Wal-Mart, Critics Slam Each Other on Web

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060718/D8IUK1100.html

Wal-Mart, Critics Slam Each Other on Web
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Jul 18, 4:10 PM (ET)

By MARCUS KABEL

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) - The brawl between Wal-Mart and its union critics is escalating as groups on both sides, fighting over whether the world's largest retailer is good or bad, launched attack-style Web sites maligning each other's motives and politics.

More than a year after unions launched two political-style campaign groups attacking Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) for what they say are low wages and skimpy benefits, the language is turning meaner and more personal.


Chris Kofinis poses for a photo as his colleagues work on materials, in a file photo Nov. 22, 2005, at WakeUpWalMart.com offices in Washington. The gloves are coming off as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. battles back at union-funded campaigns maligning the world's largest retailer. The brawl is escalating as both sides launch political-style attack Web sites attacking the others' motives and political pasts. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, File)


Paidcritics.com was started last week by Working Families for Wal-Mart, a group funded primarily by Wal-Mart, to reveal what it described as "the real motives of the union leaders behind the campaign against Wal-Mart."

It characterized one of its leading critics, Andrew Grossman of union-backed Wal-Mart Watch, as "a political operative with a checkered past" in a section called "Paid Critic of the Week" that also lambasted Wayne Hanley, head of the Canadian chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

The site is part of Wal-Mart's aggressive defense since last year against its increasingly organized critics. Wal-Mart won't say how much it is spending, but it has set up a political campaign-style "war room" staffed by consultants, hired Washington D.C. lobbyists, formed the Working Families group and created another Web site called Wal-Mart Facts.

In response to the new site, union-funded WakeUpWalMart.com started its own Web site Tuesday, , which attacks the retailer's public relations and lobbying figures.http://www.abunchofgreedyrightwingliarswhoworkforwalmart.com

"These great guys who love to stretch the truth (or what mom called liars) honed their special Wal-Mart skills on an array of right wing political campaigns," the Web site reads.

(Omaha's City Council today voted 5-1-1 to allow a new Super Wal-mart to be built in a 50 year old neighborhood against the objections of the neighbors. Last week it looked like the proposal would fail on a 3-3-1 vote, with a councilman that owns stock in Wal-mart abstaining.)

[AndyA]

1. I can't stand Wal-Mart, or the people who shop there.

I believe Wal-Mart has its grubby little fingers in a lot of the problems we face today. They put family-owned American businesses out of business when they move in, they are a huge portion of China's income, which makes things over there quite ducky. As the Chinese economy grows, the people are able to buy cars, which need gas. China is now one of the largest consumers of gas. Demand increases, prices go up.

So, all those idiots shopping at Wal-Mart for bargains are largely responsible for the price we all pay at the pump today.

The only thing worse than a shopper pulling into Wal-Mart? A shopper pulling into Wal-Mart with a "W" sticker on their car. Now THAT will make you sick! :puke:

DON'T SUPPORT WAL-MART! SUPPORT AMERICA INSTEAD!!

[sabbat hunter]

2. you shouldnt hate

you shouldnt hate the people that shop there. in many cases there is no other place to go, especially with gas prices so high they cannot afford to drive further to a different store.

[napi21]

3. You're being unfair to all people who shop there.

The people I know who shop there buy their groceries and that's all. They have to try anywhere they can save a little money because of the increase in the cost of EVERYTHING!

Believe me, WM doesn't make $$ on their groceries. They have them as a drawing card to get shoppers in the store so they'll buy the more profitable items in the store.

My husband used to work for SuperK, and the managers fully admitted that!

There's very little profit in the grocery business to begin with, no matter what supermarket or discounter you are dealing with.

I hate the WM business plan too, but I can't fault the people who are forced, by their economic situation, to shop there.

[LostinVA]

14. I know lots of people who shop there who don't have to

They have plenty of money, they live in areas with plenty of choice... they have way more money and choice than me, and I don't shop there. Drive around a Wal-Mart parking lot and look at many of the cars... many don't need to shop there. SOME do, but not all.

[Patchuli]

16. I buy pet food there

because I save a fortune. A can of cat food in my market is .55 cents a can. In Walmart it's .31 cents. I'm sorry but I do know that it's not made in China. I may not be poor but I'm not rich and with 3 cats and a dog to feed, I'm going to try to keep the price down. I don't buy much else there. We like to support our local merchants.

Don't hate the folks who are lured in there; blame the corporate hogs that set this system up.

