Wal-Mart Closes Tire Center after workers vote to Unionize...

Image via Wikipedia

Wal-Mart closes unionized Canada center [Associated Press] 

Union-backed groups Wal-Mart Watch and WakeUpWalMart criticized the company for the closure. "The Gatineau workers have merely exercised their human rights under Canadian Law, something that is clearly unacceptable to Wal-Mart," Wal-Mart Watch director David Nasser said.

 

Wal-Mart Closes Quebec Tire Center After Labor Accord [Bloomberg News]
Wal-Mart Watch, a U.S. worker advocacy group, said the shop closing shows the retailer is willing to do anything to prevent workers from receiving better wages and benefits. "The closure in Canada clearly shows that Wal-Mart has no desire to change," it said in an e-mailed statement.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., known for its strong stance against workers unionizing, on Thursday closed a tire and lube center in Canada where workers had voted to organize.
A Wal-Mart spokesman said the five workers and one manager at the center were offered jobs at comparable Wal-Mart facilities or elsewhere in the store, which is located in Gatineau, Quebec and has more than 250 workers. The store itself will remain open.

Wal-Mart stories of the week

Newsday covers the barred opening of the Riverhead Wal-Mart.

Another Wal-Mart supplier has been accused of sweatshop conditions, employees were forced into 19 hour work days while being paid sometimes less than $20.00 a month.

 

The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. have reached a settlement over alleged violations of the Clear Air Act, which prohibits the sale or distribution of nonessential products containing ozone-depleting substances. 

Headlines...

Greetings,


We haven't had a legitimate update in about a month, but here's what's been going on in Wal-Mart world....

Massachusetts has been deprived of $600M in unpaid fines by Wal-Mart.

They've pulled the plug on their DRM music system. Leaving all customers who tried to buy music legally confused...

They just announced today, they  will close 20 stores and cut its work force by about 350 in Japan.

Somehow they're selling illegal wood, smuggled in from Russia, as toilet seats.  Reported by the New Yorker.

Wal-Mart stores will now strictly focus on customer experiences.

They're also being sued for a variety of violations in NJ.
 
The Illinois Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued Wal-Mart in federal court on behalf of a Rockford woman who claims she was fired because she had epilepsy.


They were also paying employees in store vouchers as payment in Mexico


"Always Low Prices" isn't always a good thing for Wal-Mart, apparently. The discounter was warned by Puerto Rican authorities on Thursday that it was selling milk too cheaply on the island.



Thats just one month. wow.

Building Blocks Project

Image via WikipediaWe're currently involved with developing a website to backbone a campaign geared towards taking action against the current Supermarket crisis throughout the five boroughs. The project is called the 'Building Blocks Project'. Here's a quick synopsis of Local 1500's project, if you would like to get involved just follow this link and sign up!

The lack of affordable and quality food available to consumers through traditional Supermarkets has reached crisis levels. Communities are affected both economically and with health related problems. Good jobs are being lost due to store closings, and we are failing to create new jobs through new supermarket development. Diabetes, obesity and heart related illnesses are at epidemic levels.

Through our Building Blocks Project, we intend to form a long-term coalition of labor unions, healthcare professionals, hunger and nutrition advocates, food access experts, elected leaders, community activists and faith-based leaders to ensure that all communities have the basic Building Blocks of good food, good jobs and good health. When a community is built upon this foundation, it produces positive results for all residents of New York State.

Wal-Mart Unions will remain only in China

The first Wal-Mart trade union in China was formed after the company bowed to government demands for organized labor in its stores, The New York Times reported Friday.

Wal-Mart's reluctance to allow unions, particularly in the United States where they remain banned from stores, has been a point of controversy for many years. But the government-controlled All-China Federation of Trade Unions fought for the right to create branches in the company's 60 outlets.

Read the story here.

Wal-Mart inks a Union Deal???!?

The following stories about China, Taiwan and Hong Kong appeared in the media today:

Wal-Mart, Chinese Unions Sign Agreements in Two Cities

Wal-Mart has signed union contracts in China?!

Here's more Bloomberg News: Wal-Mart inks two Union Deals.

Read it to believe it...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A southwest Missouri woman sued Wal-Mart, local health officials and Cox Health Systems, claiming they discriminated against her and her monkey named Richard.

Read it here.

Buying Shoe's at Wal-Mart

Adidas Tells Judge Wal-Mart Sport Shoes Aren't Fit to Run In [Bloomberg News]
At least two Wal-Mart athletic shoe models are built with substandard materials and fell apart during simulated running tests,

Wal-Mart News of the day

Awaiting a Big Blue Box and an Altered World [New York Times]
Monica Byrne, one of the owners of Tini, a bar on Van Brunt Street, also was generally supportive of the store’s presence. "If it was a Wal-Mart, I’d be protesting," she said. "This could be a really good thing."

