I am not an enemy of Walmart. Socialized medicine is just writing blank check to the doctors and arrogant health workers. When there is no competition prices rise and services decline. Walmarts and Costcos are marketers of the future. Corner grocery stores will go the way of cotton pickers. Very rich will have a personal shoppers, smiles and mirrors in their stores, for the rest od us Walmart and Costco are just fine.

More words from Mr. Sinclair. He sure talks the talk, but when it comes to actually doing something about the attacks on unionized workers in BC, he's suddenly silent. Just ask the HEU/CUPE workers at Sunset Lodge in Victoria how much actual support they got from the Fed when the Sally Ann was turfing them out. Jim showed up for the photo op though. And what has Jim done about the disgraceful state of affairs in the IWA, and the disgusting antics of local 1-3567 president Sonny Ghag? Mr. Sinclair should resign in shame for his inaction, but he won't. He lacks the integrity.

One of the problems we have in progressive politics in BC is the sectarian nature of the debate. Here is a good article talking about an important strike in California and what some of the reprecussions will be for Canadians and we get a personal attack on Jim Sinclair. I disagree wholeheartedly with the friend of Walmart but at least they're discussing the ISSUE.

Hear hear BrianC. One of the things that some people don't understand is that the President of the Fed or the CLC or any other labour federation, international or even a local labour council is the fact that the President is the servant of his or her affiliates. If Jim Sinclair had the overwhelming support of his executive council to march the labour movement off a cliff then he would be obliged to do so. The fact is Sinclair doesn't have those instructions. What we have in BC is a very progressive Fed President. Bob White was a progressive and militant trade unionist until he got to the CLC. White didn't change, it is the nature of the position not the person. People ought to grow up start thinking rationally. Good article. I would think we need to broaden the discussion to include the role of China in the so-called Walmartization of North America.

Great article. Really appreciate seeing a thoughtful analysis of the larger issues Maybe small "c" classic capitialism in a mixed economy benefits citizens but not corporate capitalism. Getting more stuff cheaper produced and sold by workers who are not paid living wages (a la Walmart), is that our overall social purpose?

I really enjoyed the article on the UFCW strike in California.This is a strike where the repercussions will be felt across the continent.We need to support those workers any way we can.There are times when workers must stand up for their had won rights.Rights such as a decent wage,decent health care,and working conditions that mean you will coming home in one piece after your 8 hour shift.I believe that the time has come for workers in British Columbia to stand up to defend our hard won gains.The time has to send a loud and clear mesage to the BC liberals that workers are mad as hell and aren't going to take it anymore.I stood up at the BC Fed two years ago and supported the resolution calling for a general strike.This resolution was defeated.Here we are,some two years later,and Gordon Campbell has stepped up his vicious attacks on the poor,minorities,women,and just about everyone else that isn't a millionaire.Gordo has just over a year to go in his current mandate.What are we going to do to consign him and his evil government to the ash heap of history?

EVERYONE can do something to stop the Walmart blitzkreig: NEVER shop there!! (Advice which I follow religiously)

All fingers point to corporate Globalization being fed by an ever increasing, unsustainable, ravenous consumer driven society hell bent on saving a few nickels at the expense of others. We as a society have to start looking at what we value more, that third cheap DVD player for the washroom or fair wages and decent working conditions for others. From the third worlds environment to assembly line workers in China, or back to those very grocery workers on the picket line in the States. The pressures from Globalization and GREEDY corporations are having a huge ripple effect on everyone in the middle class and below. I would also suggest that you scrutinize everything that you buy, from the store you shop at, the corporation that manufactures it, to where and how the product is actually made. In our small way we boycott Walmart as well while trying to enlighten friends and family to do the same.

This is proof that DEMOCRACY is dead

Interesting article, but as a former employee of Overwaitea Food Group and member of the UFCW, I would be interested to hear the union defend the actions it took in 1997. It basically sold out all future members, to protect what it already had. New hires at Safeway and Save-On get paid the same non-living wages that the union decries elsewhere, with no hope of benefits or decent hours, so that the people who were lucky enough to get hired before the '97 contract dispute continue to get good wages and full benefits. The union paid lip-service to ending the two-tier system before the most recent contract negotiations, but when push came to shove, nothing really changed. I don't like Wal-Mart, or the management position, but the union is not lily-white in this either. Eventually, through attrition, the new hires will out-number the pre-97 employees, and the union may find itself out on its ear, as these minimum-wage earners ask themselves why they have been paying dues to a union that has never represented their interests with any ferocity.

