Wal-Mart Resolution - National Organization for Women

RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE CONSTRUCTION OF ANOTHER WAL-MART, "MERCHANT OF SHAME"

Submitted by the Austin Chapter of the National Organization for Women WHEREAS women comprise 72 percent of Wal-Mart's hourly workers, but are only one-third of its mangers and supervisors; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart sales associates on average earn a meager $6.10 per hour, or $12,688 per year if they are permitted to work full-time; and

WHEREAS, only 38 percent of Wal-Mart employees participate in its health insurance plan - the national average is 60 percent - and six out of every ten employees (more than 425,000 Wal-Mart employees - two-thirds of which are women) have no company-provided health insurance; and

WHEREAS, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Wal-Mart over allegations of sexual harassment of female employees; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Labor has discovered more than 1,400 child labor law infractions at twenty Wal-Mart chains; and

WHEREAS, lawsuits pertaining to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violations have been filed against Wal-Mart in Missouri, Arizona, California, and Arkansas; and

WHEREAS, employees from Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Washington, Illinois, Iowa, and West Virginia have sued Wal-Mart for underpaying its hourly workers, and employees from Missouri and Kansas have filed class-action suits alleging "acts of wage abuse." including neglecting to pay workers overtime, preventing rest and lunch breaks, and forcing them to "work off the clock;" and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart's health insurance plan excludes contraceptive coverage; and

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart refuses to dispense Preven, the "morning after pill," in effect imposing an ill-informed, right-wing political agenda on its shoppers; and

WHEREAS, for the reasons listed above, the National Organization for Women has named Wal-Mart a "Merchant of Shame" and launched a nationwide campaign to fight its discriminatory employment practices;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Austin Chapter of NOW shall oppose the expansion of Wal-Mart'­s empire into Austin, especially over our beloved Barton Springs Recharge Zone.