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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Safe Passage Trauma for kids. But it's safe for Whole Foods & Walmart.

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Safe Passage Trauma for kids. But it's safe for Whole Foods & Walmart.:

Safe Passage Trauma for kids. But it's safe for Whole Foods & Walmart.

"We recognize this is a community we haven't served." -- Whole Foods CEO
I wonder what message the mayor is sending to families in Englewood as he closes their schools and courts Texas-based Whole Foods? He's using $10 million in TIF money to entice WF CEO John Mackey to grace the black community with one of his stores. That's money that should have been used to save schools and teaching jobs.

Yes, the store should open up a few low-wage, temporary and part-time jobs. And finally, a market in the "food dessert."  But who is all this really for?

Whole Foods, the second largest union-free food retailer behind Walmart, has taken a position that unions are "not valid.” The company gives its workers a pamphlet titled “Beyond Unions," which has helped to fend off unionizing attempts in several cities. Mackey has evencompared unions to “herpes." 

BTW, while Walmart is being targeted by thousands of protesting union workers and supporters today down in Florida, Chicago Walmart workers are facing a struggle of their own. Tyrone Robinson, a local leader of the 83rd and Stewart Walmart store (Chatham neighborhood) of Chicago was retaliated against and fired after his participation in the June 7th, Caravan for Respect to Bentonville, AR shareholder meeting.

Join OUR Walmart and Warehouse Workers for Justice
Stand with Walmart Workers in Chicago! Rally for Respect!
Thursday, Sept 5 at 4:00 p.m.
Meet up at Heritage Green Park, 610 W. Adams St., Chicago
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Seven more shot in Chicago yesterday, one fatally. At least eight dead (including a 16-year-old) and 25 o