Cross posted at Daily Kos and the Wake-Up Blog
I am working for the UFCW’s new Wake-Up Wal-Mart campaign, and we are still building out our website to include tools that you can use to change Wal-Mart.
Post-election, there was a lot of talk about how Kerry could have better used the internet as a force for change, so I figured who better to come to for help than the very community so desperate to reach out and help — if only it were easier or could be done more efficiently.
Feel free to post comments here, or at the new Wake-Up Blog, or if you wish, email them to me at info@wakeupwalmart.com
Thank you for your help, and be creative!
How much does WalMart cost YOU? I’d tend to focus on the cost to taxpayers – property tax breaks, public benefits costs – as the “prime” issue. A State-by-State breakdown with a pulldown menu or “clickable” map might be more effective than a quiz. Chart showing wages = % poverty line = qualified for [medicare, food stamps, etc.]. Same for women’s wage issues you’ve got front-paged.
The way you’ve set your front-page it looks like the most important issue is gender inequality in management – don’t think that’s your first priority. It would be helpful to have a vertical wage chart showing the disparity between employment levels [if available].
I didn’t see anything within one click that compares average UFCW wage/benefit packages with WalMart. Couldn’t hurt.
Great comment and idea, rba. I definitely agree with you here. Most people that I know that shop at Wal-Mart do so because of their affordable pricing. Even here in Texas, where the cost of living is cheaper, you can’t find things at prices comparable to Wal-Mart’s almost anywhere around. Showing people why the prices are so low is definitely something to focus on, I think.
Excellent ideas. I know I’ve read somewhere along my reading on Wal-Mart that here in CA. it’s costing the state/taxpayers something like 86 Million to provide medicaide/foodstamps and other like programs to people that work for Wal-Mart but do not have livable wage and healthcare.
In other words the taxpayers here just gave Wal-Mart an extra 86 Million dollars to spend on their CEO or whoever. Corporate welfare at it’s finest.
Seeing this in some sort of graphic would be an excellent visual and easy for anyone to understand. Maybe hand them out in the parking lot at Wal-Mart stores, appropriate to each state. A great visual always sticks in people’s minds when you want to get their attention quick.
I’m sorry, I’m not entirely sure what you are trying to do here (it’s Monday, that’s my excuse for being slow… and possibly crabby).
Are you looking for tools that will encourage people to… what? Not shop at Wal-Mart, pressure them to unionize, pressure politicians, pressure local city governments not to allow them to build, or what exactly?
anything and everything. The following link goes to our “Why Wal-Mart needs to change” explanation:
http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/change/
How it will be changed is up to you. We are looking for tools that allow people to be effective in educating others about Wal-Mart, in recruiting more people to become part of the movement, in organizing themselves and their communities, etc.
Thanks for the explanation and the links, that helps.
In addition to rba’s great recommendations, another comparison thing might be that of the Ford generation (I think it is?) and the WalMart generation. I may be getting the company wrong, but anyway… the big employers who were sort of the backbone of working society.. comparing what someone who worked at one of those companies in the 50’s could afford as opposed to someone working at WalMart, as they are now the largest employer in the US, I believe.
Tools to actually change WalMart… consumer power is the most likely, I guess. Maybe encourage people to write their personal stories … “I no longer shop at Walmart, and here’s why” and submit them as letters to the editor (or OP/Eds).
WalMart, from what I remember (and you probably know) has really cheap prices on some items… loss leaders, while the rest of the items are the same price or sometimes higher than other stores. They trade on their reputation for having the cheapest prices, even if they don’t actually have them. So maybe a “WalMart alternative in your area” tool… not only online, but maybe printable handouts. Maybe get people to suggest local alternative stores, that have comparable prices… and who would be able to lower their prices even more if they got the needed customer base.
That’s all I can think of for now, will add more if something comes to mind.
Good luck 🙂