyrics, of such albums.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-47>[66]</SUP> In one example, in 2005, Wal-Mart rejected the original cover of Willie Nelson's reggae album, Countryman, which featured marijuana leaves, in an apparent pro-marijuana statement. To satisfy Wal-mart, the record label, Lost Highway, issued the album with an alternate cover, without recalling the original cover.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-48>[67]</SUP>
In 1999, Wal-Mart announced that it would not stock emergency contraception pills in its pharmacies,<SUP class=reference id=_ref-49>[68]</SUP> claiming that it had the legal right to carry and sell whatever products its consumers and/or shareholders desired. In February 2006, three women filed suit against the company in Massachusetts after they were unable to purchase emergency contraception at their local Wal-Mart stores.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-morningafter_0>[69]</SUP> The women won the suit and the Massachusetts Pharmacy Board ruled that Wal-Mart must stock the drug in all of its pharmacies within Massachusetts.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-morningafter_1>[69]</SUP> Expecting that other states would soon do the same, Wal-Mart reversed its policy and announced that they would begin to stock the drug nationwide.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-morningafter_2>[69]</SUP> The company has maintained its conscientious objection policy, however, which allows any Wal-Mart pharmacy employee who does not feel comfortable dispensing a prescription to refer customers to another pharmacy.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-morningafter_3>[69]</SUP>
Wal-Mart has also been criticized for some of the products that it does carry. For example, the company was criticized for selling the notoriously anti-Semitic, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, text on its website. Most scholars consider the text to be a forgery, but Wal-Mart's product description suggested the text might be genuine. Wal-Mart stopped selling the book in September, 2004, though the document is still available for purchase from many other booksellers, who sell it in the interests of freedom of speech.
In October 2004, Wal-Mart canceled its order for, The Daily Show's America (The Book) after discovering a page that depicts each Supreme Court judge in the nude. A week later, they returned copies of George Carlin's When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, with a cover recreating The Last Supper with Jesus' seat empty and Carlin seated next to it. The company claimed that the copies were shipped to them by mistake and a Wal-mart spokeswoman said she, "didn't believe this particular product would appeal" to its customer base.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-50>[70]</SUP>
In January 2006, the company was criticized for suggesting that some African American-related DVDs, such as Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and documentaries on Martin Luther King, Jr. were items similar to the Planet of the Apes television series DVD box set. They quickly corrected the page, saying that it was a software glitch, though it ultimately blamed the matter on human error.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-51>[71]</SUP>
While Wal-Mart's product selection may be seen by some as censorship, others view this from a free enterprise standpoint, that criticism of Wal-Mart's product selection is misguided because Wal-Mart is free to carry and sell whatever products it chooses and that customers are free to shop elsewhere, and would do so if they were in disagreement with its perceived moral values.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-52>[72]</SUP>
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[edit] Taxes
Until the mid-1990s, Wal-Mart took out corporate-owned life insurance policies on low level employees, such as janitors, cashiers, cart pushers, and stockers. This type of insurance is usually purchased to cover a company against financial loss when an executive or other high ranking employee dies. In this case it is usually known as "Key Man Insurance", but the policies that Wal-Mart took out on its rank-and-file workers were derided as "Dead Peasants Insurance" or "Janitor Insurance". Critics (such as the U.S. Internal Revenue Service) charge that the company was trying to profit from the deaths of its employees, and take advantage of a loophole in a tax law which allowed them to deduct the premiums. The practice was stopped in the mid-1990s when the federal government, which had previously called the financing scheme "tax arbitrage", closed the tax loophole and began to pursue Wal-Mart for back taxes.<SUP class=reference id=_ref-53>[73]</SUP>
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[edit] See also
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[edit] References
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