[lbo-talk] Walmart wars

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Thu May 5 06:07:00 PDT 2005


The only unionized Walmart - in Jonquiere, Quebec - closes. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4629759

That it is a union busting move should be obvious to anyone with a half a brain. More interesting is the reaction of the people in this working class town. A significant number of them were anti-union - they seem to enjoy the cheapo goodies and job opportunities.

Meanwhile, Maryland passed legislation forcing Walmart to provide better health care to its employees - Walmart was singled out because it provides much crappier health benefits than other retailers (who supported the bill) - despite the lamentations from the local Repugs and probusiness pundits (may they drown in shit).

I would not set my foot in Walmart mainly because of the stench of fast food that I have to endure when entering their premises, and also because of their jesusland pedigree, which btw seems to be a bonus in eyes of the US "downtrodden masses." I wonder, however, how much of the anti-Walmart zeal is actually instigated by its competitors (see the MD case above) .

Wojtek



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