Friday, August 28, 2009

WAL-MART DEBATE: a post with CONCERNS about Wal-Mart

This e-mail was sent to us by frequent commenter Worlee Glover, elaborating a position of concrns regarding Wal-Mart (EDIT by Levois - you can also read that letter here!):
As Wal-Mart has renewed its interest in coming to 83rd & Stewart, we as concerned members of the community refuse to allow corporate giants to run roughshod over our people simply because the economic environment in which we exist is anemic. We want jobs for our people who direly, and sorely need them in these times of financial famine. However, we also want jobs with dignity. With this in mind, until these six questions are answered, we will reserve judgment on our support of this project or lack thereof:

1. How much will they pay employees per hour? Is this wage a livable wage?
• Workers should be able to earn a wage that affords them the ability to live, and not require further government or state assistance to supplement their salary!


2. Will employees be offered affordable and immediately accessible health-care
benefits?
• Currently, research shows that full time employees are not afforded access to health care until they have been employed for six months, and part-time workers are not afforded access to health care until they have been employed for one year.


3. What will be the ratio and number of full-time workers as opposed to part-time workers?
• Studies have linked the high turnover rate for Wal-Mart employees, and keeping workers at part-time hours, while working them full-time, to the desire of the company not to pay employee benefits!


4. Will they give workers the right to organize, if they want?
• We are not for or against any one union. We are for the right of workers to decide freely and fairly whether or not they want to unionize.


5. What is Wal-Mart’s commitment to supporting Black Farmers produce in order
to ensure that fresh fruits and vegetables are available for our community?
• 600,000 people in Chicago live in a food desert. 478,000 of them are Black people. Of all the groups in Chicago, Black people travel the furthest to get fresh fruits and vegetables. Black Farmers have been ignored by the government for contracts from major chains.


6. What is Wal-Mart’s stand on public education?
• The Walton Foundation, in concert with the Bradley Foundation of Milwaukee, has been noted to give $1 billion per year into “Education Reform” with the end goal to kill public education. It is ironic then that this Wal-Mart will be directly across the street from a public school—Simeon Career Vocational Academy.

The answers to these questions, and commitments in writing emanating therefrom will determine our support of this project!

Sincerely,
  • The African American Lutheran Association (AALA)
  • Southside Organization for Unity & Liberation (SOUL)
  • Rev. Dr. L. Bernard Jakes, West Point Baptist Church
  • Rev. Michael Pfleger, Faith Community of St. Sabina
  • Rev. Otis B. Moss III, Trinity United Church of Christ
  • Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., Trinity United Church of Christ
  • Kevin Tyson, Church in Society, Trinity United Church of Christ
  • Rev. Oscar Varnadoe, Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice (MRSEJ)
  • Rev. Reginald W. Williams, Jr., First Baptist Church of University Park
  • Rev. Booker Vance, St. Stephens Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Rev. Stacey L. Edwards-Dunn, Trinity United Church of Christ

2 comments:

  1. 90% of the issues these leaders raise are 90% valid. Certainly employees should earn a reasonable wage, and have a job they can take pride in. People should be employed and work in good-faith with companies that abide by the law. And, of course, consumers should be offered the widest array of goods, including fresh produce. Few will argue these points.

    But there is a really big problem with these leaders position that overshadows their otherwise legitimate concerns: it is clear that they are acting in labor unions' interests and not for the people of their communities. Make no mistake, the interests of unions and consumers are at odds, and these leaders are taking the unions' side against the consumers. That is, of course, their prerogative. But keep in mind this fact - if you are not a unionized employee in the retail industry, unions don't have your interests in mind. When these signatories say "We want jobs for our people," they likely aren't talking about you.

    It is clear that these leaders are using zoning laws to exclude legitimate businesses from the city for partisan reasons. Zoning laws are not designed to protect the interests of labor unions, but these organizers have co-opted the zoning system to serve their own narrow interests. This kind of political maneuvering cheats citizens and businesses alike from a fair change to appeal to the people whose opinions really matter - Chicago's citizens.

    The simple fact is that these signatories have a motive, and it is not to improve our city. Wal-Mart's single store on the west side has already begun to have a city-wide effect on grocery prices. The authors of this letter talk about livable wages, ignoring the fact that real wages increase as consumer prices fall. They talk about access to fresh produce, but never acknowledge that reducing people's expenditures on basic food items allows them to better afford pricier goods, like fresh fruit. They talk about public education without recognizing that Wal-Mart stores tend to increase property values, providing more tax revenue for school districts. They talk about dignity while their neighbor's pockets are gauged by monopolists.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can't speak of the others, but I believe that Rev. Pfleger really DOES care about the poor and the community. And after re-reading the letter, it doesn't necessarily against the Wal-MArt, just noting some major issues.

    However, other Christians (such as some at the church i attend) are more solidly for it.

    Those against Wal-Mart shuld have a solid plan if they want to "win" against Wal-MArt. I have heard Costco touted as an example of how it should be done, and yet be profitable.

    Alternaive ideas are needed in this economy to make a strong case against Wal-Mart.

    ReplyDelete

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Comment Moderating and Anonymous Comment Policy

While anonymous comments are not prohibited we do encourage you to help readers identify you so that other commenters may respond to you. Either read the moderating policy for how or leave an identifier (which could be a nickname for example) at the end of the comment.

Also note that this blog is NOT associated with any public or political officials including Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer!