Wal-Mart Should Close All Stores In the U.S. If they Lose This Case

THE DOCTOR IS IN _______________

LAS VEGAS- Hello America, and how is the world treating you?

The Supreme Court is supposed to rule on a legal case involving Wal-Mart stores. It involves alleged discrimination against women working at Wal-Mart. The women suing want the action brought as a class action suit so the claims can cover millions of women who worked at Wal-Mart over the years.

I would suggest that bringing such a class action suit against the retailing giant is inappropriate and unwarranted. I would like to see the U.S. Supreme Court side with Wal-Mart's argument. If the court found for the women bringing the lawsuit it would be a devastating blow to the entire corporate structure here in America. It is this writer's wish that the the Supreme Court justices see through the lame arguments by the attorney's for these greedy women.

Greedy women? Yes. Let me give you readers an example of greed. - -I will cite one female employee that is in the lawsuit. First, she has been a Wal-Mart employee for 25 years. She went into work day in and day out for over two decades taking Wal-Mart's paycheck and living comfortably all those many years. Comfortable? You bet. This woman's salary was a whopping $60,000 a year. However, now that she feels it's time for het to quit working she sees a big lottery bonanza and wants still more from her old employer Wal-Mart.

Folks, she's not the only woman that worked for Wal-Mat for a number of years that has this same idea. Since Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer these women have dollar ($$) signs in their eyes.

All these women are claiming discrimination. Many say they were passed over for promotion. Maybe, just maybe there were a few women that may have been passed over for promotion. I say, if that in fact is the case then these particular individuals should file an individual suit against Wal-Mart and have their attorney(s) argue their case in a court of law before a jury. But to roll all the women up that ever worked for Wal-Mar t into one big package and say everyone of these women deserve a lottery payday is foolish and ridiculous.

People, the only ones that will make any real money from this frivolous lawsuit is the attorneys. They love "class action" lawsuits because the attorneys fees can run into the millions and even billions of dollars when they sue a large corporation or entity.

I'm sure many of you have had experience with "class action" lawsuits. Let me give you another example. A few years ago, I received a card in the mail stating I was a person in a class action lawsuit against LEVI Corporation. The card indicated that since at sometime in the past I bought a pair of Levi jeans I am eligible to be included in the lawsuit. A number of attorneys brought the lawsuit claiming numerous violation by the company. About a year later I received a coupon in the mail from Levi stating that since I was a person in the lawsuit my award is: "a coupon for $2.00) that I could use toward my next purchase of a pair of Levi jeans.Over the years at other times I received "class action" cards from electronic companies, appliance companies, clothing companies, airlines, etc., and each time the consumer (you and me) that were in these so-called "class-action" lawsuits only receive a coupon for anywhere from $0.25 to $2.00 toward the purchase of a new item in the future. However, ALERT - - - the attorneys that brought the "class-action" lawsuits against these large companies billed for millions and billions of dollars in attorneys fees. Is that fair? No way.

Congress should have stepped in years ago and put a stop to these lousy "class-action" lawsuits where the only objective is to have attorneys reach into the deep pockets of large companies and corporations only too be paid millions in legal fees. The attorneys live large but the people , other than a very few individuals they are supposed to be representing in the lawsuit only receive coupons for a few dollars toward their next purchase of an item.

So, again-the lawyers see billions of dollars they can bill for by suing Wal-Mart. My view on this Wal-Mart caper is that many of these women who now say they were wronged had worked for Wal-Mart for years enjoying the salaries and benefits and discounts that Wal-Mart offered them.

Many of these women continued their years of employment at the company even though they say they were discriminated against because they were passed over for promotion. If I were being being passed over for promotion I would ask why I didn't receive that promotion and if I felt it was discrimination I would hire an attorney and file suit and argue (my case) before the proper court or agency. Or, I have the choice to quit if I thought I didn't like the way the company was treating me. I would find employment elsewhere.

Remember, all of these women, and there all a lot of women who work in Wal-Mart stores around the world clearly know what the job entails when they hire on and accept the position. One clear. glaring fact that everyone knows it that Wal-Mart is a non-union work place. Right away, that woman applicant knows that if she is looking for union benefits and wages Wal-Mart is the wrong employer to look for a job.

Through my research and interviews I have found that most of the millions of women that work Wal-Mart take the job for extra monies and/or as a part-time position. Wal-Mart is one of those employers that even hire the elderly employee because that employee only wants the job for extra money and something to do. Then there are the young employees, right out
of school who are just starting out and want to gain experience in the work force.

For whatever reason these young and old women (and) men apply and accept a job with Wal-Mart they are told up front the terms of their employment when they hire on. At the time of application for the job they can make their own determination as to whether they want to accept and/or refuse the employment terms. And, these same individuals have the right to resign or quit the job at Wal-Mart at their leisure. I say, each and every employee working at any job in the country( not just Wal-Mart) can knowingly and willingly accept or reject a job offer.

It amazes me that when someone works for a company for two or three decades making a great salary ($60,000) a year and then decides to sue the company screaming "I was passed over" for a promotion is a little much. Something fishy in Denmark, folks. I submit that if the job at Wal-Mart was so bad, why didn't she leave years ago or file complaints with the proper labor agencies? It appears women like this are only seeking a big payday.

Side note: Lawsuits like this do not only happen against Wal-Mart. One can read the newspaper and see an article of a person working years on the job and then decides to sue because they want to report company wrongdoing. Mind you, they continued to collect a paycheck and closed their eyes to alleged wrongdoing for years but now when there is no more paycheck from the company, they sue. People like this tend to go along as long as they have a job and are getting paid a salary but as soon as the money train stops they attempt to play the innocent victim and deny knowledge of wrongdoing.

It's time to stop these deep pocket lawsuits by way of "class actions". If a person thinks they have been wronged by a company or corporation, I say they should file an individual lawsuit and have their day in court addressing the alleged wrong against themselves.

If I were Wal-Mart CEO and lost this case I would close up shop. I would immediately close each and every Wal-Mart store in the USA and I would relocate headquarters overseas and hire people from those other countries that appreciate a job. Then, let's see how all of these women feel when there is no Wal-Mart job too go to. No living to make. No paycheck. Millions of people out of work overnight. Let's see how that would affect our economy. Wal-Mart has been doing the United States a favor by hiring millions of people and these women should thank God they have or had a job.- And, that's my opinion. Make your own judgment and decisions. You decide.

Bradley W. Kuhns, Ph.D., O.M.D.
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Dr. Kuhns can be reached by e-mail at:
bradleykuhns@gmail.com