Wal-Mart will keep working for customers, offering careers

This letter is in response to the article titled "Traffic, Access Point at Issue With Wal-Mart" that appeared in the Jan. 15 issue of the Sentinel.

At Wal-Mart, we have served local customers for more than 15 years through our stores in Piscataway, North Brunswick, Woodbridge and Old Bridge, and perhaps more than ever before, we are delivering on our core mission to save people money so they can live better. And we are doing it at a time when people here in New Jersey and all across the United States need us most.

In the Garden State, we employ more than 17,000 associates and continue to foster an environment of open communications, where associates are encouraged to express their ideas, comments and concerns. In the past three years alone, we have added 11 stores, hired 2,861 new associates, and sourced from an additional 519 instate suppliers. What's more, we have supported an additional 1,825 new union construction jobs in New Jersey since 2005 through expansions, remodeling and new projects.

We will continue to create economic opportunity by providing good jobs that give our associates the chance to build careers. At the same time, we will be an advocate for our customers by finding solutions that save them money on their groceries and other products that their families need. We won't let them down.

The only thing constant at Wal- Mart is change, and we will continue to grow in the areas of health care, sustainability, community and opportunity, while saving our customersmoney so they can live better.

We're not a perfect company but are proud of our accomplishments and look forward to continuing our relationship with our associates, customers and the communities in which we do business.
Steven V. Restivo
Director Corporate Affairs
Northeast Region
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.