I did a search for Walmart and didn't see this article. My mistake if it has been posted already. I also couldn't find the link to the A/P article, but I found another from USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-12-02-walmart-check_x.htm?csp=34 The Associated Press TAMPA - Wal-Mart has apologized to a black man who was accused of trying to pass a bad check as he was buying thousands of dollars in holiday gift cards to distribute to his company's employees. Employees of a Wal-Mart Supercenter called deputies last week to apprehend Reginald Pitts after he handed over a $13,600 check to pay for 520 gift cards that were to be given to employees at GAF Materials Corp., a roofing materials manufacturer where Pitts is a human resources manager. The company, which had $1.6 billion in revenue last year, had been spending about $50,000 a year on Wal-Mart gift cards and never had a problem when it sent a white employee to pick them up. ''I keep going over and over the incident in my mind,'' Pitts told the St.Petersburg Times. ''I cannot come up with any possible reason why I was treated like this except that I am black.'' Wal-Mart has launched an investigation of the incident and apologized to Pitts. ''We probably could have handled it better, but I won't know until we complete the investigation,'' Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sharon Weber said Friday. ''Our company is built upon respect for the individual, and we have notolerance for discrimination of any type.'' Pitts said that when he went to the store last week to pick up the already printed cards, store managers stalled for about two hours after he handed over the check while he stood waiting by the customer service desk. He had handed over his GAF business card, his driver's license and the toll-free numbers to GAF's bank. Pitts' accounting supervisor assured them over the phone that GAF was good for the check. Later, two Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies appeared. One grabbed Pitts by the arm. He objected to the rough handling and asked if he was being arrested. ''We need to talk with you about this forged check that you brought in here,'' Pitts recalled one deputy saying. After the incident, Pitts' company decided to buy its gift cards from Target instead. A short time later deputies determined there were no grounds for a criminal charge and that Wal-Mart would not press the issue further. Pitts' company has lodged a formal complaint with Wal-Mart. ''We are very concerned about the way Mr. Pitts was treated by Wal-Mart,'' said Patricia Kim, GAF vice president of employment and labor. ''We are awaiting Wal-Mart's response.''So far, four Wal-Mart officials, including a regional vice president of operations at corporate headquarters in Bentonville, have called Pitts and apologized for the incident. But no one from the store did, and nobody from the company has explained what happened. Citing the internal investigation, Weber declined to comment on the specific actions of the Wal-Mart employees and said she didn't know if they would end up apologizing to Pitts individually. http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051203/LOCAL/51 202047/1078/news http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051203/LOCAL/5 1202047/1078/news
50 grand a year is background noice for Walmart. Now if national black leaders called for a Walmart boycott for say the entire month of February that might get Walmart attention (but probably not for long). Hey the dip sh*t manager might even get fired.
I seriously doubt this is some walmart policy, but the stupid manager does represent the company in a very negative way.
Think culture, not policy. Did Walmart fire the manager asap? Think about it. If you sicked the police on your employer's best customer, you might as well lose those shades since your future aint so bright.
Cards were pre-ordered (so they're expecting him), the man shows up with a business card and drivers license, and they delay him for two hours and then call the cops???? WTF??? If they're suspicious of his ID, they should appologize in advance, make up some sorry excuse about having had problems with gift cards, and then call up the company to confirm he's legit. Still profiling....but DAMN!!! Do you have to be so stupid and rude about it????
Walmart's employees could've errered on the side of caution. I don't believe this type of discrimination is exclusive to Walmart.... I wait to see Corporate's final decision.
Man, I can't say Walmart is stupid because it's clearly the fault of whoever was in charge of the incident, whether that be the clerk or supervisor. On another note, the pic that you posted seems to have the wages in reverse. It looks like the low wage is falling off, with the higher wage remaining. Just wanted to point that out.
so it is caution or discrimination? caution? the merchandised was pre-ordered by a company, the guy picked it up with proper identification and a legit company check.. discrimation? you said it yourself.. but are you saying most companies discriminate?
What outsider can give judgement until Walmart fires or reprimands the employees involved? It looks bad, but I wouldn't want anyone lifting 50 grand from a store I own. Unfortunately, if I had those employees, a white criminal would have a higher chance of succceeding. That type of discrimination happens all the time: whether it be blacklisted delivery routes or store employees who tailgate minorities. Should Walmart be the corporate whipping boy for all forms of passive discrimination? I'm saying people discriminate and there's more than enough prejudicial people in the service industry. Commentary on company discrimination should be reserved until we get news on how Walmart ultimately reacts and from third parties who have collected the facts.
They had the guy's ID and business card, and they knew the company, and were expecting someone to come pick up the goods. If they want to be 'cautious' why not just call the company up???? No need to hold him for two hours and then call the cops.
This is how racism will be defeated, not through legislation and litigation. Once people realize that discrimination is bad for the bottomline, they will stop discriminating.
Funny thing is, they did that too. Did you see this sentence: "Pitts' accounting supervisor assured them over the phone that GAF was good for the check." And still, they were suspicious. They must have thought they were dealing with some criminal mastermind who hacked into GAF's phone system so he could intercept any calls they made to check out his story. It wou;dn't have killed them to let him have the cards. They're trackable, so they could have been cancelled and flagged if the check did turn out to be hot.
not sure how you can place blame on the corporation because of some store manager being an idiot. and not to derail the thread, but how much do you expect to be paid in low-end retail? $10/hour?
