0 comments

---

Originally posted at the Huffington Post, David Nassar writes that Wal-Mart in America’s big cities was a bad idea 5 years ago - and is still a bad idea today. That’s why Wal-Mart Watch activists in New York, Chicago and LA have sent over 25,000 letters to their city councils, and more than 1,500 state legislators around the country have been told by their constituents that new Wal-Mart plans should be called off until a worker safeguard like the Employee Free Choice Act is passed.

Wal-Mart in Chicago, New York and L.A. without EFCA? A bad idea

While most of America’s businesses are struggling through the recession, Wal-Mart and the Walton Family are raking in billions in profit. There’s nothing wrong with making money - but the rest of us are getting poorer as a result. Whether it is the low wages the Waltons pay, the taxes that the company expertly dodges or the subsidies Wal-Mart demands, the average American is helping the Walton family get richer every day.

That behavior has been a drag on Wal-Mart’s reputation and a primary reason why the company has had such a hard time entering high-income communities and first tier urban markets like New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Now, however, it’s clear that Wal-Mart wants to use the cover of the recession and the promise of new jobs to enter the same communities that have rejected it in the past.

Unfortunately, Wal-Mart hasn’t changed - only the economy has.

Given Wal-Mart’s low-margin, high-volume business model, it has always been dependent on rapid growth to stay alive. Over the past two decades, Wal-Mart’s growth plan has been simple: build as many supercenters in suburban and rural America as possible. But in the past few years, Wal-Mart has had to hit the brakes on its expansion after saturating most of the country and leaving itself few places to grow.

Still, America’s big cities remain largely untapped by the company. Millions of Americans live relatively Wal-Mart-free existences in the metropolitan areas of Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, D.C. and Philadelphia, among others. Now that Wal-Mart sees a moment of weakness, it is poised and ready to strike.

Read the rest of this story ...

0 comments

---

MAJOR MEETING IN VIRGINIA TONIGHT TO DEBATE FATE OF THE WILDERNESS WAL-MART

• Public gets say on Wal-Mart near Va battlefield [Daily Press (Va.)]
  Hundreds of historians have had their say on Wal-Mart's plans to build a Supercenter near a Civil War battlefield in Virginia.

• Tonight! Orange County will hear your thoughts on Wal-Mart [Free Lance-Star (Va.)]
  Tonight, the Orange County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed Wilderness Wal-Mart.
  

Read the rest of this story ...

0 comments

---

CALIFORNIA WAL-MART FINED FOR NOT PROTECTING WORKERS FROM HEPATITIS B

• NorCal Wal-Mart workers to be tested for Hepatitis [San Jose Mercury News (Calif.)]
  About 20 employees of Wal-Mart's Yuba City store will be tested for Hepatitis B after one worker was diagnosed with the bloodborne disease in December.

AMERICA'S OLDEST STATE PRESERVATION GROUP JOINS FIGHT TO SAVE WILDERNESS BATTLEFIELD

• Preservation group: Civil War battlefield at risk [Associated Press via Forbes]
  Preservation Virginia has joined a growing opposition that says a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter near the Wilderness Battlefield threatens the Civil War site where nearly 29,000 troops were killed or injured 145 years ago.
  

Read the rest of this story ...

0 comments

---

Yesterday, at an event in New Mexico, President Obama again reaffirmed his support for the Employee Free Choice Act. The New Mexico Independent notes that Obama also signaled that a compromise might be necessary to get the bill through the Senate.

Nonetheless, it’s reassuring to know that President Obama stands with Wal-Mart workers in their struggle for better jobs

0 comments

---

PRESIDENT OBAMA REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE

• Obama on his support of the Employee Free Choice Act [New Mexico Independent (N.M.)]
  President Obama said today at his town hall in Rio Rancho that he’d like to see the Employee Free Choice Act pass, but that compromise might need to happen on the details of the bill if it’s to pass the U.S. Senate.
  

