Statement by Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com on today’s verdict by a California jury in the class action lawsuit affecting 116,000 current and former Wal-Mart workers over unpaid lunch breaks.

“We are delighted by this verdict. Over one hundred thousand current and former Wal-Mart workers will finally get the justice they deserve and rightfully earned. It is a sad day when Wal-Mart provides these so-called low prices by exploiting their workers and even the law.

Wal-Mart has already lost the battle in the court of public opinion, now Wal-Mart has lost the battle in a court of law as well. The size of this verdict speaks loudly to the disdain Americans have for multi-billion dollar company’s needlessly exploiting their workers. Furthermore, this lawsuit is just the beginning of other class action lawsuits highlighting Wal-Mart’s practice of unfairly or illegally exploiting their workers.”

Article from the AP is below the fold.

From the AP:

.An Alameda County jury today awarded $172 million to thousands of employees at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. who claimed they were illegally denied lunch breaks.

The world's largest retailer was ordered to pay $57 million in general damages and $115 million in punitive damages to about 116,000 current and former California employees for violating a 2001 state law that requires employers to give 30-minute, unpaid lunch breaks to employees who work at least six hours.

The damages were originally tallied as $207 million after a court clerk misread the punitive damages as $150 million. The amount of punitive damages was later clarified.

The class-action lawsuit in Alameda County Superior Court is one of about 40 nationwide alleging workplace violations by Wal-Mart, and the first to go to trial. The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer, which earned $10 billion last year, settled a similar lawsuit in Colorado for $50 million.

In the California suit, Wal-Mart had claimed that workers did not demand penalty wages on a timely basis. Under the law, the company must pay workers a full hour's wages for every missed lunch.

The company also said it paid some employees their penalty pay and, in 2003, most workers agreed to waive their meal periods as the law allows.

The lawsuit covers former and current employees in California from 2001 to 2005. The workers claimed they were owed more than $66 million plus interest, and sought damages to punish the company for alleged wrongdoing.

The lawsuit was initially filed by a handful of former Wal-Mart employees in the San Francisco Bay area in 2001, but it took four years of legal wrangling to get to trial.

From Jobs with Justice:

With 52% of the 13,134 votes cast, Wal-Mart won the 5th annual online "Grinch of the Year" election sponsored by National Jobs with Justice. Nominated by Wake Up Wal-Mart, the company is criticized for leading the global race to the bottom; boosting profits for their executives on the backs of their employees through low wages, insufficient healthcare, and discrimination.

"Given the competition from Donald Rumsfeld and Verizon Wireless, Wal-Mart should be extremely satisfied to have won the 'Grinch of the Year' award," said Fred Azcarate, executive director of Jobs with Justice. "With no end in sight for their continued poor treatment of workers, the communities they live in, and the environment, we suspect that they'll go for a 3-peat next year."

Today, we are proud to welcome 10,763 WakeUpWalMart.com supporters to our community. These American citizens joined the campaign by signing up with WakeUpWalMart.com supporters at film screenings, rallies, neighborhood canvasses, or other actions as part of our Holiday Campaign over the past three weeks.

We want to welcome new supporters from over 5,273 unique zip codes, a telling example of the pervasiveness of the movement to change Wal-Mart.

It has been tough to keep up with the flood of grassroots information from WakeUpWalMart.com grassroots supporters' faxes and snail mail.

Thanks to all of the Leaders for Change and grassroots supporters who have gone out to recruit new members, some who have braved bitter cold weather to walk door-to-door to continue to speak with their fellow citizens about Wal-Mart's impact on their community.

Yet, we have only begun the fight to change Wal-Mart. We will continue to fight for change in 2006. Post your "Ideas for Change" here or send us an email at ideasforchange@wakeupwalmart.com.

From the AP:

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is the target of a criminal investigation over how it handled merchandise that is classified as hazardous waste, the company announced Tuesday.

The world's largest retailer said in a regulatory filing that the investigation centers on the company's transport of hazardous materials from stores in California to a return center in Las Vegas. The company said its practice is to move hazardous materials to return centers, then take the materials to sites approved for hazardous waste disposal.

According to Wal-Mart, federal prosecutors say the company potentially violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which requires hazardous waste to be shipped straight to a disposal site via a certified hazardous waste carrier.

"The company cannot predict the outcome of this matter or the amount of any possible loss or range of loss which may arise from this matter," Wal-Mart said in a Tuesday filing.

Wal-Mart in October acknowledged a grand jury in Los Angeles had subpoenaed the company over its handling of hazardous materials and hazardous waste.

Also Tuesday, Wal-Mart said state regulators and local authorities in California and Nevada are investigating. Bentonville-based Wal-Mart said it is cooperating with authorities.

The filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission did not say what the hazardous materials were and Wal-Mart officials did not immediately respond to phone messages left seeking comment.

The Virginia chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference joined in the Wake-Up Wal-Mart campaign because we are concerned about fair treatment of workers, especially at Wal-Mart. For the past few years the SCLC in Virginia has had various rallies on the Wal-Mart issue and tried to apply some pressure so that employees earn a living wage. Also, some women Wal-Mart workers contacted our organization to discuss their working conditions. They were not getting promoted or getting the hours and benefits they felt they should.

At our candlelight vigil last weekend, I made a statement about our hope that Wal-Mart will wake up and start to share a slice of the economic pie with its workers, so they will no longer work for low wages and insufficient benefits while this company makes billions of dollars.

With hard economic times around the nation and especially in the state of Virginia, people have no choice but to take jobs at Wal-Mart and other companies that do not provide a living wage. Families are being forced to work two or three jobs without benefits. That’s widespread throughout our state and nation. We do not want workers to be exploited in these hard times by corporations that are making billions of dollars but refuse to give a fair share to their employees. People are working hard at Wal-Mart but they’re just inching by, while the company makes billions – we’re just asking that they return some profits to their workers.

- Reverend William Avon Keen of Traynham Grove Church, Virginia

From Reuters:

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the U.S. House Financial Services Committee on Friday asked the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to delay action on Wal-Mart's application to open a bank until the regulatory agency's board vacancy is filled.

"This application is clearly of sufficient importance to require that it be made by the members of the FDIC Board itself and only by a full Board without vacancies," wrote the group, which included Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, the panel's top Democrat, and Ohio Republican Rep. Paul Gillmor.

The 25 members also urged the FDIC to hold public hearings on Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s application, due to the significant public interest it has generated. Wal-Mart's application drew more than 1,000 comments, more than any other application subject to public commentary.

To send a letter to the Governor of Utah, asking him to deny Wal-Mart's bid, click here.

From Newsday:

A festive group of high school choir students from Central Islip singing at an Islandia shopping center discovered over the weekend that some people were not in the holiday spirit.