[Omaha Steve]

17. Kind of dog eat dog food world eh?

Remember the NYT breaking story last year? How Wal-mart will be limiting more workers no more than 32 hours, so NO benefits. Only hire healthy people to keep the health ins. costs down. Where is the Justice Dept. on ADA on this? The list goes on and on. The dog food my not be made in China, but Wal-mart is China's single largest importer. There are so many good reasons not to buy ANYTHING there, I have a hard time trying to understand all but the working poor on this board get ANYTHING there. if you like I have lots more about how this corp. is so bad for ALL OF US!

[Patchuli]

18. I had a cashier there crying on my shoulder

and I don't like going there but you might count me among those working poor. My animals need food and my market is gouging me. If we could have stopped this Walmart from coming here, we would have. As a matter of fact, we tried! It killed a lot of mom and pop establishments.

[Omaha Steve]

19. point taken

At least you are aware of some of the problem.

[Patchuli]

20. Thanks

My husband is retired from 30 years @ phone co and is doing a second career in retail hardware. Believe me, he is paid as lousy as Walmart folks but he is treated much better and his chain is a much beloved hw store with high customer service standards so he actually enjoys what he's doing. But the corporation underpays them by quite a bit for the work expected. If they ever locked him in? He quits. NOW.

[gratuitous]

9. It's tempting to dislike the folks who shop there

But as a couple of other posters have pointed out, sometimes there isn't a choice. I have a choice (by virtue of living in a large city and having the financial means), so I don't shop at Wal Mart. I talk with consumers who do shop there, and try to persuade them when I can not to shop Wal Mart, but I'm not going to fall into the trap of getting down on folks (particularly low income folks) who can't make ends meet any other way.

Hate the shop, not the shopper. :)

[Skittles]

11. not just family-owned business

my local Albertson's grocery store is closing because of a couple of nearby mega-Wal-Marts

[Omaha Steve]

13. Omaha too

In Omaha, All the Albertson's and Oscos (owned by Albertson's) closed in 2004 after the California grocery strike of 2003. Albertson's union stores could not compete with the low wage, no benefit Sprawl-mart. Now the entire Albertson's company is up for sale. Albertson's was our store of choice and is missed. We did stock up on Albertson's brand of tequila, Golden (100%) Agave. :-)

[Skittles]

15. I truly resent it

will be shopping at Kroger's now but I wonder how long it will be before they go under

[Sherman A1]

4. As good as Wake Up Wal Mart.com is

it's job is made ever so much easier by Wal Mart constantly shooting itself in the foot. Last week, The Arizona AG announced that Wal Mart is having a wee bit of trouble with their pricing accuracy and will probably face fines again (because these smart guys didn't learn from the $400K + in fines the last time). In Canada there was a report of Wal Mart having had a bomb threat in a store forced the employees to search the building. They do one dumb thing after another on top of the greed, poor pay and benefits, the cheap Chinese imports, etc.

[Omaha Steve]

7. Wanted By Wal-Mart: Bomb Sniffing Employees

Full story: http://spewingforth.blogspot.com/2006/07/wanted-by-wal-mart-bomb-sniffing.html

You've got to hand it to Wal-Mart. In these days when the whole world lives under the threat of terrorism, Wal-Mart in Canada is at least providing useful training for its employees -- as bomb sniffing dogs.

Why did Wal-Mart clear customers out of a Quebec store and then order 40 of its workers to stay in the store and search for a bomb? On July 5 workers at a Wal-Mart in St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec were ordered by Wal-Mart to help police search for a bomb, even though police recommended to Wal-Mart that the store should be completely evacuated.

[Teaser]

5. bad url

the "abunchofgreedy..." url is too long to be effective.

[warrens]

6. Wal-Mart is losing this fight, and pretty badly

A lot of people still shop there, but they don't feel good about it, and that is a recipe for longer term disaster. Once people start disliking what you stand for, it's only a matter of time before they stop shopping with you.

[Sherman A1]

8. I hope you are correct

[jus_the_facts]

10. I remember readin' here in LBN about several of the WalMart heirs....

...bein' in the top 10 Billionaires list...each worth over 15 Billion Dollars EACH! :puke:

[brentspeak]

12. Mall-Wart is a total plague on this nation

There have been some downtown districts here in NJ that've been decimated by new Wal-Marts. Hardware stores, stationary stores, etc. that have been in business for fifty years -- gone.

[Alacrat]

21. I'm sick of Walmart

They have enslaved so many small towns in this country. I go out of my way, and don't mind paying more, in an effort to shop elsewhere.