Walmart Protest Rally Draws Thousands

Posted on July 11, 2012 by jway

As Walmart reached its 50th anniversary last week, critics of the company’s practices demonstrated that they are stronger than ever. The largest anti-Walmart protest in US history was held in Los Angeles and was just one of many events that took place nationwide on June 29 and 30.

The LA March Against Low Wage Jobs, which drew thousands of supporters interested in promoting a more responsible Walmart, featured musical performances by Ben Harper, Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine) and No Age. Civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, US Representative Judy Chu (D-El Monte) and rocker Steve Earle also supported the rally. The marchers protested the construction of a new Walmart grocery store in LA’s historic Chinatown neighborhood, arguing that the store’s poverty wages would undercut the viability of local small businesses and hurt the community.

The Chinatown site has been a matter of public dispute for some time. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and UFCW Local 770 jointly filed a suit last week against the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, alleging that the Department “failed to notify the public of its decision to exempt the Walmart project from an environmental review.” The lawsuit seeks to halt construction of the store, which is already underway.

In reference to the allegations, APALA’s Jan Tokumaru said, “it appears Walmart received a special exemption from the city releasing it from the requirements many other smaller businesses must comply with.” Curiously, one day after Walmart was issued the necessary permits to begin construction on the store, a city ordinance banning retail chain stores in Chinatown received unanimous city council support.

This blog post was written by Rebecca Cassler.

Comments

  • Anonymous

    Just to set the record straight:I don’t want free healthcare;I want affordable healthcare.I don’t want money for nothing;I want the opportunity for a good job.I don’t expect every election to bring the result I want;I just want my vote to count.I don’t want businesses to be unprofitable;I just want them out of the regulatory and political process.I don’t want the wealthy to pay for everything;I just want them to pay their share.Reject the propaganda.  Embrace the truth.

    • BillyBob

      You just want them to PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE,huh? Well what is their FAIR SHARE?  Do you think that the 5% that pay 70% aren’t paying their FAIR SHARE?  What would be their FAIR SHARE 100%?  What about the 47% that don’t pay NOTHING, are they paying their FAIR SHARE?  That’s the truth!

  • Anonymous

    The top 5% of wage earners pay 70% of federal income taxes and the bottom 50% of wage earners pay only 2.5% of federal income taxes. What % do you think is fair after all? I want your vote to count also, but only once like mine. Lets hear some truth.