After entering a Wal-Mart store, the choir was quickly asked to leave before even starting to sing its first song.

The Central Islip High School concert choir had just finished a performance at the United Methodist Church off Veterans Memorial Highway, when the students proposed to go caroling in the shopping center across the street.

Their director, John Anthony, approved the move and the group of about 30 students found warm welcomes at the Stop & Shop grocery store and other shops in the center. That is, until they entered Wal-Mart.

Right away, a store manager approached the award-winning group, announcing that they did not have an appointment and that the sheer size of the group posed a fire hazard, Anthony said.

The teens then sang one song -- "Guide Me," a classic Welsh tune -- to the delight of the customers.

"Sing more!" Anthony said the shoppers were screaming. But Wal-Mart was adamant and even called police. The students left peacefully before police arrived and no arrests were made.

The choir's merriment quickly disintegrated, the director said. "The kids were just 'Bah humbug!'" he added.

Last weekend, over 1,000 faith leaders and community activists gathered in over 20 states to join together in Candlelight Vigils for Change. (Pictures from around the country are included below the fold).

Below is some of the program from the vigil in San Jose, CA with Reverend John Freeseman and Reverend Deborah T. Simon.

Leaders: Every religion stands for justice and speaks about light in the midst of darkness. This night we gather in the dark to light a candle for change.

Leaders: We call on Wal-Mart this holiday season to lift their workers and their families out of poverty level wages.

All: We light a candle for a change of heart in Lee Scott.

Leader: We call on Wal-Mart this holiday season to provide affordable health care to all their workers.

All: We light a candle for a change of heart in Lee Scott.

Leader: We call on Wal-Mart this holiday season to provide women and people of color opportunities for advancement.

All: We light a candle for a change of heart in Lee Scott.

Leader: We call on Wal-Mart this holiday season to honor children by abiding by child labor laws.

All: We light a candle for a change of heart in Lee Scott.

Leader: We call on Wal-Mart this holiday season to become an example of moral leadership in corporate America.

All: We light a candle for a change of heart in Lee Scott.

Leader: There is no better gift CEO Lee Scott and Wal-Mart could give to its workers, their families, and America than to do what is morally right and change for the better this holiday season.

All: We light a candle for a change of heart in Lee Scott.

For more pictures, visit our photo gallery.

The national momentum for WakeUpWalMart.com's faith-based campaign grew again today with 13 Baptist Leaders of Faith launching a new initiative to pressure Wal-Mart to change into a more responsible and moral company. The letter released today once again called on CEO Lee Scott to change Wal-Mart into a moral company. The letter from the Baptist leaders states, as Christians, at the time of year when we celebrate the life, the birth and the teachings of Jesus, we call on Wal-Mart to change. The letter released today is the latest sign momentum is growing in the faith-based community to change Wal-Mart.

Once again the moral call for Wal-Mart to change grows louder. We can only hope Wal-Mart will hear our message of change, will change its immoral business practices, and will become a force for good this holiday season, stated Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com.

Todays letter signed by Baptist leaders from Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Colorado, and Oklahoma, follows last Thursdays launch of the Light a Candle for Change campaign. As part of this nation-wide campaign, faith-based leaders joined together to release an interfaith letter calling on Lee Scott to change, candlelight vigils were held in 27 cities in 20 states, and the Should People of Faith Shop At Wal-Mart? ad was released nationwide.

Since last Thursday, 13 additional leaders of faith from all across America have signed the interfaith letter sent to Lee Scott. In total, 93 leaders of faith, representing well over 1.3 million Americans, have joined together in this growing faith-based initiative to change Wal-Mart into a moral employer. In the letter released last week, the leaders of faith stated in the shared spirit of the holiday season, we call on Wal-Mart to change, to become better, and to embrace the best of American values.

Lee Scott and Wal-Mart face a unique moment in their companys history. Wal-Mart can embrace these moral calls for change from some of Americas most respected leaders of faith or they can continue down the dark path leading to the decline in its public image. We can only hope Wal-Mart will choose to do what is right this holiday season, added Paul Blank.

The overall goal of todays letter and the Light A Candle for Change campaign is to change Wal-Mart into a responsible corporation that reflects the best moral values of our country. As part of the faith-based grassroots initiative, WakeUpWalMart.com also launched a coordinated online and TV multimedia campaign. The 30-second TV ad, titled People is the first TV advertisement to highlight Wal-Marts moral failures and raise the powerful question - Should People of Faith Shop at Wal-Mart? this holiday season.

A copy of the two signed letters are below the fold.

*** Baptist Letter to CEO Lee Scott ***

Lee Scott
CEO, Wal-Mart
Bentonville, AR

Dear Mr. Scott,

The holiday season is a time to honor and remember the virtues of hope, love, joy, sharing, sacrifice, and faith. For people of all faiths, the celebration of the holiday season is a time to remember and embrace the best of our values. It is a time to reflect upon our lives, the impact we have on others, and the responsibility we all have to improve the lives of those less fortunate than us.

During this holy season, we must ask ourselves - at what moral price do we accept the sins of exploitation and greed? Sins, it is sad to say, which are exemplified by one of Americas largest and richest corporations, Wal-Mart.

Everyday, Wal-Marts so-called low prices come at a high cost to the moral virtues and greatness of your workers, our families, and our nation. Everyday, America pays too high a cost for Wal-Marts immoral business practices.

As all faiths teach us, the current exploitation of those who work to provide us with goods and services, whether at Wal-Mart or its suppliers, can never be morally justified. Under all conditions, it is simply immoral and wrong and goes against the teachings of our spiritual leaders and our commitment to justice, fairness, and community.

If there is one shared hope all faiths have in common, it is the central belief that we must work together to improve the lives of others. This central tenant, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, is the bedrock of our values, our faith, our families and our communities.

Unfortunately, Wal-Mart needlessly ignores the Golden Rule putting our children and their workers needlessly at-risk.

Despite $10 billion in profit, everyday more than 600,000 Wal-Mart workers and their families struggle with no company-provided health care. Even more troubling, nearly 1 out of every 2 children of Wal-Mart workers live without health care or rely on a public program. Wal-Mart has repeatedly broken child labor laws. Wal-Mart is being sued by 1.5 million female employees for discrimination. And, Wal-Mart continues to pay poverty-level wages, forcing many of its workers to make the impossible choice between rent and health care.

It is hard to imagine why Wal-Mart would consciously choose to make 1.3 million workers suffer in the name of low prices, a suffering we can no longer let stand.

Therefore, based on our faith and our belief in the teachings of Christ, this Christmas we are asking ourselves - if these are Wal-Marts values, would Jesus shop at Wal-Mart?

