April 2012
48 posts
HuffPost: Walmart Critics In New York City, L.A.... →
walmartfreenyc:
Walmart’s bribery scandal in Mexico is turning into fresh meat for its opponents in the United States. Labor unions and activist organizations fighting the big box retailer’s push into New York City and Los Angeles are drawing parallels between the company’s domestic expansion strategies and its alleged illegal tactics in Mexico.
In New York City on Tuesday afternoon, some 50...
2 tags
Crain's: Local pols step up anti-Wal-Mart pressure →
walmartfreenyc:
Some call for City Council hearings to probe the retailers’ New York City business practices, including a full disclosure of the company’s philanthropic spending here.
The pressure is mounting on Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to abandon its long-running plans to enter the New York City market. In the wake of the weekend’s revelations of alleged bribery and cover-up in the retail giant’s...
2 tags
Is Walmart Finished in New York? Greg David Seems... →
walmartfreenyc:
Walmart is in a pickle, and not the kind that can be found in the canned goods aisle. Following the Mexican bribery scandal, pols high and low have reaffirmed their opposition to the store. But they are not the only ones. Even some of the big box retailers staunchest supporters have come out against the company, namely Greg David.
The Crain’s columnist and former editor for...
2 tags
New York Times: Wal-Mart Stock Falls Nearly 5% →
walmartfreenyc:
Wal-Mart’s stock fell almost 5 percent on Monday, accounting for about one-fifth of the losses in the Dow Jones industrial average, as investors reacted to a bribery scandal at the retailer’s Mexican subsidiary and a report that an internal investigation was quashed at corporate headquarters in Arkansas.
The New York Times reported on Sunday that Wal-Mart investigators had...
Crain's New York: How Walmart may have blown it in... →
walmartfreenyc:
Walmart certainly makes it hard for people who want to support the giant retailer— especially those of us (ranging from the mayor to major business groups to me) who have argued that it should be allowed to do business in New York City.
A huge scandal exploded over the weekend when The New York Times wrote that Walmart may have not only systematically bribed Mexican officials to...
4 tags
Politicker: Quinn Reaffirms Commitment to Stopping... →
walmartfreenyc:
After The New York Times uncovered the internal reaction of Wal-Mart’s top executives to an extensive bribery scheme in Mexico, depicting the company in a fairly negative light, a variety of New York City politicians latched onto the report in order to further their arguments against the superstore ever setting up shop in the city. The group of elected officials who have sent...
Capital New York: A Walmart-bribe story set in... →
walmartfreenyc:
Local opponents of Walmart are seizing on allegations that the company paid bribes in Mexico for building permits and other government approvals to bolster their argument that opening a store here would be bad for New York.
The union representing retail workers, RWDSU, issued a statement in response to yesterday’s Times story about the alleged bribes.
Minutes later, Public...
3 tags
New York Post: City pols in Wal Mex vex →
walmartfreenyc:
Reports that Walmart bribed Mexican officials gave new ammunition yesterday to local mayoral hopefuls opposed to the chain coming here.
“The corporation’s tactics of bribery, scheming and corruption are the latest in a litany of despicable business practices,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Manhattan Borough President Scott...
4 tags
Walmart Free NYC: Walmart Accused of Widespread... →
walmartfreenyc:
NYT Reports Pay-Offs, Followed by Cover-ups, at Retailer’s Highest Levels In Mexico and U.S.
Walmart Free NYC Says Latest Allegations Prove Walmart Can’t Be Trusted To Play By the Rules; Urges New York Lawmakers to Conduct Sweeping Investigation Into Retailer’s Practices, including Charitable Contributions
Read the full press release.
3 tags
New York Times: Vast Mexico Bribery Case Hushed Up... →
walmartfreenyc:
Former Walmart executive Sergio Cicero Zapata, who resigned from Wal-Mart de Mexico in 2004, said the growth strategy in Mexico was to build hundreds of new stores so fast that competitors would not have time to react. Bribes, he explained, accelerated growth. They got zoning maps changed. They made environmental objections vanish. Permits that typically took months to process...
