Wal-Mart's Great Leap Forward

Wal-Mart, having saturated the United States with over 3,600 stores, has set its sights on China -- and, according to Ralph Nader, "using this Communist regime as its labor enforcement arm to drive down wages and benefits in the U.S."

1 minute read

November 29, 2004, 2:00 PM PST

By Michael Dudley

Wal-Mart's recent agreement to allow its Chinese workforce to unionize is highly disingenuous, says Nader. Chinese unions are state-controlled, so will actually operate as an efficient enforcement mechanism.

It is tactics such as these that are allowing Wal-Mart to wreak such havoc with standards of living around the world -- and raiding taxpayers' pocketbooks in the process. One recent study found that the social supports necessary to feed and shelter the children of the employees from "one 200-person Wal-Mart store could cost federal taxpayers over $420,000 per year. These costs include subsidized lunches, health insurance and housing assistance, federal tax credits and deductions for low-income families, among other examples of Wal-Marts freeloading."

Thanks to Michael Dudley

FULL STORY: Wal-Mart Ways

Monday, November 29, 2004 in Common Dreams

Community / Economic Development United States

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.