Is Wal-Mart Treating Workers Like Pop-Tarts?

Wal-Mart loves keeping track of data. For instance, the retail giant’s researchers know that before and after major storms, customers buy strawberry Pop-Tarts at a rate that’s seven times faster than normal. How does Wal-Mart use this data? To stock its shelves with more — or less — of a certain good based on consumer demand. When no storms are in the forecast, Wal-Mart doesn’t need as many strawberry Pop-Tarts. Known as just-in-time ordering, this approach allows the company to maximize its profit by predicting consumer behavior. Lately, Wal-Mart has taken to treating its workers just like Pop-Tarts. The majority of Wal-Mart workers earn less than $25,000 a year. It’s hard enough to eke by on that income, which teeters just above the official poverty line for a family of four. In addition, these big-box workers must contend with just-in-time scheduling.

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