Would Jesus support the exploitation of so many for the profit of so few?
Would Jesus tolerate systematic discrimination against women?
Would Jesus stand by idly while thousands of children go without health care?
Would Jesus accept violations of child labor laws?

The answer is simple. Jesus would not embrace Wal-Marts values of greed and profits at any cost, particularly when children suffer as a result of those misguided values.

As Christians, at the time of year when we celebrate the life, the birth and the teachings of Jesus, we call on Wal-Mart to change.

We know Wal-Mart has the power to improve the lives of millions of workers, their families, and our communities. Wal-Mart can become, if you and the Walton Family so choose, a leading example of moral greatness in corporate America. You have the power to change and set an example that would truly honor and reflect the teachings and lessons of Jesus Christ.

So beginning today, in the shared spirit of Christmas and the holiday season, we call on Wal-Mart to change, to become better, and to embrace the best of American values. It is within your power to become a truly responsible, ethical, and righteous company.

In the end, there is no better present Wal-Mart could give to its workers, their families, and America than to change for the better this Christmas.

Sincerely,

Dr. Daniel Bagby
Theodore F. Adams Professor of Pastoral Care
Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond
Richmond, VA

Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre
Director of the Justice & Peace Institute, and Associate-Professor of Social Ethics
Iliff School of Theology
Denver, CO

Reverend David Heckenlively
Christ United Methodist Church
Franklin, WI

Dr. Ed Hogan
Pastor
Jersey Village Baptist Church
Houston, TX

Dr. Mark McEntire
Associate Professor
School of Religion
Belmont University
Nashville, TN

Dr. Larry McSwain
Professor of Christian Ethics and Leadership
McAfee School of Theology
Atlanta, GA

Dr. Robert Parham
Executive Director
Baptist Center for Ethics
Nashville, TN

Dr. Joseph O. Phelps
Senior Pastor
Highland Baptist Church
Louisville, KY

Dr. Bruce Prescott
Executive Director
Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists
Norman, OK

Dr. Craig A. Sherouse
Pastor
First Baptist Church
Griffin, GA

The Rev. Dr. Ronald D. Sisk

Dr. William M. Tillman, Jr.
T. B. Maston Professor of Christian Ethics
Logsdon School of Theology, Hardin-Simmons University
Abilene, TX

Dr. Joe E. Trull, ThD, Editor
Editor, Christian Ethics Today
Wimberley, TX

Dr. Andrew Watts
Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics
School of Religion
Belmont University
Nashville, TN

** Inter-Faith Letter to Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott **

Lee Scott
CEO, Wal-Mart
Bentonville, AR

Dear Mr. Scott,

The holiday season is a time to honor and remember the virtues of hope, love, joy, sharing, sacrifice, and faith. For people of all faiths, the celebration of the holiday season is a time to remember and embrace the best of our values. It is a time to reflect upon our lives, the impact we have on others, and the responsibility we all have to improve the lives of those less fortunate than us.

The prophet Moses in Deuteronomy 25:13-15 teaches "Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy ... lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee." During this holy season, we must ask ourselves - at what moral price do we accept the sins of exploitation and greed? Sins, it is sad to say, which are exemplified by one of America's largest and richest corporations, Wal-Mart.

Everyday, Wal-Mart's so-called low prices come at a high cost to the moral virtues and greatness of your workers, our families, and our nation. Everyday, America pays too high a cost for Wal-Mart's immoral business practices.

As all faiths teach us, the current exploitation of those who work to provide us with goods and services, whether at Wal-Mart or its suppliers, can never be morally justified. Under all conditions, it is simply immoral and wrong. It goes against the teachings of our spiritual leaders and our commitment to justice, fairness, and community.

If there is one shared hope all faiths have in common, it is the central belief that we must work together to improve the lives of others. This central tenet, 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you,' is the bedrock of our values, our faith, our families and our communities.

Unfortunately, Wal-Mart needlessly ignores the Golden Rule putting our children and their workers needlessly at-risk.

Despite $10 billion in profit last year, more than 600,000 Wal-Mart workers and their families struggle with no company-provided health care. Even more troubling, nearly 1 out of every 2 children of Wal-Mart workers lives without health care or relies on a public program. Wal-Mart has repeatedly broken child labor laws. Wal-Mart is being sued by 1.5 million female employees for discrimination. And, Wal-Mart continues to pay poverty-level wages, forcing many of its workers to make the impossible choice between rent and health care.

It is hard to imagine why Wal-Mart would consciously choose to make 1.3 million workers suffer in the name of "low prices," a suffering we can no longer let stand.

For those of us who are Christians, we celebrate the life, the birth and the teachings of Jesus, and we call on Wal-Mart to change. As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, we ask ourselves:

Would Jesus support the exploitation of so many for the profit of so few?
Would Jesus tolerate systematic discrimination against women?
Would Jesus stand by idly while thousands of children go without health care?
Would Jesus accept violations of child labor laws?

The answer is simple. Jesus would not embrace Wal-Mart's values of greed and profits at any cost, particularly when children suffer as a result of those misguided values.

Those of us who are Jewish, Muslim or Buddhist also have scriptures that remind us that God is just and God's servants must practice justice in all of our words and deeds. As we prepare to celebrate our own holiday traditions, we also ask ourselves, is it right to shop at Wal-Mart? Would our God want us to support Wal-Marts values and actions with our dollars?

We know Wal-Mart has the power to improve the lives of millions of workers, their families, and our communities. Wal-Mart can become, if you and the Walton Family so choose, a leading example of moral greatness in corporate America. You have the power to change and set an example that would truly honor and reflect the call of all faith traditions to righteousness and justice.

So beginning today, in the shared spirit of the holiday season, we call on Wal-Mart to change, to become better, and to embrace the best of American values. It is within your power to become a truly responsible, ethical, and righteous company.

In the end, there is no better present Wal-Mart could give to its workers, their families, and America than to change for the better this holiday season.

Sincerely,

Reverend Jesse Jackson, Rainbow PUSH Coalition

Reverend John H. Thomas, President, United Church of Christ

Reverend James Lawson, Holman United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, CA

Kim Bobo, Executive Director, Interfaith Worker Justice

Bishop Gabino Zavala, Regional Bishop in the San Gabriel Pastoral Region (Archdiocese of Los Angeles, CA)

Reverend Doctor William Jarvis Johnson, Calvary CME Church of Pasadena, CA

Reverend Alexia Salvatierra, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE)

Father Michael Pfleger, Faith Community of St. Sabina Parish, Chicago, Illinois.

Reverend Bennie E. Whiten, Jr., United Church of Christ

Retired Bishop Jesse DeWitt of the United Methodist Church

Reverend Mark Wendorf, McCormick Theological Seminary and Board Member of Interfaith Worker Justice

Professor William P. Quigley, Loyola University New Orleans School of Law and Board member of Interfaith Worker Justice

Dr. Edie Rasell of the Justice and Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ.