City and Labor Leaders Reach Deal on Plan to Develop Willets Point [New York Times]
The city also agreed to look favorably upon developers who propose job-intensive businesses at Willets Point that would pay at least $10 an hour. At the same time, the city said it would discourage "suburban models of big-box stores," a reference to Home Depot and Wal-Mart.

Big retailers may follow Ikea to Red Hook [Daily News (N.Y.)]
Discount giant Wal-Mart tops the list of heavy hitters that have looked at development sites in the gritty-glam nabe, where a container port and a cruise-ship terminal co-exist with Civil War-era warehouse buildings, public housing projects and artists' studios.

Wal-Mart's stores in Hawaii will be part of a pilot solar project outfitting 22 Wal-Mart stores,

And the NY Sun interviews Obama's Economic Policy advisor.

Brooklyn Paper, dreaming of another Wal-Mart....again

Today's Brooklyn Paper writes

With Fulton Mall changing, it is time for city officials to reconsider Wal-Mart’s attempt to bring its low prices and vast selection to Downtown Brooklyn

I'll start by asking, what kind of jobs would you like to bring to your community? A decent wage with affordable health care, a pension maybe? Some guaranteed raises and sick days? Would this be too much to ask for the company who has sat a top of the Fortune 500 list four out of the last five years? Or do we want to bring a surplus of jobs that aren't providing health care and a decent wage to our already economically struggling community? Has Wal-Mart somehow in a little over a year when they were kept out of the Fulton Mall, changed their ways? Are they providing their full-time employees with affordable health care? Are they treating women with the same respect as they used to? I missed that memo. I don't think we need to have another blog post regarding the struggles Wal-Mart employees continue to face. Just google search 'wal-mart worker' and check out what you get if you're unaware. I'd like to speak about the collateral damage a Wal-Mart would bring to a community like the Fulton Mall although. Nowhere in the Brooklyn Papers article is there a mention of the hundreds of shop owners throughout the Fulton Mall. What about the other businesses that call the Fulton Mall home? What would happen to them if Wal-Mart would open? We're all for having affordable quality food and goods, but at what cost?


So what will happen to the Fulton Mall if Wal-Mart comes? We pondered this last year and surveyed the stores within a one block radius of the potential Wal-Mart. We found that Wal-Mart carries all of the same items that every store on the carried. Now sure, pedestrian traffic would increase significantly with a Wal-Mart at the Fulton Street Mall, but who is going to shop at the Jeweler or Shoe store, or the Electronic store across the street when you can waltz right into Wal-Mart for all your shopping needs, probably at a lower price. How many businesses will be forced to close their doors? What price are you essentially paying for a Wal-Mart? What kind of collateral damage does Wal-Mart do to your community? Countless studies have been conducted on the impact Wal-Mart has on communities. What this city needs when we're facing an immense supermarket shortage while drug stores like CVS and Rite-Aid continue expand, is a company to provide quality jobs, quality goods at an affordable price. Wal-Mart should review the Food Policy principles created by Local 1500 (right). Which call for a "...citywide education program to promote the three basic tenets that are the building blocks of all communities: Good Food, Good Jobs & Good Health..." All of which correlate to one another. We need to build, and Wal-Mart would not serve well as a foundation.





Do you remember last February when Wal-Mart tried 'sneaking' into the Fulton Mall? Remember politicians, residents and community groups rallying at the steps of the proposed site at Albee Square? All of whom protested and demanded the developer not to allow another irresponsible employer into the neighborhood. We wrote on these problems last year, after the developer promised not to bring a Wal-Mart, it was then Lee Scott saying "I don't care if we're ever there [New York]"





Leticia James of the New York City Council, speaking against Wal-Mart at the Fulton Mall.

Wal-Mart population reaches 2 million

Almost 2 years ago, Wal-Mart announced they planned on hiring over 150,000 more workers over the next five years, bringing their workforce to a stunning 2 million. This week they announced they have reached 2 million employees worldwide.

Tell the NYS Council on Food Policy about the food problems you're facing

From The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500's Blog....

NYS Council on Food Policy Listening Session in Harlem

The New York State Council on Food Policy will be in HARLEM to LISTEN to YOU!

The NYS Council on Food Policy is holding a series of Listening Sessions around the state to gain perspective from community members on several food policy issue areas and to seek opportunities to maximize collaboration among stakeholders.

