Retail giant Wal-Mart celebrated the start of construction on its controversial new store in Chinatown on Tuesday, days before a planned march that labor organizers are touting as the largest anti-Wal-Mart demonstration in U.S. history.
At a news conference inside a cavernous storefront that is being converted into a 33,000-square-foot grocery store, Wal-Mart officials and local business leaders exchanged traditional Chinese good-luck offerings as local performers did a dragon dance. Kim Sentovich, a Wal-Mart senior vice president, told the crowd that her company was proud "to improve access to fresh and affordable healthy foods.
I shop at my local WalMart for groceries. One of the things I like is that they ensure that fresh, local produce - mmm,mmm,mmm, LOVE those Grainger county tomatoes! - is available in the store. The aisles are well-stocked and clean. If the deliman (or woman) slices a little more than you requested - where the scale shows 1.2 pounds versus the one pound you wanted - that overage is included free to you. The staff is friendly, and if I see this one older Indian gentleman is on his register, I go out of my way to get in his line because he is so pleasant. And I like their prices.
In short, WalMart provides a shopping experience for the consumer.
And screw them, right?
Labor unions and the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, an advocacy group that opposes Wal-Mart's low wages and nonunion workforce, have been fighting the project since the chain announced earlier this year that it planned to open a grocery store at Cesar Chavez and Grand avenues on the ground floor of an existing apartment building.
Activists pushed the Los Angeles City Council to draft a law temporarily banning large chain stores from opening in the neighborhood. But the council's 13-0 vote came too late. Wal-Mart had secured building permits the day before, giving it the green light to move forward on the project.
The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance has filed an appeal with the city, which is under review. In the meantime, activists are organizing a weekend of anti-Wal-Mart actions, including a protest concert Friday night and a big march Saturday.
So amah living on a fixed income can support the SEIU, right?
George Yu, president of the Chinatown Business Improvement District, said after the news conference that most people in the neighborhood support the new store. "If our local residents had told us, 'We don't want this in Chinatown,' I would have been out in front against it," he said.
Exactly.
3 comments:
I'm not a big fan of WalMart. There's the concern over their following of labor laws for one thing. The other thing that bothers me is that when you go to rural areas, WalMart is essentially the only choice because small businesses can't compete with them and eventually close.
I've never found Walmart workers all that helpful either.
As to cost, it depends on what you buy.
There are a number of reasons Walmart has become so successful. You named several of them....good customer service, fresh local produce, giving back to the community,and, sorry, good prices. I understand that it makes it difficult for small business owners, but, since they must make their prices higher, most people cannot justify the extra money spent. I know, sometimes 2012 sucks, but we live and cope with the time in which we live. We can't pretend it is 1912 again. Well, I guess we can, but it won't do a whole lot of good.
And, finally, it was the decision of the people who live in that area...not some outside protesters. They don't want anyone to tell them how to live (you judgers and haters!!) but they sure rush to foist their opinions on others!
Until about 1-2 years ago, the Walmarts here didn't carry produce.
I am amazed by this good customer service....I've never experienced it at Walmart.
Of course now I most likely will never go the Walmart closest to my house. They have had portable meth labs in the parking lot.
Post a Comment