Employees at five Walmart stores find themselves out of a job this week after the multinational retailer temporarily shuttered a number of its stores and super centers – because of alleged plumbing problems. Thousands of workers were laid off by the discount department store, surprising everyone, especially the over 2,200 employees, many of whom say they were literally only given hours notice.
Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Writes CNN Money: “The reason for the shut down: plumbing problems, according to the retailer. Two of the stores are in Texas, and the others are in California, Florida and Oklahoma. They will be closed for ‘extended repairs’ for approximately six months, the company said. The stores closed at 7 p.m. Monday, after workers were notified just hours before that they were losing their jobs.”
The abruptness of the announcement has left many employees questioning if Walmart is being truthful about the cause of the hasty closings. Officials at area locations have said that there is no record of any work or building permits being filed by Walmart prior to undertaking these “major pluming repairs.”
Rene Bobadilla, a city repair manager from Pico Rivera, Calif. said of their local Walmart store: “This is the first time we're hearing of their sewer problems.”
According to ABC Action News, the Midland, Texas store, “which, until Monday, was home to one of the 10 busiest Wal-Mart stores in the country,” was visited by City Building Official Steve Thorpe.
According to ABC, “his plumbing inspector was sent away” when he arrived.
Each store followed the same protocol – Walmart corporate officials arrived unannounced, called an impromptu meeting of the senior staff, and told them that the store would be closed that evening.
Venanzi Luna, who managed the deli department at the Pico River Super Walmart, said of the announcement: “Everybody just panicked and started crying.”
Walmart released a statement, indicating that full-time and part-time employees will receive two months worth of paid leave. They are also free to look into the possibility of transferring to another Walmart. If they cannot, then some of the former employees – only those who worked full-time – may be eligible for a severance package. When the stores reopen, some may be eligible to return.
“Our goal, of course, as a business is to keep our stores open and serving customers,” the company’s statement read. “We made a tough business decision in five locations around the country to fix recurring plumbing problems in these stores. We understand this decision has been difficult on our associates and our customers and we aim to reopen these stores as soon as these issues are resolved and improvements are made.”
Plumber Codi Bauer, who did previous pipe and drainage work at the now closed Walmart in Brandon, Florida, questioned the repair time frames given.
“Even if they had to replace the whole sewer line, it wouldn't take six months,” Bauer said.
Luna, like many employees, think the plumbing repairs are a smokescreen to weed out employees.
Many local contractors say that for almost all plumbing issues, the store could certainly remain open.
If they were forced to close, then six months is excessive. Brand new Walmarts can be built from the ground up in six month’s time, they say.
Luna said she believes her location was targeted for its involvement in Black Friday protests and demonstrations demanding higher pay. Other employees are coming up with similar thoughts as they find themselves without a job this weekend.
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