Wal-Mart refuses to answer public questions at ANC 4B meeting

At the May 12 2011 meeting of ANC 4B focussing on Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart and Foulger-Pratt refused to answer a number of audience questions.

Video: Wal-Mart evades, ducks, sometimes left “speechless” by audience questions

I asked if they would close if a union managed to organize their Ga Ave location, they said only that they would follow NLRB regulations, which do not prohibit closing a store after a union orgqnizes it. Wal-Mart’s rep also claimed Wal-Mart has “no plans” to close the Ga Ave location, but of course they also have no plans for a union to ever organize any of their stores. Historically, every time a union has organized a Wal-Mart store in Noth America, it has been closed. In addition, Wal-Mart discontinued in-house meatcutting after that department was unionized in just one store!

Another audience member brought in scientific studies showing that Wal-Mart would cost 1.4 jobs for every job created in their own stores. With Wal-Mart claiming 300 jobs per store times 4 stores, that would be 1,200 jobs added-but 1600 jobs lost, for a net loss of 480 jobs. She then asked how Wal-Mart could still think they will be good for the community-and no Wal-Mart or Foulger-Pratt representative would step up to the podium to speak at all.

There has been an additional development: Dick Knapp has not been seen at the Wal-Mart hearings in quite some time, with Foulger-Pratt now sending someone else in his place. It can be confirmed that he was not at the last two at all, and I have not seen him in months.