Reverend Ron Stief, Director of Washington, D.C. office, United Church of Christ

Pastor Sylvia Tucker, Union Baptist Church of Hopewell, VA

Mr. Ralph Ramirez, President of Richmond, VA Southern Council Leadership Conference Chapter

Reverend Rebekah Jordan, Mid-South Interfaith Network for Economic Justice

Reverend Sinclair Oubre, J.C.L. of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church of Port Arthur, TX

Reverend Doctor John J. OBrien, C.P.

Reverend Bridgeforth, Shiloh Baptist Church, VA

Reverend King, Southern Council Leadership Conference of Danville, VA

Reverend Rufus Fuller II Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, VA

Reverend William Avon Keen of Traynham Grove Church,VA

Reverend John Snider, Saint Stephen's Lutheran Church, West St. Paul, MN

Reverend Bill Bulson, Holy Apostles, MN

Reverend Timothy M Johnson, Cherokee Park United Church of St. Paul, MN

Reverend Johnathan C. Tetherly, Chaplain of Hampden County House of Corrections, MA

Father Thomas Mueller, S.S. Cyril & Methodist Orthodox Church, WI

Father Jerry Schroeder, St. Benedict the Moor Parish of Milwaukee, WI

Reverend Viviane Thomas-Breitfeld, Good Sheperd Lutheran Church in Waukesha, WI

Reverend Kelly Fowler, First United Methodist Church of Waukesha, WI

Reverend Doctor Ronald Faust, Kansas City Interfaith Worker Justice, MO

Reverend Tom Blakley, Barry Christian Church, MO

Reverend Spencer Barrett, Co-chair, Kansas City Interfaith Worker Justice, MO

Pastor Robin Hood Senior Pastor, Redeemed Outreach Ministries, IL

Reverend Fr. Alfredo Gundrum , Pastor of St. Kevin, Chicago, IL

Reverend Jose Landaverde, Amor de Dios, United Methodist Church, IL

Reverend William F. Marx, Pax Christi of Western New York

Reverend Dan Schifeling, Church of Nativity, United Church of Christ

Sister Jean Sliwikski, Western New York Workers Rights Board

Reverend Suzelle Lynch, Unitarian Universalist Church, Brookfield WI

Reverend Doctor. Roland Womack, Board Member, African-American Ministers Leadership Council, and Pastor, Progressive Baptist Church, Milwaukee, WI

Pastor Susan Burchfield, Immanuel Lutheran Church of Seattle, WA

Reverend Richard Vogel, Executive Pastor, St. James United Methodist Church, Kansas City, MO

Reverend Emanuel Cleaver II, St. James United Methodist Church of Kansas City, MO

Reverend Norman D. Copeland, AME Church, Los Angeles, CA

Reverend Calvin S. Morris, Ph.D. Executive Director Community Renewal Society of Chicago, IL

Reverend Jennifer Kottler, Protestants for the Common Good of Chicago, IL

Reverend Jon M. Luopa, Univeralist Unitarian Church of Seattle WA

Sisters of St Joseph of Springfield, MA Justice and Peace Committee

Reverend William F. Brisotti, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church, NY

Reverend Catherine Schulyer, Protestant Campus Ministry of Stony Brook, NY

Reverend Richard E. Edwards, Stony Brook Community Church, NY

Reverend Thomas W. Goodhue, Executive Director, The Long Island Council of Churches, NY

Reverend Paul Ratzlaff, The Unitarian Universalist of Fellowship of Huntington, NY

Sister Rosemary Everett, SNJM, Sisters of the Holy Names, CA

Father Bill Leininger, Human Concerns Commission, Diocese of San Jose, CA

Monsieur Gene Boyle, St. Thomas Aquinas of Palo Alto, CA

Reverend John Freesemann, Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church of San Jose, CA

Rabbi Melanie Aron, Congregation Shir Hadash of Los Gatos, CA

Reverend Carol Been, The Interfaith Council of San Jose, CA

Ms. Mary Quinn Kambic, Catholic Labor Committee of Baltimore, MD

Ms. Evely Laser Shlensky, Board member, Executive Committee, Interfaith Worker Justice

Mr. Monroe B. Sullivan, National Board Member, Interfaith Worker Justice

Ms. Karen Herrling, Attorney, Catholic Legal Immigration Network

Mr. Stephen Hand, Editor, Traditional Catholic Reflections

Reverend Margo Tenold, Council of Churches of Santa Clara County, CA

Reverend Charles B. Ahern, President, Board of Trustees of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sunnyvale, CA

Reverend David McCreath, Habitat for Humanity of Santa Clara County, CA

Reverend Anne Carlson, New Creation Lutheran Church of San Jose, CA

Fr. Eduardo A. Samaniego, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish of San Jose, CA

Seminarian Joy-Ellen Lipsky of San Jose, CA

Reverend V. Warwick James, St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Parish and Education Center of San Jose, CA

Reverend Carolyn Glauz-Todrank, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital of Palo Alto, CA

Reverend Stephen Glauz-Todrank, Skyland Church of Los Gatos, CA

Reverend Dr. Dwight L. Kintner of Los Gatos, CA

Sister Irene Lukefahr, of Catholic Charities of Sunnyvale, CA

Reverend Rebecca Kuiken, Stone Church of Willow Glen of San Jose, CA

Reverend Merle Showers, Niagara Frontier City Ministries, NY

Joining the ranks of Mayor Jim Bernard and Mayor Dan Klein, Lincoln, NE Mayor Coleen Seng has announced that she will veto plans for a development in her city if it includes a big box store such as Wal-Mart.

From the Lincoln Journal Star:

Lincoln Mayor Coleen Seng told the City Council Monday morning she will veto a development in northeast Lincoln if it includes a big box store — in this case, Wal-Mart — with more than 100,000 square feet.

Seng said while she supports the residential portion of the development, the city-county Comprehensive Plan designates that land as a “neighborhood center,” and a big box store does not meet her definition of a neighborhood center.

While neighborhood centers allow up to 250,000 total commercial space, Seng said that’s intended to mean a variety of stores and services, similar to development near South 27th Street and Nebraska 2, with a Russ’s, Shopko and other assorted stores.

“The proposal attempts to super-size and redefine a neighborhood center,” Seng told the council just hours before they’re scheduled to vote on the development. She had remained mum on the issue, although there was talk she would veto the project.

Congratulations to the 10 winners of the "Guess who's not shopping at Wal-Mart" contest. We randomly selected the following ten people from the group of 68 who guessed correctly. Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to all for participating in the contest.

