Chicago vs. Wal-Mart

Adrianne Shropshire

Chicago vs. Wal-Mart

When Wal-Mart targeted Chicago as one of it's first entry points into urban communities it turned once likely allies into the worst kind of adversaries. There were stories about Ministers who had been part of the anti-Wal-Mart coalition who suddenly flipped and showed up at public hearings to speak in favor of the big box giant, flooring organizers who thought they were there to speak in opposition. Aldermen, whose support organizers thought they could count on, seemed to lose all vision for their districts when the promise of low-paying jobs was dangled in front of them.

But apparently the windy city never says never. They've hinged their hopes on a big-box ordinance that would not only require big-box stores to contribute to the health care costs of their employees (like New York City, Maryland, Suffolk County, and the attempt in NY State) but would require them to pay their workers a living wage. A great addition to the big box tool kit, designed by the Brennan Center for Justice.

The coalition (which has been pushing this ordinance for two years) is now poised to pass the legislation having organized a majority of supporters on the city council. Wal-Mart's defensive strategy is poised to open up the same old rifts between what should be allies. The set-up is clear. African American communities vs. white communities, big labor vs. communities of color, urban centers vs. inner-ring suburbs. I recently had a conversation with a NYC business community insider who characterize Wal-Mart's lobbyist as bumbling and clueless. But the Chicago strategy is a brilliant (although old and tired) display of exploiting existing tensions among those who should be consolidating their forces to demand higher standards (or any standards for that matter) for neglected communities and marginalized workers.

Chicago remains a case study for NYC and there is a lot at stake here for communities and the organizations that are moving an agenda for poor and working people. With growing poverty in NYC communities can not afford the Wal-Mart business model. Undermining wages and driving down standards for workers is not the anti-poverty initiative that NY should be offering to the world.