• Live from Rio Rancho, it's President Obama [USA Today]
  A man asks about the "employee free choice act," which would help more unions form. Obama praises the contribution of unions to society, and worries about the decline in union membership. But he cites objections to the "free choice" act, including the fact that it does not assure secret balloting for formation of a union. Notes there aren't enough votes in the Senate to get the act passed, but says there may be room for compromise.
  

• Obama Says Union Bill Lacks Sufficient Senate Support [Wall Street Journal Blogs]
  Not surprisingly, unions praised the president’s remarks. “What a difference having a pro-working family president makes,” said Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern. “For hard-working families who suffered for eight long years under George Bush’s extreme antiworker policies, President Obama’s and Vice President Biden’s leadership on behalf of the middle class is a breath of long-needed fresh air.”
  

Read the rest of this story ...

0 comments

---

A group of Rabbis have jumped into the deep end of the EFCA fight by writing Senator Specter a letter in support of the controversial legislation which Wal-Mart also strongly opposes. The Rabbis clearly come down on the side of workers’ rights here. They point to a Talmudic ‘sanctity of labor’ that Wal-Mart, by neglecting its workers’ wages and benefits, has blatantly disrespected.

The Rabbis make an argument similar to what we at Wal-Mart Watch and others have been saying: it’s time to provide workers a level playing field, or as the Rabbis put it, ‘balance the scales of justice.’ Casting Specter’s opposition, and thereby Wal-Mart’s in religious terms, the Rabbis wrote:

“Every major religion is sympathetic to the laborer. Judaism was early among the major religions in its assertion that labor involved more than mere economic activity. The commandment to observe the Sabbath was as much an affirmation of human dignity as of divine authority. “Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work.” But the seventh day was to be holy - holy in the eyes of God, but equally important - holy in its respect for all who work. As it is written in Deuteronomy: “You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, but you must pay him his wages on the same day, for he is needy and urgently depends on it.” It is not always easy to translate the sanctity of labor into terms that have meaning today, a time in which the marketplace seems to have been elevated above all other holy altars. We believe that the Employee Free Choice Act presents an opportunity to give concrete meaning to the often frustrated dream of a just society.” [Huffington Post]

This isn’t the first time that Wal-Mart’s values have been challenged by religious authorities. Some have gone so far as to call Wal-Mart’s treatment of labor immoral. We certainly think it is. And 75 Wal-Mart Workers who came to DC last week agreed, including Eugene Robinson who made an impassioned plea for better treatment from his employer. Watch the video here.

0 comments

---

OBAMA ESTATE TAX CHANGES TO CURB WALTON FAMILY WEALTH?

• Changes Proposed to Estate Tax Techniques [Wall Street Journal]
  One particular strategy the Obama administration wants to rein in has allowed some wealthy families to pass on tens of millions of dollars to their heirs free of gift and estate taxes, especially since the Internal Revenue Service in 2000 lost a high-profile legal challenge. In that case, the IRS challenged a trust set up by Audrey Walton, ex-wife of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. co-founder Bud Walton. She used a vehicle, known as a grantor-retained annuity trust, or GRAT, that potentially allows the grantor of a trust to pass on much of the appreciation of an asset to heirs free of gift tax.
  

WAL-MART SPONSORING 'LATINO SUMMIT'...

• Latino Economic Summit Website Launched to Serve as Resource Center for Latino Businesses [Latino Economic Summit Press Release]
  The Summit was sponsored by Wal-Mart and LATINO Magazine and gathered over 180 Latino business and community leaders who had key opportunities to have one-on-one dialogue with the panelists and revealed opportunities for Latino businesses to thrive in the midst of the ongoing economic turmoil.
  

...WHILE BEING SUED BY THE EEOC FOR DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HISPANICS

• Al Norman: Wal-Mart's 'Wetback' Problem [Huffington Post]
  The Wal-Mart corporation has been carefully nurturing its image as a strong supporter of the Latino community in America, opening stores designed for Latino shoppers, and hosting economic summits for Latino businesses.
  

