Unions open new anti-WalMart drive

[struggle4progress]

TEACHERS UNIONS, UFCW, ALLIES
OPEN NEW ANTI-WAL-MART DRIVE
By Mark Gruenberg, PAI Staff Writer
8/22/2005

COMMACK, N.Y. (PAI)--Marching, waving signs, supporting Mom and Pop stores and exposing company abuses, some 250 unionists and their allies gathered in mid-August for an anti-Wal-Mart rally in Commack on New York’s Long Island.
And the “Send Wal-Mart Back To School” rally, organized by the nation’s two big teachers unions--the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association--and the United Food and Commercial Workers, was anything but isolated.

Instead, it was one of many of nationwide events, ranging from an Aug. 10 press conference in front of a Jewel food store in Chicago to a planned Aug. 23 rally in the Twin Cities to demonstrations elsewhere, all urging back-to-school shoppers to avoid the anti-union retail behemoth and patronize union stores instead.

“We had a wonderful rally” in Commack. “There were 18 different unions, half a dozen politicians and numerous community leaders,” said Long Island Federation of Labor President John Durso. One feature: An enlarged “report card” on Wal-Mart’s record, including use of child labor in nearby Connecticut. The firm flunked.

“Long Island Moms & Dads support Long Island Mom & Pop stores,” a sign read. <snip>

http://www.ilcaonline.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2511&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

[Danmel]

1. I was at that Rally

I was one of the "community leaders" at that rally. We are fighting a big box development in our community- a Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Kohl's to be sited adjacent to an existing Costco, Target, Home Depot Expo, Guitar Center and HomeGoods. All this on a local 2 lane road traversed by hundreds of school kids each day! Not to mention the Home Depot and Kohl's already operating 3 miles directly south of the proposed development.

We are fighting hard, but it is tough when local governments don't have to inform each other or adjacent residents of their plans and money from builders flows to elected officials like water. It is truly a disaster for workers, neighbors and the people who need to use this road for work and school. Not to mention the traffic, air pollution, ground water degradation and light pollution!

Wish us luck and send some good karma our way- we have a court hearing on Wednesday!

[Somawas]

2. I was going to post this link

a pledge to buy school supplies anywhere but Wal-Mart

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/feature/school/pledge.html

[struggle4progress]

3. Thanks!