Frederick W. of Midland, MI
Jill M. of Flower Mound, TX
Lester Woodard of Oxford, PA
Brent Walker of Little Rock, AR
Jane Bryant of Mauldin, SC
Dan Buske of Coon Valley, WI
Penny P. of Elkins, WV
Karil Whetstone of Omaha, NE
Dorothy LaFrancesca of Mead, WA
Tammy Zane of Frostburg, MD

From the New York Times:

The argument came in the course of the latest exchange between Wal-Mart and its critics. A union-supported group, Wake Up Wal-Mart, has released a TV ad accusing Wal-Mart of violating religious values, backed by a letter from religious leaders attacking the retail giant for paying low wages and offering poor benefits. The letter declares that "Jesus would not embrace Wal-Mart's values of greed and profits at any cost."

You may think that this particular campaign - which has, inevitably, been dubbed "Where would Jesus shop?" - is a bit over the top. But it's clear why those concerned about the state of American workers focus their criticism on Wal-Mart. The company isn't just America's largest private employer. It's also a symbol of the state of our economy, which delivers rising G.D.P. but stagnant or falling living standards for working Americans. For Wal-Mart is a huge and hugely profitable company that pays badly and offers minimal benefits.

Attacks on Wal-Mart have hurt its image, and perhaps even its business. The company has set up a campaign-style war room to devise responses. So how did Wal-Mart respond to this latest critique?

Wal-Mart can claim, with considerable justice, that its business practices make America as a whole richer. The fact is that Wal-Mart sells many products more cheaply than traditional stores, and that its low prices aren't solely or even mainly the result of the low wages it pays. Wal-Mart has been able to reduce prices largely because it has brought genuine technological and organizational innovation to the retail business.

It's harder for Wal-Mart to defend its pay and benefits policies. Still, the company could try to argue that despite its awesome size and market dominance it cannot defy the iron laws of supply and demand, which force it to pay low wages. (I disagree, but that's a subject for another column.)

But instead of resting its case on these honest or at least defensible answers to criticism, Wal-Mart has decided to insult our intelligence by claiming to be, of all things, an engine of job creation. Judging from its press release in response to the religious values campaign, the assertion that Wal-Mart "creates 100,000 jobs a year" is now the core of the company's public relations strategy.

It's true, of course, that the company is getting bigger every year. But adding 100,000 people to Wal-Mart's work force doesn't mean adding 100,000 jobs to the economy. On the contrary, there's every reason to believe that as Wal-Mart expands, it destroys at least as many jobs as it creates, and drives down workers' wages in the process.

From the Boston Globe:

A group of children protesting Wal-Mart's alleged use of sweatshop labor was asked to leave the store property yesterday after trying to present a store manager with a letter detailing its concerns.

''Don't make me ask the police to make them leave," said a Wal-Mart employee, identified by her nametag as Donna, as the group stood outside the store entrance.

The children and their escorts refused to leave until she or an assistant manager who was with her agreed to take the letter and send it to the company's chief executive officer, H. Lee Scott Jr. The employee went inside; a Framingham police car pulled up later.

An officer directed the protesters to leave the Wal-Mart property. They complied peacefully.

Wal-Mart employees declined the letter, but gave the group a telephone number and an address.

Sara Goldstein of Cambridge, 10, who had helped write the letter, said she never considered walking away without making an effort to give it to management.

''We weren't here to offer it to them, we were here to give it to them," she said.

The group was made up primarily of members of the Boston Workmen's Circle fifth-grade Jewish Sunday school class, with their parents and older and younger children. The principal, Mitchell Silver, said they had been learning about sweatshops and labor-rights issues as part of their lessons on the history of Jewish people in the United States.

About 150 people had gathered at the corner of the store's access road and Route 9. Some of the children held handmade posterboard signs that were bigger than they were. They chanted slogans, including, ''Come on Wal-Mart, don't delay, do what's right this holiday."

Statement from United Auto Workers (UAW) President Ron Gettelfinger regarding Wal-Mart's comments on the loss of manufacturing jobs in the United States:

"If Wal-Mart is truly concerned about the loss of manufacturing jobs in America, then the company should stop demanding that its suppliers source their goods from overseas factories where labor costs are low, workers are exploited, and environmental and safety standards are either non-existent or not enforced."

"Wal-Mart cannot claim to be a socially responsible company simply because it is creating jobs. Not when the workers who fill those jobs are denied a free choice about whether or not to join a union, and when so many of them are forced to rely on public assistance because of the company's low pay and inadequate benefits."

"There's no reason for U.S. taxpayers to subsidize a company whose owners are among the richest people on the planet."

Wal-Mart's response to a letter signed by 65 religious leaders asking Wal-Mart to change for the better:

They ask: "Should people of faith shop at Wal-Mart?"

Surely many Americans are deeply offended that union leadership would use religion as just another tactic in the negative attack campaign against a company that donates more money to good works than any other company in America. And with all the news reports of manufacturers laying off tens of thousands of skilled union workers this Holiday Season, we’d hope the union leadership would show more compassion for its members rather than spending its member dues attacking a company that creates 100,000 jobs a year.

- Sarah Clark, Wal-Mart Spokesperson

From FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting):

It was just part of a PR offensive that included big-money charitable donations (dutifully reported) and an April invitation to reporters to its Bentonville, Ark. headquarters for a “media day.” The session was described as a “feisty response to critics” (New York Times, 4/6/05) and a chance for Wal-Mart to “defend” itself and “dispel myths” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/6/05). Journalists were reportedly enjoined “to clear their minds of previous articles about the company and ‘start with a clean slate’” (AP, 4/6/05).

But the media image of a beleaguered corporation at last responding to a “horde of critics” (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 4/6/05) raises at least one question: Just how tough has media scrutiny of Wal-Mart really been? “You’ve heard the firestorm of criticism about the company, about wages, benefits, union-busting, about locking employees in, about making them work overtime without paying them for it,” ABC’s Charlie Gibson said in introducing a Good Morning America interview with CEO Lee Scott (1/13/05). But how much have most people really heard about these issues?

There has without question been some hard-hitting investigative reporting on Wal-Mart’s controversial business practices, including a 2003 Los Angeles Times series (11/23–25/03) that nabbed a Pulitzer Prize, and a probing report on PBS’s Frontline (11/16/04).

More typical, however, are accounts like Time’s “Wal-Mart Nation” (6/27/05). Focusing on Wal-Mart’s Chinese enterprises, the article has an undeniably cheerleading theme: Wal-Mart is staging a “revolution” in China, in part by “spreading a management style that many of its young Chinese employees find liberating.”

Time introduced “quintessential Wal-Mart guy” Joe Hatfield (“I was blessed to work for Sam Walton”) and followed his tour through a Shenzhen Wal-Mart, where, he enthused, “We’re bringing people a great shopping experience!” “Chinese customers,” Time added helpfully, “seem to agree.”

