The High Cost of Low Price
Mary Jo Markle
Sam assured the crowd that attended the noontime screening of Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price in Sellwood's Moreland Theater, that he would do whatever he could to help stop a Wal-Mart from setting up shop in Sellwood.
"I'm with you every step of the way in this battle," said Adams.
Robert Greenwald, the maker of the film, was at the theater and introduced the movie to the crowd. Greenwald also made the movies Outfoxed and Unprecedented.
NASAW, Neighbors Against a Sellwood/Ardenwald Wal-Mart, arranged the movie screening. The group was formed in response to the proposed Wal-Mart store and serves to organize and educate the community about the potential development.
Sam wrote a letter to Scott Leo, Wal-Mart's CEO, in opposition to the proposed Sellwood store in June, 2005. He has participated in community and labor efforts to raise awareness about the predatory practices of the Wal-Mart Corporation. Here are some of the reasons why Sam is opposed to Wal-Mart.
Take a look at Sam's talking points for the screening.
Read Steve Duin's article about the movie in the Oregonian.
Posted by Mary Jo Markle on November 19, 2005
(7) Comments | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Filed Under Front Page, Good Government, Jobs & Economy, Our Initiatives, Wal-Mart
Comments by site visitors
Steve,
Actually, IKEA's employment practices are vastly different from Wal-Mart's.
Posted by: Jesse | Nov 23, 2005 9:09:27 AM
At least the opposition to WalMart is getting honest. It's not about the intersection (a valid concern). It's not about local businesses (because most of the studies cited look at rural areas).
It's about disliking corprations and large-scale, globalized retailing. That's OK, I just think the opponents are inconsistent. If you want to pressure WalMart to be a better corporate citizens, I'm with you. But if you oppose siting a WalMart in what is currently an unused empty lot with little alternative development potential, then you'd better be consistent.
Are we evaluating businesses on the basis of how they treat their employees or whether they pay a living wage or not?
Because if so, we'd better start taking a very hard look at thousands of restaurants, home cleaning services, janitorial firms, construction firms, that employ illegals, don't pay benefits, and otherwise pay substandard wages.
Do we oppose corporate "chain" retailers?
Ok. Let's fight the next Freddy's, or Safeway, or Starbucks, or Dominos, or ...
Do we oppose companies that carry products that are made less expensively overseas?
Better stop your Christmas shopping now, because virtually every electronics item, toy, or kitschy product you buy comes out of China.
Posted by: steve | Nov 23, 2005 9:36:09 AM
I think we're talking about the whole spectrum of business practices and how they contribute to--or detract from--our communities.
The current site up for debate is about all of the concerns you mention: traffic, local economy and corporate practices. It's also about impact on government services--services for which every taxpayer pays.
In the film, I think they present this well. In my opinion, Wal-Mart is on the negative end of the spectrum in pretty much every category of community investment.
Posted by: Jesse | Nov 23, 2005 9:54:22 AM
Jesse - I appreciate the links to IKEA and the official stand is against child labor on direct IKEA business, however a lot of their furniture is built in the 3rd world like WalMart's product, so my sense is that on a direct basis they discourage child labor, however, if they buy from a middle man they would still be buying in the same markets as WalMart and I assume the same labor practices.
I am open to reconsider my stand, do you have info on the wage scale / med benes for employees? Again, I am not a big fan of WalMart products, but I think they should be evaluated fairly since one of the complaints was traffic and taking business from local stores.
Why this doesn't apply to IKEA is not clear since I am sure they would be taking local furniture store business and 1200 parking spaces are intended to accomodate customer cars.
Posted by: Steve | Nov 23, 2005 11:24:11 AM
Sam,
Thanks for your support. As a resident of Portland and an American who is a 'conscientious objector' to supporting Wal*Mart for a variety of reasons, I appreciate you taking a stand.
I've read quite a bit about the business practices of Wal*Mart both throughout our country and abroad. And as a supporter of Greenwald's documentary, I am encouraging everyone to see this important film.
Respectfully,
Tim Liszt
Portland, Oregon
Posted by: Tim Liszt | Nov 23, 2005 10:54:49 PM
Jesse et al,
It's profoundly hypocritical of you to support one massive conglomerate (Ikea) and rally against another (Walmart) just because Ikea is (allegedly) slightly less evil than the other.
And your BuyBlue website is hardly objective and does not stand up to the fairness test.
Walmart offers low prices to low-income people. Wouldn't you rather see poor people saving money buying life's necessities? Or would you rather see poor people forced to pay more for goods only because the seller meets a certain website's criteria. That's pretty cold if you do.
BTW, Ikea caters to middle and upper income folk. Is it more important to you that the already well off can buy more furniture while low income folk are forced to pay a premium for a new pair of shoes?
Walmart offers us choice. If you don't like 'em, don't shop or work there. And your attempts to keep Walmart out hurts poor folk more -- through a lack of entry level jobs and a dearth of competitiveness in the marketplace.
Posted by: Chris McMullen | Nov 25, 2005 3:23:02 PM
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Mr Adams - I think IKEA pays the same kind of wages and is building a big box by the airport with 1200 parking spaces next to the light rail. Why is IKEA OK, but not WalMart?
I mean there is always a bias against WalMart/McDonalds frequentd by lower income people, yet CostCo, Starbucks and IKEA are welcomed with open arms.
Posted by: Steve | Nov 22, 2005 9:15:00 PM