Katlan, I was surprised by your comment about Walmart paying more and having better benefits. I suspect that you are comparing them to places that have to try to compete with Walmart and have to sink to below their level of compensation. If you compare them to non-retail or CostCo, they wouldn't be as favorable.
What percentage of your co-workers would you say are "full time"? What percentage do you think are on some government assistance to make ends meet?
Do you get health insurance through Walmart? My s-i-l worked for WM two years ago and the insurance was barely worth the cost. He's with Steinmart now and the insurance is better but still not as good as what I get through my employer (not retail). If you do get insurance via WM, have you compared it to what is available via the new healthcare markets? If so, how does it compare (with subsidy).
As for the original topic, Walmart will always squeeze every penny, by squeezing management. After all, the Walton family only owns about half the wealth in the US and they didn't get that way by making the customer experience any better than they absolutely have to. Some managers are better at doing more with less, so stores will vary, but you will never find one that has full shelves, enough employees to help customers, etc. Some markets are more profitable than others, and those stores won't be quite as bad. It's a race to the bottom, and it's gobbling up everything else and feeds on itself. Cheapest products > more sales > competition fails > low wages > can't afford to shop anywhere else > cheapest products (repeat forever until society collapses).
Until this society stops worshiping/tolerating greed and starts demonstrating greater appreciation for altruism and shared prosperity as a social norm will we and our grandchildren have any hope to escape this downward spiral into the morass. We need more worker-owned businesses. Excessive wealth is stolen wealth and hoarded wealth should bring shame as more people see the truth of it.