As in many articles, what criticisms were included Time allowed Wal-Mart to trump. What about complaints that the industry giant’s use of cheap overseas labor undercuts U.S. workers? Time left unchallenged Hatfield’s response that “if you stop stuff from [abroad] coming into the U.S., it would mean $180 blue jeans. Is that what Americans want?” Time didn’t point out that it’s easy to find U.S.-made jeans for less than $30.

Leaders of faith representing over 1.3 million Americans have joined WakeUpWalMart.com in a nationwide initiative to call on Wal-Mart and CEO Lee Scott to "change for the better" this Holiday season. As part of this faith-based effort, 65 respected faith-based leaders signed a joint letter to Lee Scott, CEO of Wal-Mart, which states "in the shared spirit of the holiday season, we call on Wal-Mart to change, to become better, and to embrace the best of American values." The letter to Lee Scott is part of a new faith-based grassroots and multimedia campaign, named "Light a Candle for Change," launched by WakeUpWalMart.com.

"This Holiday season, Wal-Mart, America’s largest employer, has the power to change, to become better, to reflect the best of our values. It is our sincere hope Wal-Mart will choose the higher road and become a moral example that all people of faith can embrace proudly," said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com.

The goal of the "Light A Candle for Change" campaign is to change Wal-Mart into a responsible corporation that reflects the best moral values of our country. The letter to Lee Scott goes on to state "there is no better present Wal-Mart could give to its workers, their families, and America than to change for the better this holiday season." As part of this new campaign, the families and children of supporters of WakeUpWalMart.com will also be holding local candlelight vigils at Wal-Marts in at least 27 cities in 19 different states, including Oregon, Kentucky, Texas, Arkansas, Ohio, and Illinois.

"Out of our religious heritage comes the recognition that we are not allowed to deprive people of their God-given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In this respect the Wal-Mart form of business represents plantation capitalism; the few become very wealthy and the many become poorer," stated Reverend James Lawson of Holman United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, CA.

The faith-based grassroots initiative by WakeUpWalMart.com will also include a coordinated online and TV multimedia campaign. The TV ad, titled "People," is the first TV advertisement to highlight Wal-Mart’s moral failures and raise the powerful question - "Should People of Faith Shop at Wal-Mart?" this holiday season. The 30-second TV spot will be running in 6 states, including Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, and Georgia. The ad can also be viewed at WakeUpWalMart.com.

To read a copy of the letter and to add your name to the signees, click here.

To see the new video ad, click here.

This Sunday in Forest Park, IL, WakeUpWalMart.com supporters and community groups, including Jobs with Justice, ACORN and UFCW Local 881, will join Reverend Calvin Morris and Reverend Jennifer Kottler at one of our Candleight Vigils for Change.

Candlelight Vigils will also be taking place in St. Louis, Milwaukee, Seattle, Richmond, Houston, Columbus, Albuquerque, Charlotte, Louisville, Indianapolis, and Denver just to name a few.

To learn more about the actions or to sign up to take part, please view our Take Action page:
http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/feature/canvass

Today is the last day to submit your guess for our "Who's Not Shopping at Wal-Mart" competition. Remember, we will randomly select ten people out of those who answer correctly to win a TIVO digital video recorder, so make sure to make your guess today:

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/feature/guesswho

In and around Denver, Colorado, canvassers signed up nearly 900 new supporters to the WakeUpWalMart.com campaign last weekend. Volunteers and organizers went door-to-door and to local shopping centers talking with their neighbors about standing up to corporate greed and demonstrating the amazing power all Americans have to change Wal-Mart and America for the better.

The folks in Colorado were welcomed at the doors and into conversations with many who are starting to realize the high costs of Wal-Mart's morally bankrupt practices.

Adding in the Colorado totals from the weekend, we are now quickly approaching our goal of reaching 150,000 supporters by the end of December. Can we reach 150,000 by the end of the week? Will you help:

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/friends

This past Monday, there was a Town Hall Meeting and Hearing held in Stoughton, Wisconsin that was sponsored by Stoughton Forward, the citizen group leading the fight against Wal-Mart. About 80 people turned out on a bitterly cold night, including 3 of the city's 12 alders. Stoughton Forward had to sponsor the meeting because the city refused to do so.

At the heart of the discussion and controversy is a request for the city to annex 185 acres of land that could eventually include another Wal-Mart Supercenter in Wisconsin, and 40 acres of other commercial development as well as 1,000 homes and condominiums. This overly ambitious project, flys in the face of any reasonable and planned growth, and it would threaten Stoughton's beautiful downtown business district which has spent great amounts of money and time on improvements over the past 20 years.

Now there is another wrinkle. A concerned group of citizens has raised possible ethical conflicts of interest on the city council. It has asked that 2 alders, David McKichan and Paul Lawrence excuse themselves from further voting, or explain to citizens why they do not have a conflict of interest.

In the case of Mr. McKichan, he owns and operates a construction firm that builds and remodels homes in and around Stoughton. Mr. Lawrence on the other hand, works for one of the largest real estate developers in the Stoughton area and has sold real estate for years.

If the mayor of Stoughton, Helen Johnson tries to avoid dealing with this issue prior to the next vote, it would be a severe betrayal of the public trust

The city council is scheduled to hold its next vote on the land annexation next week Tuesday, December 13th. If the land annexation passes, Wal-Mart will be a few giant steps closer to getting another Supercenter. Concerned members of the community are expected to pack the meeting. Stay tuned!

Tom Boese is a Wisconsin Field Producer for Brave New Films

This time the troubles come from the consumer side, unlike the wage and hour, gender discrimination, and undocumented worker lawsuits they face from their employment practices.

From AFX:

Parents suing US retail-giant Wal-Mart for their children's crashes on Chinese-built bicycles gathered on the steps of a California courthouse to state their case.

The parents of 10 US children filed suit earlier this year, accusing Wal-Mart and California-based bicycle importer Dynacraft of fraud and negligence for supplying children with 'dangerous bicycles.'

Wal-Mart and Dynacraft have vouched for the quality of the bicycles and countered the reason front wheels popped off, sending children face-first over handlebars, was 'rider error.'

The children or whoever was watching over them didn't set the quick-release mechanisms for the front wheels correctly, according to the companies.

Parents contend the releases were faulty and that they weren't properly warned about the importance of securing front wheels in place, Agence France-Presse reported.

Each child in the suit suffered 'substantial' face, head or mouth injuries from the 'face plants' between 2000 and 2004, according to the suit.

Here's a roundup of articles from today about communities all over the country fighting to keep Wal-Mart out. For more on what you can do to protect your community from the negative impacts of Wal-Mart, visit our Community Fights section.

