Unfair Trade: Can Long Island Be Losing Another Major Retailer?

Wal-Mart may have recently received accolades for having the best holiday shopping prices and for having the courage to once again wish customers a Merry Christmas, but many of it’s employees are NOT feeling the love and are urging consumers to take their business elsewhere.

In face, recent protests of the mega-store were so intense they nearly called for a boycott of our nation’s largest (retail) employer, at least until (according to protestors), it ceased it’s discriminatory practices toward women and minorities, and until a paid an affordable living wage and offered ample health insurance to its 750,000 U.S. employees who need it.

The protest included representation of several local organizations including the Long Island Federation of Labor, who insist that in addition to wages and insurance, the store demanding that its employees work flexible hours is damaging to families. And, they add that it’s all part of the conglomerate getting bigger and richer at the expense of the working people. Plus, they note that all Wal-Mart employees are nonunion.

Additionally, an organization known as WakupWal-Mart reveals that the chain is facing one of the largest gender-based lawsuits in history. And, they add that the federal case, Dukes vs. Wal-Mar is also the most notable class-action suit ever filed and included over 2 million former and current female employees.

WakeupWal-Mart is comprised of various individual, community organizations, religious leaders, unions and political activists who are “attacking” and addressing what they call Wal-Mart’s anti-family agenda. And they list salary caps, poverty-level wages, unaffordable health care and a restrictive attendance policy as a major part of the problem, noting that this is just not acceptable for anyone, and certainly not fit for family life here on Long Island.