New policies at Wal-Mart, regarding pay ranges and wage caps, will significantly worsen the quality of life for millions of Wal-Mart employees. Here at home, the projected economic impact of a proposed 160,000-sq. ft. Wal-Mart must be re-configured to reflect these changes. According to the New York Times, Wal-Mart is moving to decrease the overall number of “full-time” associates and increase the number of part-timers; possibly up to 40% of the work-force. It is also requiring workers to be available to work irregular hours, according to the individual needs of the stores. This new policy is intended to protect the competitive edge Wal-mart now enjoys over its largest competitors by further reducing its costs in terms of labor. Wall Street may welcome this news, but it is dismal indeed for the average Wal-Mart employee who already labors on the lowest rung of compensation, often depending on state-assistance to supplement her meager income. These are people who may be working two, three or even more jobs in order to support a family. How will this be possible when a 24-hour Wal-Mart demands that they come into work whenever the store requires their presence? As the nations largest employer by far, what Wal-mart adopts as human resource policy ultimately influences the practices of all the other major retailers. What will this do to family life among low-income wage earners. The Times told of a 67-year-old female Wal-Mart “associate” who, after 22 years with the company was earning $11. an hour as a greeter. When she was told that she would now have to make herself available anytime it suited the store day or night, she requested that she be allowed to remain on the day shift. Her manager reduced her weekly hours from 32 to just 8. She believes she was being forced out to save on her salary (which is high for a Wal-Mart associate) and health care. As we look at the possible establishment of Wal-Mart as the principal retail employer in Franklin County and Grand Isle, we must consider the implications of these new measures to further tighten the corporate belt on labor. Proponents of the St. Albans plan for a Wal-Mart have insisted that, despite the triple-digit job loss they anticipate would result in Franklin County due to the size of the proposed Wal-Mart, the economic impact would not be “significant.” Wal-Mart’s new staffing policy will most certainly worsen that economic impact on Franklin County, creating a new force of under-employed and under-compensated community members who must turn to the state for help, and will be unable to contribute to the tax-base that must support that assistance. At what point will this negative impact finally be deemed “significant” and worthy of consideration?-S