Read the rest of this story ...

2 comments

---

COALITION OF INVESTORS SPEAKS OUT FOR EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE

• Social Investment Funds Back Labor Union Organizing Measure [Bloomberg News]
  A group of mutual and pension funds that invest in social causes is urging Congress to support legislation that would make it easier for workers to join unions.
  

• Leaders in Investment Community Speak Out for Employee Free Choice [AFL-CIO Now Blog]
  A coalition of investors, representing nearly $400 billion in assets, has stepped forward to say the Employee Free Choice Act is the right move right now to protect workers and strengthen the economy.

SEIU HEAD ANDY STERN SAYS EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE 'ALIVE AND WELL'

• Stern: 'Card Check is alive and well' [Politico]
  "Card check is alive and well," Stern said, adding of Arlen Specter, "if he’s red on card check, I couldn’t get my members to vote for him. That’s like being against universal health care."
  

Read the rest of this story ...

586 comments

---

Last week, Wal-Mart workers came to Capitol Hill to speak out and urge their Senators to pass the Employee Free Choice Act. It has been the most powerful testament that we’ve seen that Wal-Mart workers need change—now.

Especially powerful was Eugene Hart, of North Miami Beach, FL. His passionate plea for change brought a standing ovation from his fellow co-workers. 

0 comments

---

Here's a slideshow of Wal-Mart workers' day on Capitol Hill last week, where they lobbied their Senators to pass the Employee Free Choice Act, allow workers to form a union and give them the wages, benefits and respect they deserve. 0 comments

---

LONG ISLAND STAMPEDE VICTIMS WIN SETTLEMENT, SAFETY CHANGES FROM WAL-MART

• Wal-Mart to pay victims of stampede [Newsday via Chicago Tribune]
  Mega-retailer Wal-Mart will pay an unspecified sum to victims hurt in a stampede that left a security guard trampled to death at a Valley Stream store during an after-Thanksgiving sale.
  

• NY prosecutor ends investigation into Wal-Mart trampling death, creates pact with retailer [Associated Press via Chicago Tribune]
  A New York prosecutor is ending a criminal investigation into the post-Thanksgiving trampling death of a temporary employee at a Long Island Wal-Mart.
  

• Wal-Mart To Announce Changes In Wake Of Trampling Death [NY 1-TV (N.Y.)]
  Wal-Mart officials are expected to announce today an agreement to improve safety measures following the trampling death of an employee from Queens last year.
  

Read the rest of this story ...

0 comments

---

Here’s a slideshow of some of the pictures we received in support of Wal-Mart workers. Thanks so much to everyone who sent one in. 

If you haven’t already, click here to to send a letter to your Senator in support of the Employee Free Choice Act - which would be true CHANGE

0 comments

---

Last week, Wal-Mart workers from around the United States gathered in Washington, DC to support the Employee Free Choice Act. Their mission: lobby senators, share stories, and show that workers can speak with one voice about improving working conditions in Wal-Mart stores. While this day of action was a success, many Wal-Mart employees were left with a bitter taste in their mouths.

Despite traveling hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles to Capitol Hill, many senators could not find time to meet with these employees about this important issue. We are not naive enough to believe that these senators - whose offices are flooded with constituent requests all the time - would meet personally with these workers, or any workers for that matter. However, it becomes a problem when corporate interests are placed ahead of those constituents who actually elected them to office.

A Wal-Mart employee from “worker-friendly” Oklahoma wrote to us anonymously about his experiences in Washington. He was able to meet with staffers from the offices of Senator Inhofe and Senator Coburn. Apparently, Senator Inhofe was one of the only people who agreed to a face-to-face meeting; he backed out at the last minute to meet with an African delegation. Senate Coburn never agreed to meet with the workers in person, instead they met with a staffer. The Wal-Mart employee had this to say about the meetings:

“Last week, I went to D.C. in an effort to get the Employee Free Choice Act passed. As an Oklahoma resident, I hoped to meet with my senators and unfortunately, only one would meet with us and the other flat out refused. Instead, we met with assistants and councilors. An assistant told me that Wal-Mart officials were there a couple of weeks earlier – they were pushing to kill the bill.  I am betting they got to see these senators in person. That is Wal-Mart for you. They would rather spend millions of dollars lobbying to prevent the passage of bills that would require them to pay a decent wages or offer adequate health care than to spend money on those who bust their tails to make their stores a decent place to shop.”

