The Altar Beneath the Lot: How Walmart Buried Workers for Profit

The Altar Beneath the Lot: How Walmart Buried Workers for Profit Hungry for the shock of corporate scale and the fear of what gets erased in its wake: a clay-and-stone altar was found in 2004 under a Walmart parking lot 1.9 miles from the Pyramid of the Moon, yet the store above it remains open - what else did Walmart bury as it built the world's largest private employer? How did low wages, high turnover, and tactical store closures shape millions of lives and labor rights? In this episode, we lay out the documented facts about Walmart's growth, labor practices, legal battles, and public relations response, and trace the pattern that investigators, labor attorneys, federal prosecutors, and documentary filmmakers uncovered. What links an altar sealed beneath asphalt to wage averages, union drives, store closures, and a multi-billion-dollar verdict? Person: Sam Walton Date: 2004 (altar discovery) Location: 1.9 miles from the Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacan, Mexico Topic: Walmart labor practices and legal challenges Event: $3.1 billion opioid verdict against Walmart's pharmacy network - In 2004 construction workers discovered a clay-and-stone altar under a Walmart parking lot near Teotihuacan. - By the mid-2000s Walmart employed more than 2.2 million people worldwide. - In 2006 Walmart reported an average wage of $10.11 per hour. - In 2001 the average Walmart sales clerk earned $8.23 per hour, equal to $13,861 annually versus a $14,630 federal poverty line for a family of three. - Approximately 70% of Walmart employees left within their first year, according to studies cited in the episode. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].