Evidence Against Walmart

To answer Al Savasto’s questions (Letters, December 2002) concerning evidence to back up negative statements against Wal-Mart, specifically “for every two jobs Wal-Mart creates in a community, it destroys three”:

That quote can be found at a great watchdog website--walmartwatch.com--which also has many informative links (one of which had an article written in October 2002 by Jim Hightower that included this frightening bit of information; “Even the big boys like Toys R Us and Kroger are daunted by the company’s brutish power, saying they’re compelled to slash wages and search the globe for sweatshop suppliers in order to compete in the downward race to match Wal-Mart’s prices”).

Other recent articles about Wal-Mart’s labor practices have been written in magazines like The Progressive, Mother Jones, The Nation, and The Utne Reader.

Last and not least, I advise reading Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, which includes a short but very enlightening chapter from the Wal-Mmart employee’s point of view.

Happy Reading!

Luke Galvin

Editor’s note: The letters to the Currents about Wal-Mart’s labor practices sparked some comments on our website. To view these, see this page and this page.

You can also purchase Ehrenreich’s book in our “Urban Issues Book List.” Part of the proceeds from all purchases will go to support the paper.

Riverwest Currents - Volume 2 - Issue 2 - February 2003