Why are the Wal-Mart employees wearing latex gloves?

I occasionally shop at Wal-Mart, even though Mother says their prices are low only because they pay so poorly, and we shouldn't give them our business.  A few homophobic friends have banned Wal-Mart because they say the company extends benefits to same-sex partners.  I don't know if either of these facts are true.  I don't believe people should be under-payed.  I do believe same-sex partners should have all the benefits that are extended to me and my opposite sex partner.  Regardless, I was at Wal-Mart today.  Here's my story.

Disclaimer
I shouldn't feel the need to explain why I was at Wal-Mart, but the one near our home is pretty bad.  It's not that old, but it looks old, and it's dirty.  Filthy.  I'm a borderline germaphobe so I feel like I've faced a demon today.  I limit my visits to the Wal-Mart because it's usually crowded with stressed-out mothers, pushing carts with a minimum of four children, one being a crying infant, and at least one with obvious evidence of an active sickness or contagious disease.  Just being descriptive - not judgmental.

Check-Out
All 63 registers were 8 customers deep.  It's worse than Costco where I live.  Kids are sneezing and snotting and coughing.  I was trying to breathe through my mouth so I wouldn't smell anything, but then I remembered my nose is my filter feature for airborne germs.  It was stressful.  I waited, and did the best I could to protect myself.

My Turn
The cashier was wearing latex gloves.  Interesting.  As I piled more things on the wet conveyor belt, I looked at two other cashiers.  No gloves. Interesting.  Was something wrong with my cashier?  Was this for her protection, or for mine?  I continued to empty my cart and shamelessly craned to look at other cashiers.  Shit.  More of them were wearing gloves. 

What the hell?
If a cashier needs to wear gloves for her/his protection from the "clientele", give me a frickin pair when I walk in the door.  If a cashier needs to wear gloves for my protection, perhaps they shouldn't be a cashier.

One More Thing
This isn't just about Wal-Mart.  I park my car near the closest cart return wherever I shop.  That way I can load the car, get kids settled, walk a short distance to return the cart where I'm supposed to (rule follower here).  I used the same strategy today.  When I returned to my car after shopping, there were four carts lined up along the driver's side and three on the passenger side.  The cart return was directly behind my car.  Return your carts people.  Please. [For the record, even when it's raining, snowing, or blowing and I'm parked very far from the cart return, I always return the cart to it's proper place.  I've done this while pregnant and walked on ice - like a little postal worker delivering the mail.]

Now, I'm going to go drink wine, sterilize my entire body and all of today's Wal-Mart purchases.