Walmart’s plumbing problem exposes trust deficit

Walmart detailed a wide range of considerable accomplishments in its eighth annual Global Responsibility Report released this week, but what the world really want to know is what’s up with those toilets at Pico Rivera, Calif., supercenter.

In case you missed it, Walmart abruptly closed the store and four others due to what the company characterized as emergency plumbing issues. Plans called for the stores to close for six months while repairs were made and employees were given two months severance pay and told them would need to reapply for jobs when the stores reopened.

The situation didn’t smell right to organized labor, and others, who felt the company’s explanation strained credulity. A fairly even-handed assessment of the issues surrounding the situation was offered by Michael Hiltzik with the Los Angeles Times and is available by clicking here.