Sophie; You are partially right, but the problem goes back even further to the 1980s when UFCW Local 777, (infamously known as Local 666) cut its first sweetheart deal for the new breed of retail grocers coming into the market, thereby starting the downward spiral that continues today. With that deal, the leadership put the need for a contract before the needs of the workers or their futures. But please, the issue is Walmart and the willingness of so many who are able to talk the good fight while at work, but won't let an ideology get in the way of saving a dime. One of the big problems seen in communities large and small if that there is really no industrial development occuring anymore. The only game in most towns is redividing the retail sector and when Walmart, hiding behind nominee development firms, apply for rezoning, city planners, politicians, chambers of commerce and, sadly, many citizens who should know better, line up to welcome these barons of retail with open arms. Unfortunately, little thought is given to the impact on other existing retail operations, community wage levels or impacts on whole sections of a community. In Kamloops, as an example, in the three or so years since Walmart was allowed to rezone and build despite strong community opposition, the city's downtown has been turned into a dead zone where coffee shop proprieters and other wishful thinkers dream of success while awaiting the near-monthly rotation of vacant shops along the same street. Kamloops city council opted to support Walmart's project even though it went against the city's Official Community Plan. What was it's ratonal? The only coherant statement from politicians is that it had approved a similar rezoning application one year earlier that also went against the OCP and public sentiment. So two wrongs make a right. The downtown is down and out, the city's north shore, with more than 30,000 residents is without a department store, unless your in to used clothing or army surplus gems. You see, all the retailers want to snuggle up beside Walmart so virtually the entire retail sector has shifted into an area that only three years ago was a no-go area for retail, based on the OCP. By the way, unless you drive a vehicle (from the north shore or many other areas of Kamloops), you can't get to these new palaces of cheap underwear unless you can hoof it five or six or more kilometres including a rise of about 300 metres in elevation and then return with your new possessions in arms as you try to avoid being run over by bargain hunters. You see, so many business have closed and workers laid off that Kamloops can't afford new sidewalks. Perhaps the problem is that some of us have had to too good over the past few decades, protected by good strong collective agreements and softened by that security. Over time, building RRSPs, hiring financial planners and other forms of personal money-counting, driving the latest and biggest SUVs and savouring other trappings of the new petite bourgeois have dumbed our revolutionairy zeal. If that's the case then we are right back at square one. See ya on the barricades.

UFCW has a program to so call "help" workers over 45 years of age to get access to job market, in New Westminster. They are connected to T.R.A.D.E.S. in Carnarvon street in New Westminster. All of these programs are paid with money from HRDC. I spend time and money going to their orientation and all the humiliating - yes and patronizing hoopla that these outfits spouses. I got nothing from them. Zilt. I got a job faster on my own. Then I went to the CLC convention here in Vancouver and found a brochure from the UFCW stating that they help 45 and over to find work. There was the picture of over fed white men. I called a couple of them to tell about my experienced and was verbally abused. So I am not surprised that UFCW has made deals with Safeway and Save on. Two tier unionized worker is not a surprise. The issue with union executives is that they do not identify with workers. They see themselves as part of the elite. They treat rank and file patronizingly. They have the interest of their economic class at heart and they see the rank and file members as below their station. See http://www.counterpunch.org/griffin02182004.html to realize how the inner works of unions. The only function unions have now a days are: to maintain some wage leverage in order to keep the average wages from dropping to 6 buks a hour. To be the gatekeepers of the working class (e.i. HEU and CAW and the anti war coalition, to sell oput its membership short or to raid other Unions (e.i. IWA raiding HEU and UFCW with two tier union members or IBEW that treats Fleggers differently than Hydro unionized workers). Outside of that, I see no reason why they exist. Unions have been so co-opted and so far away from the membership (try to call BCGEU and speak with any representative. You get a rude telephone operator, that sounds like the welfare receptionist, giving you a voice mail phone number to call, for someone that will call you 10 days later and the reason you called in the first place, is no longer addressable). Or CUPE and the TA strike at UBC and SFU. Or look at the funny story of BCGEU giving operating cost money to the Anty poverty Committee to fight Campbell and the welfare cuts, with money from members, that are welfare workers. So when you go to advocate and or organize in the offices of the Ministry you are actually fighting against the front line workers, that are as stresseded out and under paid(they are the worst paid of the provincial government services and they are obliged to carry out very psychologically damaging policies, to themselves and others, in order tio make a living. So as you all can see the union bosses have sold themselves to the higher bidder and, again, is the choice between two evils. If they are not there, the average wage is lower. If they are there they squander their opportunity and money from the membership and make sweet deals, against the workers. It is F* up. As far as emelio. It sounds to me that not only is he being mislead, I doubt he has dome some research on the effects of Walmartization of retailers on the local economies and the environment. I found out that Costco and other places like it are actually much more expensive than your small markets. You want to see how big chain operates see "Secret deals with Tesco cast shadow over town by Terry Brown" http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1128386,00.html I did a comparison over a 3 week period and came back shocked, after I read the above article, in the Guardian. It doen's matter if you are in London or Vancouver. It is the same rip off. Supporting your local suppermarket is cheaper and the quality is greater.

http://www.corpwatch.org/ ~~~ http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/ ~~~ http://www.corporateering.org/ ~~~ http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/ ~~~ http://www.walmartwatch.com/ ~~~ http://www.walmartstores.com/wmstore/wmstores/HomePage.jsp

right on, (Frank, 2/9/2004 3:26:08 PM) ...another way to stop WalMart, it seems, is to unionize them.