Wal-Mart push begins anew

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/1808219,CST-FIN-walmart06.article

October 6, 2009

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter

Now that Mayor Daley's Olympic dream has gone up in flames, a South Side alderman is turning up the heat for City Council approval of Chicago's second Wal-Mart -- and first supercenter that sells groceries.

Ald. Howard Brookins (21st) said Monday he intends to "hound" Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th) every day until Burke holds a hearing on an amended redevelopment agreement that would pave the way for a Wal-Mart supercenter at a former industrial site at 83rd and Stewart in Chatham.

"The Olympics were a side show to my cause and an excuse for many to say, 'We ought to put this off so that we can have peace with the unions,'" said Brookins, whose ward includes the site.

"Now that those union workers aren't gonna be employed building these fabulous buildings all over the city, at least this is some immediate help for those local tradesmen. . . . And it's a tremendous help to stop the leaking that continues to plague our city with people going to the suburbs looking for a bargain."

Brookins said the argument that Wal-Mart needs to pay a living wage "rings hollow." He vowed to produce copies of union agreements negotiated by the United Food and Commercial Workers representing employees at Jewel and Dominicks.

"Wal-Mart is paying the same wages. It's a red-herring for them to start talking about living wages," Brookins said.

FULL story at link.

[Sherman A1]

1. I would like to see Wal Mart not only produce those

UFCW contracts, but also PROOF that they pay equal (or superior) wages and benefits. If they can PROVE it (which I suspect they will not be able to do) , then I think their request should be considered.