April 24, 2006
WalMart Evolves Into Big Political Issue
There is no candidate. There are no ballots. There won't be an Election Day. And yet it may be the hottest, highest-stakes political contest in America today.
It's the campaign against Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart's main opponents are the Service Employees International Union, which started Wal-Mart Watch, and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which funds a separate campaign called WakeUpWalMart.com
After failing to organize employees of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. with traditional tactics, the unions decided to use modern campaign and communications methods to drag the company into the public square and try to shame them into change.
Both groups have hammered the world's largest retailer about its wages, health insurance, treatment of workers and proclivity for buying non-U.S. goods. Wal-Mart has responded with counterattacks and a multimillion-dollar public campaign to polish its image.
On both sides are some of the best political strategists money can buy.
~Elections? We don need no stinkin' elections.
That this is being worked through political consultants and not politicians is bizarre isn't it? If the consultants can create a big enough buzz maybe a politician or two will get interested in these issues that affect the employees of America's largest private employer?
Don't forget to vote.
[photo from google]
Posted by Stubbornson at April 24, 2006 12:25 PM