0 comments

---

Not long ago, we reached out to our Wal-Mart Watch communities in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, asking them to contact their city councils and urge them to continue to oppose Wal-Mart’s moving into their cities. Combined, the populations of Chicago, NYC and LA house nearly 15 million people, or roughly 5% of the U.S. population.

For years, Wal-Mart has tried to build stores in those and other urban centers including Detroit, Washington, DC, and Boston. Building stores in these cities represents one of the last few rich avenues for domestic U.S growth open to Wal-Mart, but to this point it’s been one big, giant FAIL.

Since submitting our request, over 25,000 letters have been sent to the city councils in LA, New York and Chicago. And below is an example of the responses those letters have been generating - this one is from David Yassky, a member of the New York City Council currently running for New York City Comptroller:

Dear Neighbor:

Thank you for your concern regarding the recent proposals to open Wal-Mart stores in New York City. I agree that this is not the answer to our City’s economic problems, and I am concerned by the company’s poor track record regarding the treatment of its employees and its devastating effect on local businesses.  Small businesses are the life-blood of our City and as the Chair of the City Council’s Small Business Committee, I will fight against the development of new Wal-Mart stores that bring more harm than good to a community.

Moreover, I strongly support passing the Employee Free Choice Act. This legislation would be an important safeguard against employee abuses.  The Employee Free Choice Act would promote better working conditions and benefits for those who need it most:  New York’s working families.  I will continue to support this legislation and employee rights whenever I have the opportunity to do so. Thank you again for your interest.

Sincerely,
David Yassky
Council Member, 33rd District

We’ll keep updating you as we continue to get more responses. Until then, you can check out more on Wal-Mart’s Urban Problem here. What these cities need now are jobs that pay a living wage, good health benefits that keep people healthy and productive (and off public health care), and thriving small businesses that give back to their communities. Wal-Mart need not apply.

0 comments

---

Over 50 religious leaders from a variety of faiths and denominations came to Capitol Hill this week to lobby members of Congress and show their support for the Employee Free Choice Act. The group has formed a coalition called Faith Leaders for Workplace Fairness, which made its first public announcement in support of the labor reform bill on a conference call with press last week. The coalition has called the legislation a “moral imperative” and a civil and human right. Check out the video of their visit below.

0 comments

---

Last week we asked you to submit pictures of yourselves holding up a sign that says “I Support CHANGE for Wal-Mart Workers,” and the response was terrific. We asked you again yesterday, and even more pictures are coming in. We’ll be sending them to every worker we talk with, so they know they aren’t standing alone in the fight to get better wages and benefits.

Check out some of the latest pictures and if you haven’t submitted one yet, please do so by clicking here now.

Read the rest of this story ...

11 comments

---

We’ve received great feedback so far in support of change for Wal-Mart workers. Check out some of the latest pictures - especially one from one our youngest readers yet!

Click here to submit one now.

Read the rest of this story ...

0 comments

---

Check out some of our earliest submissions using the “I support CHANGE for Wal-Mart Workers” photo tool. Keep ‘em coming, and thanks to everyone who has already submitted!

Click here to submit one now.

Read the rest of this story ...

2 comments

---

When we hear about Wal-Mart being in the ‘top-five’ of something, we usually assume it’s in CEO salary, quarterly earnings, highest number of lawsuits pending against them or worst places ever to buy bassinets.  Today it’s among the worst corporations on worker’s right to organize. The International Labor Rights Forum [ILRF] released a report today called: “Working for Scrooge: 5 Worst Companies for the Right to Associate,” and guess who made the list?  We weren’t surprised either.  Wal-Mart has a very real history of anti-union propaganda and bigotry. 

The report cites several of the more highly-publicized anti union stories such as Jonquiere, Quebec where a tire and lube shop was shut down after workers successfully unionized it and Jacksonville, Texas, where the meat department of a retail outlet successfully unionized and Wal-Mart responded by shutting down the meat department in every Wal-Mart, nation-wide.  Will the newly-unionized Saskatchewan outlet meet the same fate?  We sure hope not…

Other finalists included: Dole, Del-Monte, Russell Athletic, and Nestle.  The union-busting must be stopped.  Write your local representative and tell them to support the Employee Free Choice Act today! 

29 comments

---

While we certainly wouldn’t recommend taking advice from Paris on a regular basis, and we most definitely don’t think you’ll meet your maker if you don’t hit the ballot booth, we’d like to take an opportunity to encourage all of our readers to go out and vote.

You might think we lean towards one candidate over another, and its possible you might be right [Sarah Palin says we have a constitutional right to privacy...interesting coming from her...but we’re going with it!], but regardless of who you support please take the time if you haven’t already to exercise your right and cast your vote for Barack Obama or John McCain. One of them is going to be our President-elect, and you’ll feel better knowing you participated in the process. You can even write me in instead if you’re so inclined - I’ve totally watched every episode of The West Wing, and am waaaayyyy qualified.

Anyway, I’m happy to say I braved the lines in Virginia to vote this morning, which means no death-by-Paris-Hilton for me. And I’ve got the sticker to prove it. So go vote! And remember...Wal-Mart [inserted for relevance purposes only]