Groups attack Wal-Mart over wages, benefits

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

From staff and wire reports

At the Capitol rotunda yesterday, a coalition of union and community groups launched the Pennsylvania component of a national "week of action" opposing Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart, Pennsylvania's largest private employer, pays low wages and doesn't provide health insurance coverage for many of its workers, Jim Deegan, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO spokesman, said after the press conference.

The company also encourages the out-sourcing of jobs to other countries by demanding that its vendors constantly cut costs, he said.

Wal-Mart spokesman Nate Hurst responded that "more than 100 million Americans shop at Wal-Mart, and they're tuning out groups like Wal-Mart Watch, Wake-Up Wal-Mart and their union benefactors. Working families haven't heard a single idea from these groups, no solutions, no vision, just criticism."

Wal-Mart provides health insurance to nearly one million employees and family members, Hurst also said.

Yesterday's press conference highlighted several bills introduced in the Pennsylvania Legislature this year that would demand more of employers who don't provide health insurance or who receive state subsidies and tax cuts for locating in the state.

Wal-Mart plans to open or expand 484 stores nationwide next year, over 100 more than previously disclosed, according to an internal document obtained by Wal-Mart Watch and released to The Associated Press yesterday.

Wal-Mart Watch, a Washington, D.C.-based group backed by unions and environmental and other groups, said it will use the list to alert activists in those communities listed in the document to help them rally against projects in their towns. The group said it received the document from Sprawl Busters, a group opposed to unchecked suburban development.

Wal-Mart confirmed that the document belonged to them.

"This report is simply a listing of all stores we expect to open over the next 12 to 14 months, and many are already under construction. Since the unions oppose us wherever we locate our stores, this new stolen document doesn't seem to provide them any advantage," Wal-Mart spokesman Marty Heires said.

Wal-Mart Watch said the list provided key details that would make it easier to organize local resistance because it names the specific towns and gives the size of expansion plans.

The list, which can be found at http://walmartwatch.com/docs/walmart-openings-2006.pdf , includes about a dozen projects in Pennsylvania, including projects in Lewisburg and Hanover.

It is the latest internal document obtained by Wal-Mart's critics. Last month, Wal-Mart Watch released another internal Wal-Mart document that detailed company plans to seek cost savings by cutting health care and retirement benefits, including proposals to make cashiers collect shopping carts, to attract more physically fit employees and discourage unhealthy applicants.

Shares of Wal-Mart rose 27 cents to $49.27 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.




WAL-MART Groups attack Wal-Mart over wages, benefits Tuesday, November 15, 2005 From staff and wire reports At the Capitol rotunda yesterday, a coalition of union and community groups launched the Pennsylvania component of a national "week of action" opposing Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart, Pennsylvania's largest private employer, pays low wages and doesn't provide health insurance coverage for many of its workers, Jim Deegan, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO spokesman, said after the press conference. The company also encourages the out-sourcing of jobs to other countries by demanding that its vendors constantly cut costs, he said. Wal-Mart spokesman Nate Hurst responded that "more than 100 million Americans shop at Wal-Mart, and they're tuning out groups like Wal-Mart Watch, Wake-Up Wal-Mart and their union benefactors. Working families haven't heard a single idea from these groups, no solutions, no vision, just criticism." Wal-Mart provides health insurance to nearly one million employees and family members, Hurst also said. Yesterday's press conference highlighted several bills introduced in the Pennsylvania Legislature this year that would demand more of employers who don't provide health insurance or who receive state subsidies and tax cuts for locating in the state. Wal-Mart plans to open or expand 484 stores nationwide next year, over 100 more than previously disclosed, according to an internal document obtained by Wal-Mart Watch and released to The Associated Press yesterday. Wal-Mart Watch, a Washington, D.C.-based group backed by unions and environmental and other groups, said it will use the list to alert activists in those communities listed in the document to help them rally against projects in their towns. The group said it received the document from Sprawl Busters, a group opposed to unchecked suburban development. Wal-Mart confirmed that the document belonged to them. "This report is simply a listing of all stores we expect to open over the next 12 to 14 months, and many are already under construction. Since the unions oppose us wherever we locate our stores, this new stolen document doesn't seem to provide them any advantage," Wal-Mart spokesman Marty Heires said. Wal-Mart Watch said the list provided key details that would make it easier to organize local resistance because it names the specific towns and gives the size of expansion plans. The list, which can be found at http://walmartwatch.com/docs/walmart-openings-2006.pdf , includes about a dozen projects in Pennsylvania, including projects in Lewisburg and Hanover. It is the latest internal document obtained by Wal-Mart's critics. Last month, Wal-Mart Watch released another internal Wal-Mart document that detailed company plans to seek cost savings by cutting health care and retirement benefits, including proposals to make cashiers collect shopping carts, to attract more physically fit employees and discourage unhealthy applicants. Shares of Wal-Mart rose 27 cents to $49.27 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.