After 20 years of service to a corporation as evil on so many levels as Wal-Mart, one would think employees would be craving a reward more along the lines of a bullet to the back of the head, but the greedy retail giant has come up with something they think is far superior: a commemorative polo shirt of appreciation. That’s just one of the little ways Wal-Mart has chosen to try and ease the tide of discontentment rising among its 1.3 million U.S. workers.

Faced with public protests, Wal-Mart honchos have attempted to offer an olive branch to show employees that they are, in fact, appreciated. But the olive branch offered appears to be the cheapest management could find. Along with the promise of a 20-year polo shirt, employees will be offered an additional 10 per cent discount on any one Wal-Mart item purchased this month. Those currently enrolled in the store’s insurance plan will also see a single premium fee waved, also just this month.

» Scott Saxon