Wal-Mart officials love to brag about how money buys influence in Washington and that they will do whatever it takes to “buy a seat at the table.” At a 2001 Wal-Mart managers meeting in Houston, representatives from WalPAC even boasted about how they lobbied against the Patients Bill of Rights for liability protection. Regular Wal-Mart workers do not have the luxury of spending millions to buy influence in Washington. The best way for workers to get ahead in this current economic climate is for congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.

41 comments

---

Here are more pictures of the 75 Wal-Mart workers who went to Capitol Hill yesterday. Showing his support, staunch worker and Employee Free Choice proponent Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) gave a rousing lunchtime speech and we’ve got lots of good pics of that, too. Enjoy!

7 comments

---

Check out what happened to Wal-Mart’s stock as soon as Arlen Specter announced that he was switching parties - and opened up speculation that he might vote for EFCA, or for cloture.

(H/T BusinessInsider)

18 comments

---

Last week we told you that we’ve been hearing from more and more workers who want a union. We wrote how many in mainstream media will naturally tend to look at this story as big Union vs. Company. But that’s not the real story - the real story is the workers on the ground who are desperate for change.

Today, Wal-Mart Workers for Change released this great new video which tells the real stories of Wal-Mart workers around the country who are fighting to join together for better treatment from their employer.

Like Aubretia Edick and dozens of others on walmartspeakout.com, these workers had the courage to stand up and tell their story on camera. We wish them the best - and will continue fighting to pass the Employee Free Choice Act so that it can more easily become a reality.

0 comments

---

Today will be a busy day for Wal-Mart workers in Miami, Florida, who are rallying to show their support for a union and to demand an end to harassment and intimidation. The workers’ petition in favor of a union follows in the footsteps of other brave workers—like Aubretia Edick and more recently, Wal-Mart workers in China—who realize that by speaking out they can make a tangible difference in their own lives.

Walmart Workers, Community Leaders Demand End to Intimidation and Harassment [Wal-Mart Workers for Change Press Release]

Walmart workers will be joined by Andre Williams, Miami Gardens City Commissioner, and other community supporters as they sign and deliver a petition to store management at the Walmart store in North Miami on Wednesday, April 22 at 5:15pm.

Walmart workers at the store are trying to form a union to improve their wages and gain affordable health care. Walmart management has begun a relentless campaign to pressure its employees not to join together, including measures that are clearly illegal. Workers and community members are demanding that Walmart cease its illegal coercion, intimidation and unfair labor practices against workers in the Miami store. A petition and letter will be delivered to the store’s management.

WHAT: Walmart workers deliver petition to store management

WHERE: Corner of NE 164 St. and NE 15th Ave. Outside of Walmart Supercenter Store #3235

1425 Northeast 163rd Street, North Miami Beach, FL 33162

WHEN: Wednesday, April 22nd, 5:15pm

WHO: Walmart Workers trying to form a union. Andre Williams, Miami Gardens City Commissioner. Community supporters

39 comments

---

Good news this morning: the Wall Street Journal reports that more and more U.S. workers are getting organized and signing union cards.

Clearly, much of the mainstream/business media might want to focus on a big, bad union launching an organizing drive against Wal-Mart - as if it were some kind of military offensive.

But that’s missing the real story. UFCW is a labor union: their organizers are always spreading the word about unions and organizing workers. That’s their job. The real story is the workers who are now signing union cards, not union officials, and certainly not Wal-Mart spokespeople.

