February, 2006

Constituency Groups, Economic Justice, Health Care, Press Releases, Retail, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values, Walmart, Women's Network

NOW, NARAL, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS, & WAKEUPWALMART.COM ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT

Feb 08, 2006

Washington D.C. – Today, the National Organization of Women (NOW), NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the National Council of Women’s Organizations, and WakeUpWalmart.com issued a joint statement calling on Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott and Wal-Mart to stop denying women their “”right to access a legally-approved drug.”" The joint statement is in response to a lawsuit filed by three Massachusetts women who are suing Wal-Mart over its failure to provide access to emergency contraceptive pills.

“”Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott must stop this policy of denying millions of American women access to a legal medicine. Wal-Mart should not be able to use its massive power to dictate a woman’s right to choose her own medication,”" stated Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com

The joint statement issued by America’s leading women’s groups representing over 10 million women and WakeUpWalMart.com directly states that CEO Lee Scott and Wal-Mart should not “”decide what medicines women may or may not take.”" The group further states, “”Wal-Mart’s actions are clearly an outrageous intrusion into the health and privacy of all U.S. women. When a doctor prescribes emergency contraception for a woman, Wal-Mart does not have the right to overrule that decision.”" The entire statement is available below.

WakeUpWalMart.com also announced the launch of the “”Wal-Mart vs. Women…Again”" campaign. The initial campaign will focus on online grassroots activism. The group will launch online advertising on progressive websites asking Americans to sign a petition calling on Wal-Mart and CEO Lee Scott to change its policy which denies millions of women access to legal medicine. The campaign also points out Wal-Mart’s troubling record on women’s issues, including the largest gender discrimination lawsuit in history affecting more than 1.6 million female employees, a recent accusation by a former Connecticut worker who says Wal-Mart fired her because she was pregnant, and the current lawsuit filed by three Massachusetts women against Wal-Mart for being denied access to a legal medicine.

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Joint Statement in Support of Lawsuit Demanding Access to Emergency Contraception at Wal-Mart

At the same time Wal-Mart faces the largest gender discrimination class action lawsuit in U.S. history, affecting 1.6 million women, three Massachusetts women are now suing Wal-Mart over its failure to provide access to emergency contraceptive pills.

Wal-Mart’s decision not to stock or sell emergency contraception-also known as Plan B or the “”morning-after pill”"-unnecessarily denies women everywhere their right to access a legally-approved drug. The lawsuit charges that Wal-Mart is violating a Massachusetts policy requiring pharmacies in the state to dispense all “”commonly prescribed medicines.”"

Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott should not decide what medicines women may or may not take. Wal-Mart’s actions are clearly an outrageous intrusion into the health and privacy of all U.S. women. When a doctor prescribes emergency contraception for a woman, Wal-Mart does not have the right to overrule that decision.

To be most effective, emergency contraception should be taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure. Because Wal-Mart has put so many smaller stores out of business, in a number of areas it is the only pharmacy for miles. No woman at risk for unintended pregnancy, be it the result of a broken condom or sexual assault, should be turned away by Wal-Mart and forced to find another pharmacy while the clock is ticking.

Wal-Mart’s statement that they choose “”not to carry many products for business reasons,”" rings hollow and dismisses the heartfelt concerns of many women in this country.

We strongly support the lawsuit brought in Massachusetts and will fight to make sure all women who work at Wal-Mart or choose to shop there are treated fairly and equally and have access to all legally-approved medications.

We call on Wal-Mart to stop discriminating against women, reverse their policy on blocking access to emergency contraception pills, and to ensure, in the future, all legal medicines are provided to women at Wal-Mart pharmacies across the U.S.

Paul Blank
Campaign Director
WakeUpWalMart.com

Dr. Martha Burk
Director, Corporate Accountability Project
National Council of Women’s Organizations

Kim Gandy
President
National Organization for Women

Nancy Keenan
President
NARAL Pro-Choice American

Karen Pearl
Interim President
Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Economic Justice, Health Care, Press Releases, Retail, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values, Walmart

WAKEUPWALMART.COM LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE CAMPAIGN “”FIRST WAL-MART, NOW BUSH”"

Feb 02, 2006

GROUP TARGETS WAL-MART & PRESIDENT BUSH FOR EFFORTS TO SHIFT HEALTH CARE COSTS FROM EMPLOYERS TO EMPLOYEES HURTING AMERICA’S CHILDREN AND GROWING OUR HEALTH CARE CRISIS

Washington, DC – Today, WakeUpWalMart.com, America’s campaign to change Wal-Mart, launched a new online grassroots effort calling on Wal-Mart and President George Bush to stop supporting health savings accounts, which are the first step by corporate America to destroy our employer-based health care system, where two-thirds of American workers currently get their health care coverage.

