Editor:
If it is indeed true that Walmart is moving into the mall (“Where’s Walmart,” Aug. 11), then there are several things that our community should be concerned about (aside from the fact that this has been shrouded in secrecy):
Walmart employees often have to go on public assistance to supplement the low wages they are paid (with a cost of an estimated $86 million annually to California taxpayers).
A study by UC Berkeley’s Labor Center found that Walmart drives down wages in urban areas, with an annual loss of at least $4.7 billion dollars in earnings for retail workers. This was based on 15 years of data on actual store openings.
Walmart has not treated its female employees fairly. Women are paid 77 cents for every $1 that men are paid for equal work.
In their pharmacy in particular they undercut the prices of other stores when then they first move into a community, then jack up their prices when those other stores go out of business.
I’m not sure how anyone can argue that Walmart will be good for Humboldt County. The only ones who will profit from this will be Walmart executives. Costco treats its employees well and is a profitable company. If Walmart moves into our community, we should demand that they have better business practices as well.
Pat Chadwick, Arcata
Eda Bachrach, Eureka
This article appears in Whose Arcata?.
Recycled from the times-standard, also the SCOTUS kicked the lawsuit out about 6 months ago as it was completely unfounded.
Oh, I’d also like to point out, Humboldt County pays people to relocate from Humboldt to another county or state.
How much does that cost California each year?
There are some buzz words which will send a certain group of folks right out of their minds. One of those words is ‘Walmart.’ Like Pavlov’s dogs. No logic. No reason. Just conditioned reflex. Idiot Wind, blowing through the buttons of your coat, blowing through the letter that you wrote. Apologies to Mr. Dylan.
I’m sorry, but “Walmart” is not a “buzzword,” it’s a gigantic corporation. And thanks for apologizing to Mr. Dylan. It was the least you could do.
We poisoned our air, water and the food-chain in reverence of a “free” market myth.
Allowing folks to undermine their own rural economy for temporary low-prices is easy.
@BUZZ: “Corporation” is another buzzword for some folks. I’ll bet the computer you typed your comment on was produced by a “gigantic corporation” and assembled in China by folks who earn four bucks for a 12 hour day and live like slaves. By your standards, you should be ashamed for owning one. I apologized to America’s greatest living songwriter because I paraphrased his lyrics, not because it was “the least” I could do.
No, really. It was the least you could do. And keep attacking those “buzzwords.” That should keep you occupied.