In Duncanville, Texas, almost 60 workers have signed union cards. That’s no small number of workers who are ready for change - and they’re not going away.

As always, we’re going to use this blog as best we can to tell the stories of real workers - that are much more powerful that anything we can write. Hopefully this media attention will cause a stir and inspire more workers to speak out about their jobs. So for any workers reading, tell us what’s been happening in your store - we’ll make sure the word gets out. Are your coworkers talking about a union? Is management cracking down and making you sit through more “meetings” against your will?

As J.R. points out this morning, this is exactly why we need the Employee Free Choice Act. EFCA would stiffen penalties against companies like Wal-Mart who take advantage of their monopoly on power to intimidate workers away from unions.

Union Intensifies Efforts to Organize Workers at Wal-Mart [Wall Street Journal]:

The United Food and Commercial Workers union is ramping up organizing at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. after a five-year lull, dovetailing with its efforts to win support in Congress for a bill to make union organizing easier.

The Bentonville, Ark., retailer, a leading opponent of the legislation, said managers have seen increased union activity at a number of stores, prompting mandatory meetings to discuss unionization. “We have noticed that the UFCW has been working harder lately in its attempts to get Wal-Mart associates to sign union cards, but we don’t think our associates have any reason to be more interested than before,” said Wal-Mart spokesman David Tovar.

Read the rest of this story ...

1 comments

---

Yesterday, Sen. Michael Bennet - the junior Democratic Senator from Colorado - again declined to take a position on the Employee Free Choice Act, even though most of his Senate colleagues have already done so. Bennet, appointed to the Senate after Ken Salazar’s nomination for the Secretary of the Interior, has been reluctant to support EFCA because of pressure from local and national business leaders.

After the latest inquiry into his position, Sen. Bennet is trying to position himself in the center by saying:

“I’m in a much better position to be helpful to a constructive conversation by not having taken a position on the existing language in the legislation than I would be if I had.”

But straddling the fence is not always the safest political position, and he’s already taking heat for refusing to make up his mind. Scott Newkirk, of Fort Collins, CO was quoted by Denver’s ABC-7 News:

“I can’t believe how bad he waffled on that,” Newkirk said. “What we’ve got here is someone who may or may not be willing to make tough choices. I really hope he faces a primary challenge.”

We agree that in the U.S. Senate, tough choices must be made. Sen. Bennet is facing reelection in 2010, and is no doubt worried about his political career. But waffling on Employee Free Choice isn’t going to help persuade any workers to come out to polls a couple Novembers from now.

Senator Bennet, it’s time to take a stand with Wal-Mart workers - and workers everywhere - on the right side of history.

Bennet stays mum on union-vote issue [Denver Post]:

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet on Wednesday declined once again to take a position on a labor-business battle royale over legislation that could make it easier for workers to organize.

“Everywhere I go, from the labor side I hear: ‘This is the most important issue to us.’ From the business community I hear: ‘Stopping this is the most important issue to us,’ “Bennet said during a meeting with The Denver Post editorial board.

Read the rest of this story ...

Posted by Brendan Gaffney | Permalink

Tags: labor, employee free choice act, union, efca, legislation, colorado

Apr15

In First Interview As Wal-Mart CEO, Mike Duke Attacks EFCA

12 comments

---

Mike Duke held out over two full months to give his first interview as Wal-Mart CEO.

Apparently it was unannounced, but the Today Show featured a bit this morning where Matt Lauer walked with Duke through a new Wal-Mart store and tossed him some of the typical softballs. Lauer’s last question was what he thought about EFCA, and Duke (of course) towed the company line.

He said the Employee Free Choice “would be damaging to the American economy long-term.” Wal-Mart, he implied, doesn’t need unions because it has a “unique relationship with its employees.” Unique, indeed.

Here’s the full video—fast forward all the way to the end for the bit on EFCA.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Posted by Eric Bull | Permalink

Tags: employees, labor, employee free choice act, efca, health care, mike duke, matt lauer