Report: Walmart Would Kill Jobs, Lower Wages in NYC

by Lauren Kelley · 2011-01-21 07:46:00 UTC
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New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio has released a report finding that a New York City Walmart would have a net negative effect on job creation in the city while driving down wages and benefits for workers.

Published in conjunction with the Center for Community Planning and Development at Hunter College, the report looks at data from more than 50 Walmart studies around the country and concludes that Walmarts generally put neighboring mom-and-pop stores out of business, negating any jobs created by the retailer. "For every two jobs that a Walmart adds, they destroy three," de Blasio told ABC. "So there's a net job loss. The jobs that remain are lower paying. You add all that up, it doesn't make sense for a community. It's like a Trojan horse."

The report also notes that Walmart would burden New York City taxpayers because the company relies on government-subsidized healthcare to provide healthcare access for many of its workers and has a history of not paying its taxes.

Read this post for more reasons why a New York City Walmart would be terrible for the city.

Despite Mr. de Blasio's concern, Walmart is still moving full steam ahead with its plans to open a New York City store, with the full support of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The company has been scouting retail locations, and seems to have decided on a spot in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn. Walmart has been churning out PR like crazy trying to win over New York residents. In addition to several full-page newspaper ads "pointedly targeting underserved residents," according to ABC, the company has also launched the Walmart New York City website, which contains a page of unintentionally hilarious Walmart endorsements: "As a shopper, I say that unions destroy companies. I go to union stores and there is no one to help you. Go to non-union stores and there are workers all over the place," says one completely random New Jersey resident.

A City Council hearing at which New York residents will get a chance to speak their mind about the proposed store(s) has been delayed twice now -- the first time because so many people were expected to attend that organizers had to find a bigger venue, and the second time because of inclement weather. Now the hearing is scheduled for February 3, and Walmart knows it could mark a turning point -- good or bad -- in its campaign.

However, the company has said it will not participate in the hearing, choosing instead to focus attention on its PR campaign. Goes to show you how much the company actually cares about hearing from the locals.

Tell Mayor Bloomberg you don't support opening a Walmart in New York City -- and he shouldn't either.

Photo credit: Brave New Films

Lauren Kelley is an associate editor at AlterNet and a freelance writer. She has volunteered for Planned Parenthood of North Texas, Amnesty International, 826NYC and other groups.
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