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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><a
href="http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/051005/cbc.html">http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/051005/cbc.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span class=head><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>CBC stands by Wal-Mart</span></font></span>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span class=byline><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>By <a
href="http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/About/hans_nichols.html">Hans
Nichols</a></span></font></span><span class=body><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has flatly rejected a major labor union’s
call to cut ties to Wal-Mart lobbyists and executives who have been canvassing
the Capitol in search of new friends and allies.<br>
<br>
Black lawmakers say they will continue to listen to Wal-Mart – as they
would any other group interested in building a relationship — and will
not be bullied by what they regard as the Service Employees International
Union’s (SEIU) inappropriate attempt to “put the CBC in its
place” with instructions to shun the world’s largest employer.<br>
<br>
This SEIU-CBC dispute comes at a time when Wal-Mart is significantly boosting
its political contributions to Democrats.<br>
<br>
In a letter sent to CBC last week, Ann Burger, SEIU’s treasurer, stated,
“The SEIU is expressing our displeasure that the Congressional Black
Caucus is giving Wal-Mart an opportunity to fashion a false image that they are
friends of African Americans and working people generally.”<br>
<br>
The letter lists of a litany of alleged labor misdeeds by Wal-Mart before
reciting SEIU’s records of improving wages and living standards for
“people of color.”<br>
<br>
“That’s the kind of economic development that we have always
collaborated on with members of the CBC,” wrote Burger.<br>
<br>
Several black lawmakers took umbrage at the tone of SEIU’s letter and
warned it would sour their relationship with labor, with others saying they
would continue to have an open door policy with both SEIU and Wal-Mart.<br>
<br>
“The CBC has been one of the most loyal supporters of labor. But we
reserve the right to have dialog with any company that’s doing business
in the African-American community,” said Rep. Al Wynn (D-Md.)<br>
<br>
Channeling Lord Palmertson, Wynn added, “We have no permanent friends, no
permanent allies, only permanent interest.” [Snip]<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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