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A Pact with the Community from AlterNet
Posted April 5, 2005.
An open letter to the CEO of Wal-Mart: "We believe that it's time for Wal-Mart to focus less on image and more on substance."
Mr. Lee Scott
CEO
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Bentonville, AR
72716-8611
Dear Mr. Scott:
One year ago, Wal-Mart tried to deny the people of Inglewood their rights with a ballot initiative that would have allowed your company to build a supercenter with no public review, input or oversight.
As you know, the voters of Inglewood rejected Wal-Marts initiative by a two-to-one margin. We rejected it because your company acted with disrespect for the basic rights of our community. And we rejected it because the people of Inglewood like people across America -- have serious concerns about Wal-Marts impact on communities.
We are concerned about the impact of poverty wages and inadequate health care on the quality of life of Inglewood families.
We are concerned about maintaining business opportunities for small businesses and Wal-Marts track record of driving locally-owned and minority businesses out of business.
We are concerned about the unmitigated negative impacts, including increased crime, traffic, noise, and pollution, which result from the development of Wal-Mart projects.
We challenge you to work with communities to address these concerns and agree to mitigate the negative impacts that have resulted from the development of Wal-Mart stores throughout the country.
In the past 12 months, Wal-Mart has spent tens of millions of dollars on a public relations campaign that has attempted to project a positive image of Wal-Marts relationship with communities.
We believe that its time for Wal-Mart to focus less on image and more on substance.
We believe that the hundreds of millions of dollars your company is investing in public relations would be far better spent on addressing the problems that have damaged Americas communities.
In the coming weeks, Wal-Mart is expected to announce new plans to build a store in Inglewood, on land that your company quietly purchased after last years election.
Inglewood needs development, but it must be development that makes our community stronger, not weaker.
Therefore we propose that your company negotiate and sign a Community Benefits Agreement that will make the project work for the people of Inglewood.
This legally-binding agreement will protect the rights of our community. It will guarantee living-wage jobs, affordable family health care, fair pension benefits, job training and advancement, freedom from retaliation and basic rights on the job. It will also protect the interests of small businesses, and ensure that your project does not increase crime, traffic, noise and pollution in our city.
Many private developers, including some of the largest in the world, have signed Community Benefits Agreements with similar provisions.
Inglewood deserves nothing less.
The people of Inglewood want what every community in America wants: good jobs with affordable health care and fair pension benefits, a diverse mix of small and large businesses with quality products and services, safe neighborhoods and a clean environment.
Mr. Scott, youve admitted publicly that Wal-Mart made a mistake in Inglewood. Now you have an opportunity to correct that mistake by showing the people of Inglewood and the American public that Wal-Mart is truly committed to strong, healthy communities.
We challenge you to commit yourself through actions, not words.
Posted April 5, 2005.
An open letter to the CEO of Wal-Mart: "We believe that it's time for Wal-Mart to focus less on image and more on substance."
Mr. Lee Scott
CEO
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Bentonville, AR
72716-8611
Dear Mr. Scott:
One year ago, Wal-Mart tried to deny the people of Inglewood their rights with a ballot initiative that would have allowed your company to build a supercenter with no public review, input or oversight.
As you know, the voters of Inglewood rejected Wal-Marts initiative by a two-to-one margin. We rejected it because your company acted with disrespect for the basic rights of our community. And we rejected it because the people of Inglewood like people across America -- have serious concerns about Wal-Marts impact on communities.
We are concerned about the impact of poverty wages and inadequate health care on the quality of life of Inglewood families.
We are concerned about maintaining business opportunities for small businesses and Wal-Marts track record of driving locally-owned and minority businesses out of business.
We are concerned about the unmitigated negative impacts, including increased crime, traffic, noise, and pollution, which result from the development of Wal-Mart projects.
We challenge you to work with communities to address these concerns and agree to mitigate the negative impacts that have resulted from the development of Wal-Mart stores throughout the country.
In the past 12 months, Wal-Mart has spent tens of millions of dollars on a public relations campaign that has attempted to project a positive image of Wal-Marts relationship with communities.
We believe that its time for Wal-Mart to focus less on image and more on substance.
We believe that the hundreds of millions of dollars your company is investing in public relations would be far better spent on addressing the problems that have damaged Americas communities.
In the coming weeks, Wal-Mart is expected to announce new plans to build a store in Inglewood, on land that your company quietly purchased after last years election.
Inglewood needs development, but it must be development that makes our community stronger, not weaker.
Therefore we propose that your company negotiate and sign a Community Benefits Agreement that will make the project work for the people of Inglewood.
This legally-binding agreement will protect the rights of our community. It will guarantee living-wage jobs, affordable family health care, fair pension benefits, job training and advancement, freedom from retaliation and basic rights on the job. It will also protect the interests of small businesses, and ensure that your project does not increase crime, traffic, noise and pollution in our city.
Many private developers, including some of the largest in the world, have signed Community Benefits Agreements with similar provisions.
Inglewood deserves nothing less.
The people of Inglewood want what every community in America wants: good jobs with affordable health care and fair pension benefits, a diverse mix of small and large businesses with quality products and services, safe neighborhoods and a clean environment.
Mr. Scott, youve admitted publicly that Wal-Mart made a mistake in Inglewood. Now you have an opportunity to correct that mistake by showing the people of Inglewood and the American public that Wal-Mart is truly committed to strong, healthy communities.
We challenge you to commit yourself through actions, not words.
