Chicago Clergy Gearing Up For CBA Battle With Wal-Mart

In an impassioned Letter To the Editor published in the Chicago Tribune recently, Rod Wilson, Executive Director of the Lugenia Burns Hope Center, writing on the behalf of the Bronzeville Clergy Caucus, Chicago spoke of the need for a CBA to truly guarantee that the construction of a new proposed Wal-Mart would benefit both workers and the community.

When is enough, enough? When do we not allow corporate interests to take precedence over constituent and community interests? Walmart must agree to a community benefits agreement that requires a local hiring preference (within two miles of the store) for jobs and a living wage of $11.53 per hour . . . If we want to increase the quality of life for community residents, we must provide all with the opportunity to find gainful employment that will provide a living wage, and hold the potential for economic self-sufficiency.

Check out their draft CBA agreement here.

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