Murfreesboro, TN:

A battle is brewing in Murfreesboro, where many residents say there's no need for a third Wal-Mart stores.

Murfreesboro may get a third Wal-Mart Supercenter. Monday night was a chance for the planners to make their case, but for many residents, the verdict was already in.

It wasn't supposed to be a public hearing, but the neighbors who crowded a Murfreesboro school band room found other ways to make their voices heard.

"It's a chance for people to see what the designers are doing so that when we do have public hearing they'll know about which they speak,” said Murfreesboro Planning Director Joseph Aydelott.

“I moved here because it's a nice neighborhood. I think Wal-Mart will have a negative impact,” said Murfreesboro Resident, Anna Grupke.

Kilmarnock, VA:

A banner flapping above state Route 3 lets travelers know that Kilmarnock is celebrating its 75th year, but town merchants are beginning to wonder if their days are numbered.

Word that Wal-Mart might be coming to town is spreading door-to-door, encouraging fears that the era of small-town retailing on the Northern Neck may be drawing to a close.

"Besides dropping a bomb on Main Street, I can't think of a better way of destroying the town," said Bill Smith, chairman of the Lancaster County School Board. Smith also sells baseballs, bats, fishing lures and other sports gear at his store in the heart of town.

Montevideo, ND:

City council members in Montevideo took no action on requests to put the brakes on a proposal by Wal-Mart to build a superstore.

Instead, they approved a motion at their meeting on Monday that supports a proposal to re-zone property on the eastern edge of the community that is to be acquired by Wal-Mart for the store from agricultural to highway commercial use.

Council members declined to take action on a proposal by a variety of business owners in the community to place a limit on the size of new retail construction in the community.

They also took no action on a request by the business owners to place a moratorium on large retail development to allow time to study the impact of the Wal-Mart proposal.

“A lot of people will be hurt by another big box,” said Joel Olson, manager of the Country Market grocery store in Montevideo.

Midland, GA:

Midland resident Rebecca Shepard said she finds Lawrenceville to be a "soulless strip mall" of an Atlanta suburb where you can't tell where the Gwinnett County town begins or ends.

"Gwinnett is a mess," added Anne Webb, formerly of Cumming, Ga. "We don't want Gwinnett."

Shepard said afterward that Monday's meeting didn't change her mind about Wal-Mart.

"My main concern is not just traffic," she said. "'I think the traffic issues are significant and of concern, but my main concern is about smart growth, about abandoning the core of the city, about the number of abandoned buildings."

Despite Wal-Mart’s hype about their health care policies for 2006, Wal-Mart still has more than half of their employees without company health care. In fact, Wal-Mart’s so-called Value Plan, a basic repackaging of an existing high-deductible plan, increased coverage by less than 2%. At that pace, Wal-Mart will reach the national average for large employers providing health care by 2017.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wal-Mart added 70,000 workers to its health care rolls for 2006. But, a majority of the employees added were due to Wal-Mart’s expansion growth and only 22,000 new Wal-Mart employees chose the Value Plan.

The fact is Wal-Mart missed another opportunity to address the great health care crisis that infects its company.

In response, Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com, released this statement.

“For those of us truly watching Wal-Mart, these Holiday health care numbers are disappointing.

It just proves Wal-Mart’s health care announcements were nothing more than a publicity stunt to deceive the American people. In 2006, just like in 2005, more than half of Wal-Mart’s workers, over 600,000 Wal-Mart workers, will still have no company health care.

Despite Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott’s pronouncement that “we will bring [health] insurance within reach of all Associates,” the fact is Wal-Mart’s health care remains out of reach and unaffordable. In fact, Wal-Mart increased their health care enrollments by a paltry 2%.

Sadly, this Holiday season, a majority of Wal-Mart workers must live without company health care because Wal-Mart fails to address the two fundamental problems with its health care plans - extremely high deductibles and strict eligibility requirements.”

We walk up the suburban driveway past a dark grey Suburban and two dogs. We ring the doorbell.

The door opens and a middle-aged man answers with the curt “what do you want?” We tell him we are with the Wake-Up Wal-Mart campaign, here to ask him to join the movement to make Wal-Mart a responsible and moral employer.

“Wake-Up Wal-Mart” he yells. “Darn right that is what needs to happen.” The man goes on to adamantly tell us some of his personal story. He is a religious man, a Baptist. He is a fairly conservative man, votes Republican in most elections. And, he is a family man, two kids and a happy marriage.

He then tells us about his reasons for wanting to join the campaign: his religious values have instilled in him a belief in justice and fairness for all. His political values have brought him to conclude that we should not spend our tax dollars subsidizing the health care for profitable corporations. Finally, his family values teach him that breaking child labor laws and discriminating against women are "unacceptable."

We talk for a short time. He tells us he has been reading a lot about the Wal-Mart issue and that he has been wanting to get more involved. He signs up for the campaign. We tell him about our upcoming Candlelight Vigil. He says he thinks he can join us and bring along some friends from church. "Perhaps my pastor will come too," he says. "I think he'd agree that this is a moral issue."

We part ways and head for the neighbor's house. About 40 more houses to reach before it gets dark....

Over this past weekend, WakeUpWalMart.com supporters continued our Holiday Campaign with over 200 neighborhood canvasses, going door-to-door in communities all across the country talking with Americans about the campaign. While the reports and new sign ups are still coming, we already have close to 5,000 new supporters signed up from these door-to-door experiences.

We’ll keep you updated as the numbers and stories come in.

From USA Today:

In a nondescript office blocks from the White House, Paul Blank chats with staffers near the start of another 12-hour workday. The beige walls are plastered with hand-lettered, cardboard signs bearing slogans "Always High Costs. Always" and "Buffy the Wal-Mart Slayer."

Despite his 80-hour workweeks, Blank settles into a chair looking energized.

This is more than a job to him, he explains. It's a crusade.

Blank is the campaign manager for the labor-union-backed WakeUpWalMart.com. Behind the scenes at the headquarters office, staffers work at a dizzying pace. Their goal: to reform Wal-Mart, the biggest retailer in the world.

"There is a drumbeat every day that's building," says Blank, who previously worked as political director for Howard Dean's presidential campaign. "The question of whether Wal-Mart is good for America is being pushed to the forefront of a national debate."

As the holiday shopping season goes into full swing, Wal-Mart is facing the most formidable opposition to a retailer since the 1930s, when a campaign was waged against Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea (better known as A&P), which subsequently lost its domination of the retail market.

In just the past year, two union-backed groups have formed with the shared mission of challenging the megaretailer's business, labor, environmental and social standards.

On the MSNBC website: "Wal-Mart: Love it or hate it?"

