As Wal-Mart has renewed its interest in coming to 83rd & Stewart, we as concerned members of the community refuse to
allow corporate giants to run roughshod over our people simply because the economic environment in which we exist is
anemic. We want jobs for our people who direly and sorely need them in these times of financial famine. However, we
also want jobs with dignity. With this in mind, until these 6 questions are answered, we will reserve judgment on our
support of this project or lack thereof:
How much they will pay employees per hour? Is this wage a livable wage?
Workers should be able to earn a wage that affords them the ability to live, and not require further government or state assistance to supplement their salary!
Will employees be offered affordable and immediately accessible health care benefits?
Currently, research shows that full time employees are not afforded access to health care until they have been
employed for 6 months, and part time workers are not afforded access to health care until they have been employed
for 1 year
What will be the ratio and number of full time workers as opposed to part time workers?
Studies have linked the high turnover rate for Wal-Mart employees and keeping workers at part time hours while
working them full time, to the desire of the company not to pay employee benefits!
Give workers the right to organize if they want.
We are not for or against any one union. We are for the right of workers to decide freely and fairly whether or not they want to unionize.
What is Wal-Mart’s commitment to supporting Black Farmers produce in order to ensure that fresh fruits and vegetable are available for our community?
In Black communities, fresh fruits and vegetables are few and far between
What is Wal-Mart’s stand on public education?
The Walton foundation in concert with the Bradley Foundation of Milwaukee has been noted to give $1 billion per year into “Education Reform” with the end goal to kill public education. It is ironic then that this Wal-Mart will be directly across the street from a public school—Simeon Career Vocational Academy.
The answers to these questions and commitments in writing emanating therefrom will determine our support of
this project!
Sincerely,
The African American Lutheran Association (AALA)
Southside Organization for Unity & Liberation (SOUL)
Rev. Dr. L. Bernard Jakes, West Point Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Michael Pfleger, Faith Community of St. Sabina
Rev. Otis B. Moss, III, Trinity United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., Trinity United Church of Christ
Kevin Tyson, Church in Society
Rev. Oscar Varnadoe, Ministers for Radical, Social & Economic Justice (MRSEJ)
Rev. Reginald W. Williams, Jr., First Baptist Church of University Park
Rev. Booker Vance, St. Stephens Evangelical Lutheran Church
Rev. Stacey L. Edwards-Dunn, Trinity United Church of Christ
" I want JOBS but I also want Dignity
with Jobs. Dr. King was killed in Memphis not fighting for jobs but
demanding Dignity with the Jobs" ~ Rev. Mike Pfleger
