May, 2006

Economic Justice, Health Care, Legislation, Press Releases, UFCW Values

UFCW Applauds Vermont

May 11, 2006

Washington DC—Basic quality health care should be affordable to all people including families, children, the elderly and the chronically ill—regardless of how much money they make.   Yesterday, this vision became reality for thousands of hardworking Vermonters when, under pressure from state legislators, a broad coalition of health care advocates, and the people of Vermont, the Governor signed the Health Care Affordability Act into law.

America’s Agenda—a grassroots organization working for comprehensive health care reform on both state and federal levels—working together with key in-state partners was the driving force behind the reform legislation.

The law is the most far-reaching health care reform law enacted by any state in nearly thirty years. And it’s a groundbreaking victory for the people of Vermont, who, like many Americans—including 46 million uninsured—are worried about the costs, availability, and quality of health care.

The Vermont law will ensure access to affordable, comprehensive coverage to all uninsured Vermonters, regardless of income—including affordable ongoing treatments for people with chronic illnesses like diabetes or heart disease. Cost containment measures will reduce insurance costs for all Vermonters. The cost-effective, streamlined system makes health the priority, not profits. And the law makes health care possible for everyone, instead of denying care to those most in need.

Health care is a national crisis that demands national attention. But until Capitol Hill commits to leading the way on health care reform, state-by-state initiatives like Vermont’s new law can be a model for other states. UFCW will continue to work with advocates like America’s Agenda to pass initiatives that draw blueprints for reform and create grassroots action networks that can achieve real health care reform at the national level.

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The UFCW represents 1.4 million workers in North America, with nearly 1 million working in grocery stores and 250,000 working in the meatpacking and other food processing industries. UFCW President Joe Hansen sits on the Congressionally mandated Citizen’s Health Care Working Group—a panel tasked with leading a nationwide debate on how to improve our health care system.

 

Press Releases, Retail, Social Justice, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values, Walmart

Statement on Wal-Mart providing inaccurate testimony to the FDIC regarding its bank application

May 10, 2006

The following can be attributed to Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com:

“”How many times is Wal-Mart going to mislead America? Whether the issue is Wal-Mart’s lack of affordable health care, gender discrimination, crime at its stores, child labor or shipping our jobs overseas, Wal-Mart consistently hides the truth and the American people pay the price.

Now, Wal-Mart has gone one step further. It appears Wal-Mart arrogantly lied to federal regulators, the national media and the American people on its banking application and thought it could get away with it. Wal-Mart’s inaccurate testimony raises serious questions about what else the company isn’t telling the FDIC. It is time for Wal-Mart to stop its pattern of deception, come clean with federal regulators, be honest with the American people and take responsibility for its actions.”"

Wal-Mart testimony inaccurate on bank leases

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) – Wal-Mart gave inaccurate testimony to U.S. regulators considering its application to open a bank, wrongly describing a provision of some leases signed by banks in its stores, according to leases obtained by Reuters.

The inaccuracy involves testimony Wal-Mart Stores Inc. gave to support its statement that it has no plans to replace community banks now in its stores with bank branches of its own.

Last month, the company told the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the agency reviewing Wal-Mart’s application to start limited bank operations, that it has no plans to enter full-service banking, and it pointed to the leases signed by banks in its stores as evidence of its long-term plan to support independent banks.

Specifically, Wal-Mart told the FDIC that leases signed by banks were renewed at the discretion of the banks alone.

But documents seen by Reuters include a provision that requires both the bank and Wal-Mart to agree to renew.

According to industry sources, that provision is included in a handful, not all of the leases signed by Wal-Mart’s bank tenants. Wal-Mart told Reuters it was an oversight and that the testimony it gave to the FDIC it had believed to be true.

Press Releases, Retail, Social Justice, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values, Walmart

WAKEUPWALMART.COM RELEASES FIRST NATIONAL WAL-MART CRIME STUDY – “”IS WAL-MART SAFE?”"

May 02, 2006

57 COMMUNITY GROUPS SIGN JOINT LETTER CALLING ON WAL-MART TO IMPROVE SECURITY BY MOTHER’S DAY

Washington, DC – Today, WakeUpWalMart.com, America’s campaign to change Wal-Mart, released the first national study on Wal-Mart and crime. The study, entitled “”Is Wal-Mart Safe?”" analyzed the official 2004 police incident reports (i.e. calls for police service) at 551 Wal-Mart store locations. Among the key findings of the study, include:

  • In 2004, police received 148,331 calls for service for the 551 Wal-Mart stores analyzed, averaging 269 reported police incidents per store.
  • For just the 551 stores sampled, there were 2,909 reported police calls for “”violent or serious crimes,”" including 4 homicides, 9 rapes or attempts, 23 kidnappings or attempts, 154 sex crimes, 550 robberies or attempts and 1,024 auto thefts.
  • Based on the number of reported police incidents for the sample, it is estimated police responded to nearly 1 million police incidents at Wal-Mart in 2004 costing taxpayers $77 million annually.
  • Wal-Mart stores have a significantly higher number of reported police incidents than nearby Target stores. For the sample, the average rate of reported police incidents at Wal-Mart stores was 400% higher than the average rate of incidents at nearby Target stores.

The full study “”Is Wal-Mart Safe?”" and the official police incident reports are available for download and review at www.WalMartCrimeReport.com.

“”The high number of reported police incidents at Wal-Mart stores is shocking and outrageous. Wal-Mart’s customers and the community have a right to know whether or not their Wal-Mart is safe. Wal-Mart should immediately fund an independent study to explore the issue of crime at Wal-Mart stores nationwide and immediately take the necessary steps, including putting in roving security patrols and staffing security cameras, to ensure the safety of its customers at every Wal-Mart store,”" said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com.

WakeUpWalMart.com released its study, “”Is Wal-Mart Safe?”" as part of a nationwide initiative called “”Help Make Wal-Mart Safe by Mother’s Day.”" As part of the initiative, WakeUpWalMart.com and 57 community groups released a joint letter calling on Wal-Mart’s management to immediately address the public safety issues and concerns of its consumers – 70 percent of whom are women shoppers – by taking all of the necessary steps to improve security at all of its stores by Mother’s Day.

“”Public safety and crime are serious issues. Despite internal warnings about crime at some of Wal-Mart’s stores, it is clear Wal-Mart still has a high number of reported police incidents at too many stores. As our nation’s largest retailer, Americans deserve to know the truth about whether or not Wal-Mart is safe,”" added Blank.

As a service to the general public, WakeUpWalMart.com also launched a new website, WalMartCrimeReport.com. WalMartCrimeReport.com will collect and disseminate Wal-Mart crime data to the general public. The website allows customers and the general public to download copies of the official police incident reports sent to us by local police departments. The WalMartCrimeReport.com website will also provide a variety of documents that chronicle statements by Wal-Mart officials on public safety, including internal Wal-Mart memos on public safety issues.

WakeUpWalMart.com is a national movement of 225,000 Americans in all 50 states who have joined together to change Wal-Mart into a responsible and moral corporation.