Thursday, January 28, 2010

Brookins: Significant resistance to Chatham Walmart

This is Chatham Market the proposed location of the Chatham Wal-Mart (Defender)

This is probably no big surprise to many who have read this blog during its brief existence. The Defender however recently revisits the resistance to a Wal-Mart located at 83rd & Stewart in Chicago's 21st Ward!
It is long overdue for the community to put pressure on the aldermen who oppose another Walmart within the city’s limits, said Ald. Howard Brookins (21st).

The South Side alderman has been heavily courting the Arkansas-based retail giant for six years to build a Walmart in his ward on 83rd Street and Stewart Avenue, but he failed to garner the support from fellow aldermen, he said.

“There is significant resistance from South Side aldermen. Many jobs are needed. The people are struggling to support their families. Walmart can only help provide much needed jobs for the residents,” Brookins told the Defender.
...
The issue is currently held up in the council’s Committee on Finance, chaired by Ald. Ed Burke (14th). The council cannot vote unless the issue makes it out of the committee. Brookins said it’s at Burke’s discretion to put the matter back on the table. The next finance committee meeting is scheduled for Feb. 8. An agenda has yet to be released.

Several aldermen, including Alds. Pat Dowell (3rd), Toni Preckwinkle (4th) and Freddrenna Lyle (6th) – publicly oppose Walmart coming to the city. An inadequate living wage and propensity of hurting the small businesses in the area were at issue.

Labor unions in the city who stated Walmart doesn’t pay middle-class wages aren’t alone. A coalition of clergy and community organizations – Good Jobs Chicago – took the same stance.

“People only hear one side of the story, that a Walmart job is better than no job. When they hear the other side, it hits them that $8 an hour won’t begin to cover basic necessities or get people off public assistance,” said Latrell Smith, a member of the Good Jobs Chicago.

Brookins said he and GJC want the same thing, but he finds it “disingenuous” the coalition targets Walmart.

“Target is a big box. So is Best Buy. So, I guess it’s OK for them to come into our neighborhoods, but not Walmart. They’re all paying about the same,” the alderman said.
Count Willie Cochran as a vote in favor of Wal-Mart!
Ald. Willie Cochran (20th) said while he understands workers need to receive a good wage that labor unions and other groups want Walmart to pay, he must stand by the decision of his community.

“My constituents are in support of Walmart. The jobs are needed now. It's about who I represent and they want Walmart to come to the South Side,” Cochran said, whose ward is a few miles north of Brookins’.
I really would like to understand the arguments regarding good wages. Who decides what's a good wage and what isn't? Who should get a good wage? The teenaged working starting their worklife, the college student putting themselves through school, the single mother, or the retired person who seeks additional income?

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