http://www.weac.org/News/2005-06/aug05/walmart.htm

Leaders of Milwaukee's education and labor communities Wednesday (August 10, 2005) urged parents throughout Wisconsin to cross Wal-Mart off their "back-to-school list" this summer.

"We've been told you get what you pay for," said John Goldstein, president of the Milwaukee County Labor Council. "Wal-Mart's low prices get us exploited children, high taxes, lost jobs and destroyed communities."

At a news conference outside Milwaukee's Neeskara School, Goldstein and others said Wal-Mart has failed America by breaking child labor laws, discriminating against women, relying on taxpayers to provide health care to many of its employees, and paying poverty-level wages.

"America's largest employer must reflect America's values," said Daniel Welch, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1444.

Milwaukee School Board member Peter Blewett, Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association President Dennis Oulahan, MTEA Executive Director Sam Carmen and WEAC Vice President Terry Meyer were among those attending the news conference and showing support for the Wake Up Wal-Mart campaign.

In a news release, Oulahan said America's children deserve better than Wal-Mart.

"There is no excuse why Wal-Mart, a corporation with $10 billion in profits, fails America and exploits taxpayers, their workers, our families and worst of all our children," Oulahan said.

Blewett urged people to read the book "The Case Against Wal-Mart" and asked parents to do their back-to-school shopping at stores that support union workers, provide good jobs for young people and invest in communities.

"Wal-Mart, your report card is in, and you failed," said Bonnie Brusky, a teacher at Riverside High School. Among other things, she said, the giant corporation has failed to provide equal pay for women and failed to provide adequate health care for its employees - carelessly leaning on the taxpayers to fill the void.

Adam Breihan, a senior at Riverside, referred to a letter to Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott, signed by himself, Blewett, Oulahan and Darcy Haber of Wisconsin Citizen Action.

"Every tax dollar we use to needlessly subsidize Wal-Mart's poor health care is a tax dollar we could be using to buy books, repair schools, hire more teachers, and improve the education of all our children," the letter states.

"Please help us send Wal-Mart back to school by signing a pledge card and let Lee Scott know we don't see our kids as a commodity," Breihan said.

Rosalie DeFino, a recent Riverside graduate, said Wal-Mart violates child labor laws by requiring young employees to work too many hours and work too late.

"Wal-Mart is setting a dangerous precedent by using and exploiting children for profit," she said.

In a flier distributed at the news conference, organizers said:

* Child labor: Wal-Mart agreed to pay $135,540 to settle federal charges that it broke child labor laws in 2005. Three Wal-Mart stores in Connecticut were fined just weeks ago for child-labor law violations.
* Gender discrimination: Wal-Mart is facing the largest gender discrimination lawsuit in history affecting more than 1.6 million female employees.
* Taxpayer-funded health care: Fewer than half of Wal-Mart’s workers are covered by the company’s health plan. Wal-Mart costs American taxpayers up to $2.5 billion per year in public health care and public assistance programs.
* Poverty-level wages: Wal-Mart pays workers too little to keep a family of four out of poverty.

Organizers asked citizens to participate in the Wake Up Wal-Mart campaign by signing a pledge to buy back-to-school supplies at stores other than Wal-Mart. To sign the pledge online and for more information, go to www.wakeupwalmart.com.

Posted August 11, 2005

Walmart is a store I refuse to shop at too!

More reasons you should boycott Walmart:

The contributions this year far exceeds the $1 million spent in 2003 and more than double the previous high of $1.2 million four years ago.

The big Wal-Mart check to the opponents of Proposition 72 came just one day after supporters of the measure began running TV ads citing a study from a University of California research group with ties to the labor movement that estimates California taxpayers spend $32 million a year providing health care to Wal-Mart workers.

Among those backing Proposition 72 and the critical Wal-Mart health care ads, is the California Medical Association, whose chief executive Dr. Jack Lewin has said that Wal-Mart was singled out because it is the state's most prominent low-wage, low-benefit employer.

Union officials say California has become a battleground for the company.

The latest fight is in the Bay Area town of Antioch where the retailer is backing three council candidates that are sympathetic to the company's plan for a superstore in that community.

Critics contend the company's deep pockets pose a severe threat to the political balance of power.

"They are so large and have so much money that they can overwhelm the traditional democratic process," said Greg Denier, spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. "This company isn't just the largest employer in the U.S., they are the largest employer in the majority of the states. I don't think people have ever confronted something like Wal-Mart before."
© 2004 Associated Press

Found at:
Reclaim Democracy!

People have to adhere to a budget come school time. Somebody needs to ask that political labor hack if he's paying the difference.

There are other outlets that provide heavy discounts on school supplies. Also,
I believe it is Office Depot which will contribute a percentage (I believe it is 10%) of your receipts to your local school- all you have to do is tell them at checkout which school. This is a good way to support your local schools.

Right now, the taxpayer is supporting Wal-Mart by covering a larger than normal percentage of their workforce with programs like Medicaid. This is a nationwide phenomenon. Meanwhile, the corporation continues to report excess profits.

Maybe I should tell that "hack" how much I spend on MY classroom too?

It is also slightly more out of MY pocket now that I refuse to shop at Walmart. Target and the Dollar Store are my first stops for school supplies now. Oh... and it is WAY MORE THAN THE $250 tax credit I get. Like 2-5 times more.

And if you really want to save money, you can shop around a little. My mom used to get us school supplies by collecting the coupons and running each of us through with the maximum supplies and a handful of change or small bills. The question is, WILL YOU FEED THE MONSTER SO IT CAN KEEP GROWING? I say NO!!!

I live in PA, but I no longer shop at Walmart. Our CVS drugstore has loads of great prices on back-to-school supplies.

When you live in a small community and the closest store (other than Wal-Mart) is 30 miles away...The budget does count.

My apologies.... you have a difficult position there... Feed either the Walmart Monster or the oil industry your money......

Have you looked for online sales that might include free shipping? Staples has a buy $50 get free shipping offer... Staples Office Depot too! Plus they give 5% to schools!Office Depot

Amazon has free shipping on backpacks and lunch boxes Amazon plus a wide selection of office products. Usually they offer free shipping for orders over $25 too!


And School Kidz offers kits of materials based on your speifications, grade levels, or teacher lists. click here


So you do have options, but do you have time to wait for the shipping?

All excellent suggestions, Daisy,
BTW - here is an index of companys ranked by how republican or democrat their support is...

http://www.buyblue.org/

Stephen, I can understand your dilemma, as I have a sister who lives in a rural area. But Daisy has offered some good alternatives

And for those who do have options, and some extra cash, I would like to encourage all parents
and grandparents to help out their kid's teachers. Whenever I go to get my son's school supplies, I buy in bulk (less expensive in the long run) and I buy a case of paper, a whole box of tape, etc., etc. The extras are given to the teachers, who then have less out of pocket expenses for the necessities of trying to teach ! If in doubt about what they might need, I have found that asking does not embarrass them- they are very forthcoming and grateful. The teachers are so very appreciative and it lets them know that the parents support their efforts.

First of all, I don't have the problem as my kids are grown and gone. I was speaking of the younger people of my community that are considered the working poor. You have some good ideas nates_daisy, and those that have a computer may very well take those options already.