Vote here:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10283253/

From CBC:

Employees at a Quebec Wal-Mart store that closed after a successful union drive were spied upon by undercover security guards, according to an investigation by Radio-Canada.

Guards told journalists at CBC's French-language service Wal-Mart had hired them to spy on employees at the store in Jonqui?re, 200 kilometres north of Quebec City, early in 2005. It corresponded to the time the world's largest retailer a nnounced the store would close for financial reasons.

A documentary on the subject will be broadcast Friday on the program Zone Libre. In it, the guards said their surveillance targeted union leaders and workers sympathetic to the drive.

One former guard said he patrolled the store in civilian clothes, watching employees. Another agent said the store's surveillance cameras were used to follow certain workers.

Wal-Mart Canada president and CEO Mario Pilozzi denied the allegations
.
"No, we wouldn't tolerate the situation you mentioned," Pilozzi told Radio-Canada. "No idea about what you're talking about."

Spying on union leaders or sympathizers is illegal under the Quebec Labour Code.

In August 2004, th e United Food And Commercial Workers succeeded in a drive to unionize the store's 200 workers. But a contract was never signed. The store closed in April.

A second Wal-Mart in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, won union certification in January 2005.

In February, Wal-Mart was chastised by the Quebec Labour Relations Board for attempting to intimidate workers who wanted to form a union at a third Quebec store in Sainte-Foy, just outside Quebec City.

Washington, DC - The first national survey of public attitudes and opinions about Wal-Mart by Zogby International finds American adults hold an increasingly negative view of Wal-Mart. The poll found 38 percent, or nearly 4 in 10 Americans, hold an unfavorable opinion of Wal-Mart, and 46 percent of Americans believe Wal-Mart’s public image is worse than it was 1 year ago.

The poll found that 56 percent of American adults agreed with the statement - "Wal-Mart was bad for America. It may provide low prices, but these prices come with a high moral and economic cost." In contrast, only 39 percent of American adults agreed with the opposing statement - "I believe Wal-Mart is good for America. It provides low prices and saves consumers money every day."

"Despite two high-priced image makeovers, Wal-Mart’s public image is in a tailspin. Over the last year, Wal-Mart’s image has declined at an alarming rate with the American people. Unless Wal-Mart addresses these growing concerns, the company will face a mounting public backlash," stated Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com.

The Zogby poll, commissioned by WakeUpWalMart.com, was a national telephone survey of 1,012 adults conducted by Zogby International from 11/15/05 through 11/18/05 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.2%.

The effect of the WakeUpWalMart.com campaign over the last year can be best assessed by comparing several questions from the new Zogby poll to results from a similar national poll conducted by Lake, Snell, Perry in January 2005.

To see survey results, Click here. [Adobe PDF]

From the AP:

Nancy McShane used to spend $600 to $700 a month at Wal-Mart on everything from groceries to oil changes. Then in March she abruptly switched to other discount stores, upset over what her turkey-farming relatives saw as undue price pressure from the world's largest retailer.

McShane, a Springfield, Mo., housewife with children aged 11 and 12, is among what organized critics claim is a growing number of Americans turning against Wal-Mart amid allegations from unions and others that the company is bad for workers, the environment and communities.

"We cut off Wal-Mart cold turkey. Now I'm preaching it to other people," McShane said.

But for James Butler, a chicken plant worker from Alpena, complaints that Wal-Mart is bad for America just don't add up -- but the savings do.

"It doesn't change my mind. It's just a convenience. And anywhere else costs more," Butler said Wednesday night outside a Wal-Mart Supercenter where he had just purchased batteries.

According to a poll released Thursday by Wake Up Wal-Mart, an anti-Wal-Mart group launched this year by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, more Americans have an unfavorable view of Wal-Mart today than at the start of the year.

The poll showed that a majority, 58 percent, viewed Wal-Mart favorably, but the figure was down from 76 percent in January. Wake Up Wal-Mart said that was proof that its message against the company's low-price business model is hitting its intended target -- the average Wal-Mart shopper.

"What this polling indicates is that Wal-Mart's reputation is in a tailspin," said Paul Blank, campaign director at Wake Up Wal-Mart.

Blank said changes in behavior would follow if consumer's opinions about Wal-Mart continue to fall.

Wal-Mart said the survey was questionable and argued that November sales and an onslaught of holiday shoppers the day after Thanksgiving showed it remained popular.

Retail analyst Don Gher said Wal-Mart's monthly sales growth did not suggest that shoppers were staying away amid a slew of attacks by groups alleging that Wal-Mart's low prices come at the cost of poor treatment for its workers, suppliers and communities.

"At this point the sales numbers wouldn't seem to indicate a backlash," said Gher of Coldstream Capital Management in Bellevue, Wash. The company has Wal-Mart stock as part of the roughly $900 million in assets it manages.

Consumers appear divided.

Steve and Sandy Larsen of Holiday Island, which is near Eureka Springs, said they liked Wal-Mart for the prices and the company's pledges to the local food kitchen and the Habitat for Humanity in Benton County, the retailer's home town.

"We work a lot in charity, and they are great," Steve Larsen said at the Berryville Supercenter. "They just keep giving."

But at Springfield, McShane said she changed stores after her relatives, who also raise produce, complained Wal-Mart exerts too much pressure on suppliers to cut their prices.

"That's too much power for one company to have," she said.

The Wake Up Wal-Mart figures came from two national telephone surveys of about 1,000 adults in January and November. The January 15-20 poll by Lake, Snell & Perry had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, and the November poll by Zogby had a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.

"In terms of overall favorability, in the span of about 11 months, Wal-Mart experienced a decline of 18 percentage points in the number of American adults who view the company favorably," Wake Up Wal-Mart said in a summary.

The number of people who said they viewed Wal-Mart very favorably or somewhat favorably fell 18 percentage points to 58 percent while the number who answered that their view was very or somewhat unfavorable increased by the same amount to 38 percent.

The group said attitudes were starting to change shopping practices. Asked how often they plan to shop at Wal-Mart in the next month, the number who said they would not go at all rose 8 percentage points to 28 percent. The largest group, those who planned to shop there once or twice, fell 7 points to 32 percent.

Wal-Mart said the November poll appeared to be times to take advantage of publicity around the release of a scathingly critical documentary, Robert Greenwald's "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices."

"It would be hard for anyone to believe that a poll paid for by the UFCW was more accurate than the fact that our estimated November store sales were up 4.3 percent and that 10 million people shopped at our stores during the first six hours of sales last Friday," Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sarah Clark said.

She added: "A good poll would be to ask if working families enjoy the $2,300 in savings we provide per year."

Clark said Wal-Mart does its own internal tracking of consumer sentiment, but declined to release that data. She said the questions were not the same as Wake Up Wal-Mart's poll so they wouldn't be comparable.