The (lost) wages of low prices

A Mobile Register story reports what most might except:

A majority of Alabamians believe that the aggressive growth of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is good for America, even if the company's expansion hurts local businesses, the results of a new Mobile Register-University of South Alabama poll suggests

Here, sadly, is a similarly predictable story from the Associated Press:

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Textile manufacturer Russell Corp. will eliminate some 2,300 jobs by the end of next year, beginning with about 550 positions that will be cut soon from its former corporate hometown of Alexander City.
Russell spokeswoman Nancy Young said Friday the company would phase out the positions as part of a restructuring meant in part to help it reduce costs and continue selling men's fleece products to Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Economists surely have $10 words for such an effect. The textile workers who will soon be looking for another job surely have other more common phrases to describe their situation, most of which are unprintable on a respectable blog such as this.