Honk if You're Not Down With Walmart
The group Walmart Free NYC released a study that, according to the Daily News, says Walmart’s designs on East New York would result in a gridlock nightmare. The article notes: “The report predicted that if the planned Gateway II shopping center included a Walmart, it would draw 10,692 more cars every weekday than the mall’s…
The group Walmart Free NYC released a study that, according to the Daily News, says Walmart’s designs on East New York would result in a gridlock nightmare. The article notes: “The report predicted that if the planned Gateway II shopping center included a Walmart, it would draw 10,692 more cars every weekday than the mall’s developers predicted in their environmental study. That’s a 32% jump in traffic, they said….All the new vehicles would slow traffic by 29% on the already congested Shore Parkway, the study found.” No word on whether the group is conducting a similar study about how a ShopRite might affect the area. Meanwhile, Gateway II developer the Related Companies tells the newspaper that the study is poppycock. In other Walmart-is-coming news, an article in Crain’s brings word of the following: “Walmart has reached a deal in principle with the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York that guarantees union workers will construct or renovate any stores that the retailer opens in the city during the next five years. The deal is a coup for Wal-mart Stores Inc., which faces stiff opposition from grocery and retail unions worried that the retailer’s entry into the New York City market will put downward pressure on the salaries of their members.”
Brooklyn Walmart Foes Say Plan is Traffic Jam in the Making [Daily News]
Walmart Inks Construction Union Deal [Crain’s]
Photo by jerdlngr
Babs, you REALLY know your neighborhoods!
“Aisle 7 (or is it 8?) Bushwick – Auto Parts, Live Chickens, and Bedbugs”
Dying of laughter.
Legion, I’m not arguing for or against. In fact, I’m not sure how I feel about it. I was simply pointing out that NYguy7’s post was factual.
To qualify for working section 8 you have to be working. If you’re regular section 8 and then get a job, they throw you off of assitance entirely, and you then have to re-apply for working section 8.
“Most people living in this area of Brooklyn work jobs in the city or within the borough. They could certainly use the opportunity for another family member like a teenage daughter or son to work at a large store and bring in extra money.”
Worth repeating.
mopar,
We’re talking NYC here, people have many choices despite the economy. I don’t see Walmart opening in East New York and suddenly displacing people from their jobs and putting them on public assistance. Most people living in this area of Brooklyn work jobs in the city or within the borough. They could certainly use the opportunity for another family member like a teenage daughter or son to work at a large store and bring in extra money.
Many in this area are already on public assistance as well so an opportunity to work at a large retailer could only help them. In fact many on public assistance are required to seek or maintain stable employment.
Working section-8 for instance.
OK, two 6 year old stories from biased sources and a 5 year old story about changes that the company considered making are proof of what?
Once again, where is the evidence that Wal-Mart will be any worse for the city than K-Mart, Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowes, or any other big box retailer?
I think it would be a bad idea, but if the city/state were to raise the minimum wage and say that all employers had to pay for health insurance, at least that would make some sort of sense.
Singling out one company to hate on because unions and liberals want to make an example of them makes no sense.
NYGuy is correct. Wal-Mart encouraged its employees to apply for public assistance. Documented by Bill Moyers and Fortune magazine, among others. It was such an embarrassment to the company they had to change their health care plan.
http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/walmart/walmart_3a.cfm
http://www.newrules.org/retail/news/new-study-finds-walmarts-miserly-wages-cost-taxpayers
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/business/26walmart.ready.html?pagewanted=print
When my friend lost his job at the wtc after the attacks and worked at bjs collecting the carts outdoors, he didnt have benefits and he only got half hour break. He barely got minimum wage and the kicker…no friggin store discount. hope things have changed.