5 tags
RWDSU Slams Walmart's Reported Bribery, Calls for...
RWDSU Slams Walmart’s Reported Bribery in Mexico, Connects it to Duplicitous New York City Campaign of “Philanthropy” and “Lobbying”, and Calls for Immediate Investigation into Walmart
Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), UFCW, made the following statement today:
The front page story in Sunday’s New York Times...
5 tags
WOR News Talk Radio 710: Bloomingdales Workers... →
New York, NY - Hundreds of Bloomingdale’s workers in New York City have taken to the streets to demand a better contract with the company.
Mark Spellman was among the workers rallying outside Bloomingdale’s flagship store on Third Avenue today.
Union officials representing some 2,000 Bloomingdale’s employees say they are in negotiations with the company on a new four-year...
6 tags
Labor Press: RWDSU Local 3 Demands New Contract →
Cars, taxis, trucks and buses honked their horns as they passed Bloomingdale’s flagship store on 3rd Avenue on Wednesday, April 18 to show their support to the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union Local 3 members who rallied outside the store to demand a new contract from the company.
About 2,000 members, who work as sales clerks, shelf stockers and clerical workers at the 100-year old...
5 tags
WNYC News: RWDSU Local 3 Demands New Contract →
Workers at Bloomingdale’s flagship location on 59th Street rallied outside the store Wednesday, asking why the company’s strong profits are not translating into better compensation for its workers.
“Bloomingdale’s is just fine — no, they are doing more then just fine — they are raking it in,” said Stuart Appelbaum, the president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store...
The Cut: Bloomingdale’s Workers Rallied for Raises... →
Workers at Bloomingdale’s flagship store rallied today for a new contract that would account for the company’s increased sales and profits over the past year. A press release from the workers’ union points out that Terry Lundgren, the CEO of Macy’s, Inc. (which owns Bloomingdale’s), got a pay bump of nearly 23 percent last year to $14.5 million.
6 tags
WWD: Bloomingdale's Workers Rally
NEW YORK — Bloomingdale’s workers rallied outside the 59th Street flagship here to push for pay increases and other concessions from the retailer in contract negotiations.
“We are not asking for the moon and the stars, but only our fair share,” said Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union, which represents the store’s 2,000 workers.
Appelbaum, other...
DNAinfo: Bloomingdale's Workers Rally for New... →
UPPER EAST SIDE — Scores of Bloomingdale’s workers staged a rally Wednesday to highlight their plight for a new contract.
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Local 3, the union representing 2,000 workers at the Bloomie’s flagship on East 59th Street, is in negotiations with the company for a new four-year contract to take effect once the current contract expires on May 1.
...
6 tags
Photos: Bloomingdale’s Workers Rally for a Fair... →
Great rally today! Thanks to all those who came out to support the Local 3 members who are fighting for a fair contract at Bloomingdale’s. Show your support online by “liking” the Local 3 United Storeworkers Facebook page. More photos, video and press clips to come.
6 tags
Bloomingdale’s Workers to Rally for a Fair...
Strong Company Profits and Sales to be Highlighted by Workers Seeking New Four-Year Contract
*Bloomingdale’s Workers will be joined by union leaders, elected officials and other allies*
April 18, 11:00 a.m., Bloomingdale’s flagship 59th Street store, 1000 3rd Avenue (between 59th and 60th Street), New York, NY
WHAT: Workers at the Bloomingdale’s flagship 59th Street store will...
The Brian Lehrer Show: The Road to Minimum Wage
washnewyork:
Hilary Klein, lead organizer of Make the Road New York, and Luna Ranjit, executive director of Adhikaar, a Queens-based Nepalese support group, talk about their efforts to organize service workers, like manicurists and car wash attendants, for minimum wage and better working conditions.