This is your chance to voice out your feelings on food!

"My grocery store just closed down!"

"My bodega only sells junk food!"

"Food prices are burning holes in my pockets!"

The Harlem Listening Session will be held from 5 to 7pm at

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building

163 West 125th Street, New York

The Listening Sessions are open to the public and are an open microphone format. Anyone who wishes to participate will have five minutes to present their opinions and must also provide their comments in written format. Comments should focus on the key issue areas identified by the Council.

Key issue areas include:
1) Maximize participation in food and nutrition assistance programs;
2) Strengthen the connection between local food products and consumers;
3) Support efficient and profitable agricultural food production and food retail infrastructure; and
4) Increase consumer awareness and knowledge about healthy eating and improve access to safe and nutritious foods.

Please RSVP to John Mallen by calling 1.800.522.0456 ext. 212 or by sending an Email

-------------------------------------

WMT and Generic Drugs

Yesterday Wal-Mart announced "that it is now offering more than 1,000 over-the-counter items for $4 or less and selling some 90-day generic prescriptions for $10." Today, Target followed the same road..."The Minneapolis-based discount retailer said the program includes and expanded assortment of $4 prescription drugs; a 90-day supply of these medications for $10; and over-the-counter medications for $4 or less."

Wal-Mart began this 'test program' in Tampa in 2006, which enticed almost a statewide flee for these $4 drugs. Target matched that offer immediately while K-Mart offered a $15 generic drug. The test program has seriously changed the generic drug industry.

Debbie Shank still doesnt have her money

The Shank's are still waiting for their money from Wal-Mart

This week in Wal-Mart

For nearly 30 years, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. employed a video-production company here to capture footage of its top executives, sometimes in unguarded moments. Two years ago, the retailing giant stopped using the tiny company

Supermarket News reported that shareholders of Wal-Mart Stores have proposed that the company establish a human rights committee.

For the fifth time in six years, Wal-Mart tops the Fortune 500 list

Despite the PR nightmares and mistreatment of workers Wal-Mart remains on top of the Fortune 500 list again for the fifth time in the last six years. From CNN.com

The retail giant reclaims the top spot on the Fortune 500, making it the largest company in the United States for the fifth time in six years. The company suffered a series of public relations gaffes last year, but has launched a crusade to spruce up its image. It now employs 1.9 million people worldwide and revenues are up 11% over last year, but profits grew less than 1%, amid a slowdown in same-store sales.

New York State's largest Grocery Union responds to Mayor Bloomberg's Wal-Mart endorsments

In today's New York Sun, Mayor Bloomberg says of Wal-Mart; "Wal-Mart clearly shares our goals, and their commitment to public safety really is commendable," This morning, New York's largest Grocery Union was taken back by this comment and issued a response.

“With all due respect to the Mayor, I would ask him to take a close look at Wal-marts long, well documented history of being one this country’s most irresponsible employers. Wal-mart has paid hundreds of millions of dollars in wage and hour violations, encouraged workers to go on tax payer funded healthcare rather than provide accessible insurance, has allowed overseas child labor to produce their products, is a defendant in this Nation’s largest gender discrimination lawsuit and been responsible for the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and lost local businesses. Their overall behavior has been anything but responsible,” stated Bruce W. Both, President of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500.

Read the entire Press Release at Local 1500's blog.

Wal-Mart does the right thing to the Shank Family

Wal-Mart has finally done the right thing in the Shank case...Check out Wake Up Wal-Mart's article and page dedicated to the Shank case.

National Advertising Division tells Wal-Mart to stop spreading lies

AdAge.com has a featured piece on their site today telling Wal-Mart to stop claiming consumers can save $2,500 annually by shopping there. More lies from the company that strives on helping the 'American Dream'

Wal-Mart should discontinue the implied advertising claim that consumers can save $2,500 annually by shopping there, the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus recommended in a statement today.

Check out the entire article here.

Selfishness of a Billion Dollar Company

Please read this disheartening story that essentially sums up everything Wal-Mart Stores Inc. stands for; Selfishness, Corporate Greed and willingness to do anything for a buck.

A collision with a semi-trailer truck seven years ago left 52-year-old Deborah Shank permanently brain-damaged and in a wheelchair. Her husband, Jim, and three sons found a small source of solace: a $700,000 accident settlement from the trucking company involved. After legal fees and other expenses, the remaining $417,000 was put in a special trust. It was to be used for Mrs. Shank's care.

Instead, all of it is now slated to go to Mrs. Shank's former employer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Read the Entire story here.