The “”First Wal-Mart, Now President Bush”" online initiative was launched in response to Wal-Mart’s and now President Bush’s newfound support for so-called privatized health care options, like “”Health Savings Accounts.”"

“”Wal-Mart is determined to use its special interest power to destroy the employer-based health care system in America. Both Pres. Bush and Wal-Mart have teamed up to shift the health care costs from multi-billion dollar corporations to workers struggling to get by – it is a national disgrace,”" said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com

Beginning in January 2006, Wal-Mart introduced Health Savings Accounts (HSA’s) as an additional health coverage option for its 1.3 million employees in the United States. Wal-Mart’s HSAs will do nothing to increase the number of workers’ insured under the company’s plan, since only Wal-Mart employees who have had company health care for more than a year are eligible for the HSAs. In general, HSAs shift the burden for health care coverage to workers, come with high deductibles, punish low-income workers who can not afford to contribute to such plans, and reward wealthy executives and business owners with tax-free shelters. Because of Wal-Mart’s low pay, Wal-Mart workers can neither substantially invest in an HSA nor afford the exorbitant HSA medical deductibles, which range up to $6,000 under Wal-Mart’s plan.

“”Sadly, Wal-Mart and President Bush share the same irresponsible idea for solving America’s health care crisis. Wal-Mart and Bush’s scheme will worsen the growing health care divide in America, not insure one additional worker, and grow corporate profits at the expense of workers, their children, and their families,”" added Blank.

The online campaign, which will initially launch on key progressive websites, like Dailykos.com, will reach over 10 million unique visitors during the first week. The petition will call on Americans to “”say no to the Wal-Mart/Bush-backed HSAs and yes to corporations paying their fair share for health care.”"

The “”First Wal-Mart, Now Bush”" campaign is the latest grassroots effort by WakeUpWalmart.com. Since April 5th of 2005, over 176,049 supporters have joined WakeUpWalMart.com – one of America’s fastest growing social movements.

The text of the online petition follows below:

Online Petition

Tell Bush and Wal-Mart – “”Health Savings Accounts Won’t Save Health Care”"

Only George Bush would turn to Wal-Mart, a corporation who fails to provide company health care to more than 600,000 of its workers, for health care advice. What’s Wal-Mart’s solution to America’s growing health care crisis – privatized health care so you pay for it and they don’t!

Why do Wal-Mart and George Bush want health savings accounts (HSAs)? Simple.

HSAs are a backdoor for large profitable companies, like Wal-Mart, to further reduce or even eliminate health benefits for hard-working Americans. By shifting health care costs away from employers and on to workers, HSAs will not only undermine employer-based health plans, where two-thirds of Americans get coverage, but will force even more workers and their families to go without health care.

Help us stop the Wal-Mart & Bush health care crisis from infecting America.

Tell Bush and his wealthy corporate contributors like Wal-Mart, HSAs are a huge step backward for working families and do nothing to solve our nation’s health care crisis. Rich profitable companies, like Wal-Mart, have a responsibility to provide affordable health care to hard working Americans, not come up with new schemes to try and reduce their health care costs at the expense of workers, their families and their children.

Sign our petition today. Say no to the Wal-Mart/Bush-backed HSAs and yes to corporations paying their fair share for health care.

Press Releases, Social Justice, UFCW Values

Labor Movement Mourns the Passing of Coretta Scott King

Feb 01, 2006

(Washington, D.C.) — Our nation has suffered a great loss with the passing of civil rights heroine, Coretta Scott King.  With her strength of character, commitment and faith, she was a leader in the civil rights movement through her own actions as well as her partnership with her late husband, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  When hatred and bigotry took the life of her husband and left her children without a father, she turned her grief into strength to continue the work and achieve the dream of justice for all.

She worked tirelessly and unselfishly to see that Dr. King’s legacy of civil rights through civil disobedience and non-violence is a permanent part of American history and culture.  The success of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta and the ongoing work of the family’s charitable foundation is a testament to Mrs. King’s vision and determination.  We are deeply saddened that her time on earth has come to an end.  We will continue to honor her life by fighting against racism and discrimination in American workplaces.