Walmart Buys its way into Africa

Image via Wikipedia

"Despite the advent of democracy in 1994, South Africa remains one of the most inequitable societies in the world. The acquisition of 51% of Massmart by Walmart will cut out even more local ownership of one of the major retail players in the country." 
-Tyotyo James, deputy-president of the Congress of South African Trade Unions. After Walmart's 51% bid on the major retailer Massmart was approved this week. "Walmart buys its way into Africa"

It's not just a domestic problem with Walmart, across the world they're notoriously known for exploitation of workers and destruction of small business.  In South Africa they're getting a lot of resistance for buying out the retail chain Massmart and essentially monopolizing the South African retail market.

Now that the Massmart deal cleared all the regulatory hurdles, a massive boycott is being planned for all Walmart/Massmart affiliated stores. [Financial Mail]

WalmartNYC.com Promotes Report: NYC Store Would Lower Wages

Here's something you don't see everyday, Walmart telling the truth.

The ingenious website www.walmartnyc.com which claims to promote real New Yorker opinions, is promoting a report from ABC News which covered NYC Public Advocate's Bill de Blasio's report that if a Walmart were to open in NYC retail wages would suffer.  Here's a screen shot from WalmartNYC's newsroom:

via: www.walmartnyc.com

We love how the logo above reads, "Helping NYC Save Money and Live Better", while they source studies that argue they'll lower retail wages.

Link: http://www.walmartnyc.com/2011/01/13/report-nyc-walmart-jobs-would-lower-wages/

Thanks, Walmart!

Update: The New York Politicker picked up the story also here: http://www.observer.com/2011/politics/wal-mart-website-inadvertently-brags-store-would-lower-wages

Rally and New York City Council Hearing Postponed to Feb.3

UPDATE: Due to the snow concerns, the New York City Council has rescheduled the hearing from Jan. 12th to February 3, 2011, same place, same time.  RSVP and discuss the rally on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=190233140990413

Rally to Keep Job-Killing Wal-Mart Out of NYC

RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=190233140990413

ABOUT WALMART FREE NYC
 
Walmart Free NYC is a coalition of workers, small business owners, community leaders, clergy and elected officials who are committed to increasing economic opportunities, preserving local businesses, and creating more jobs in communities across New York’s five boroughs.
 
 
WALMART IMPACT STUDIES
 
“The Impact of an Urban Wal-Mart Store on Area Businesses: An Evaluation of One Chicago Neighborhood’s Experience.” Davis, Julie, David Merriman, Lucia Samayoa, Brian Flanagan, Ron Baiman, and Joe Persky, December 2009. Center for Urban Research and Learning Loyola University Chicago.
Available online at http://luc.edu/curl/pdfs/Media/WalMartReport21010_01_11.pdf.
 
“The Effects of Walmart on Local Labor Markets.”  David Neumark, Junfu Zhang, and Stephen Ciccarella. October 2005. Public Policy Institute of California.

Available online at: http://www.businessweek.com/pdfs/2005/david_neumark.pdf


“The Effect of Walmart on Businesses in Host Towns and Surrounding Towns in Iowa.” Kenneth Stone. Iowa State University. November 1988.
Available online at: http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/faculty/stone/Effect%20of%20Walmart%20-%201988%20paper%20scanned.pdf