News from the Shopping for Justice Coalition
Philadelphia, PA

As well as having the largest profits, Wal-Mart is the most widely sued retailer in the US. And those profits and suits are integrally related. -more-

Greater Philadelphia DSA took the lead in organizing the coalition which included Jobs with Justice; locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers, UNITE! and the Teamsters; PA NOW; Philadelphia NOW; and the Pennsylvania Citizen Action Network; UNITE! The informational picket took place at the opening of a new Wal-Mart in East Norriton, Montgomery County, PA, on July 17. Demonstrators passed out leaflets to cars, talked to Wal-Mart customers, carried signs and posed with a giant puppet and an inflated Rat with the Coalitions "Always Low-Wages" banners. Here is information from their flyer.

START SHOPPING
FOR JUSTICE!

DON'T SHOP AT WAL-MART AND SAM'S CLUB

Jobs, Families &
Neighborhoods
are Up Against the WAL*

Wal-Mart is responsible for expanding the "Working Poor" in America:

1) Wal-Mart's "full-time" jobs are classified as 28 hours per week - hardly enough at minimum wages to support a family.

2) Wal-Mart employees pay high monthly health insurance co-pays and steep deductibles, which cause many workers to do without health insurance.

3) Wal-Mart employees are eligible to receive so-called "profit sharing" benefits, but less than 2% of them participate substantially in the plan. After paying dearly for medical coverage out of their low wages, few can afford to join Wal-Mart's savings plan. (New York Times, October 3, 1993)

DON'T ALLOW WAL-MART TO
DESTROY OUR COMMUNITY.

Please patronize stores where
employees earn livable wages and benefits:
Acme Markets, SuperFresh, Shop Rite, Rite Aid, PLCB
and other union stores throughout the Delaware Valley.
For more information, call 215-735-3615.

WHEN YOU SHOP AT WAL-MART,
YOU ARE SUPPORTING INJUSTICE:

POVERTY WAGES: Most Wal-Mart salespeople earn wages that put them below the poverty line.

NO HEALTH INSURANCE: The health "benefit" Wal-Mart offers actually costs full-time employees up to a third of their wages.

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN: Women who work for Wal-Mart are denied opportunities for training and advancement.

THEFT OF LIFE FROM EMPLOYEES: Wal-Mart "encourages" many employees sign up for company life insurance policies with Wal-Mart as the beneficiary. When they die, Wal-Mart gets $65,000-their families get nothing.

THEFT OF TIME FROM EMPLOYEES: Wal-Mart employees have been forced to work before and after they clock in-work for which they were never paid. They have even been locked into the store and forced to work overtime for no pay.

SWEATSHOPS: Nearly all of the clothes sold at Wal-Mart are made in sweatshop conditions outside the US.

THE DEATH OF SMALL BUSINESSES & SMALL TOWN AMERICA: Wal-Mart drives out locally owned businesses, turning business people, entrepreneurs and their employees into Wal-Mart low-wage workers.

WE CAN DO BETTER!

Help your neighbors and your community
Don't shop at Wal-Mart - Don't Shop at Sam's Club
Shop for Justice!

Shopping for Justice Coalition: Democratic Socialists of America, Pennsylvania NOW, Pennsylvania Consumer Action Network, Philadelphia Area Jobs with Justice, UFCW 1776, UNITE!, Women's International League for Peace & Freedom