There are many Chicago neighborhoods that are impoverished and suffering from a lack of opportunities for economic growth. Alderwoman Emma Mitts is in favor of Wal-Mart stores coming into the communities because she feels the neighborhoods will only benefit from them.
As part of the Annual Heritage Conference Series, many different presentations have been going on around the school. “Advocacy and Direct Action Equals Positive Economic Impact: Bringing Chicago’s First Wal-Mart to the West Side of Chicago” was presented on Jan. 31.
Murell J. H. Duster, dean of academic development and diversity and multicultural programs, introduced Alderwoman Mitts from Chicago’s 37th Ward.
There have been many debates over Wal-Mart and the way they treat their workers. Their recent plan to expand into urban areas has given rise to many more heated discussions.
Mitts felt that the presence of Wal-Mart affords the communities the opportunities for economic redevelopment and the reality of economic self-sufficiency through the creation of new jobs.
Mitts fought through controversy for four years to bring the first Wal-Mart within Chicago’s city limits to the west side Austin community. Many of her colleagues on the city council disagreed with her, but she eventually won her fight.
In the Austin community, the unemployment rate is 17 percent, four times the national average. Mitts’ vision for the 37th Ward includes a “blueprint for progress” and is being laid out to help people understand the impacts of grassroots advocacy.
Those that oppose Wal-Mart in the city say that the company has a history of not taking care of their employees, and that Wal-Mart doesn’t pay a living wage and there are little or no benefits for many of their employees.
There was even a big box ordinance authored by 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore and passed by the city council proposed to keep companies like Wal-Mart “in check.” Stores that made over $1 billion a year and were of a certain size would have to pay their workers at least $10 an hour and $3 in benefits.
Wal-Mart threatened to pull the plug on their plans to expand if this was made law. They did not have to make good on that threat, as Mayor Daley vetoed the measure.
Despite all of the opposition, Mitts is still in favor of bringing Wal-Mart to Chicago. Mitts was in talks with Wal-Mart for a long time and on top of creating jobs, (15,000 people applied for only several hundred jobs), they promised to hire some ex-offenders.
Wal-Mart also gave $130,000 to charity in the community. “My people were coming to me begging for jobs,” said Mitts. “People talk about how the residents of some of the urban areas are lazy and shiftless, but my people want jobs, they want education and training.”
More jobs were created for the many construction workers that had to build the store. Mitts was not fond of the unions and said, “They would only block us out.”
According to Mitts, these Wal-Mart jobs would be better than no jobs. “We need this,” she said.
Mitts hopes that Wal-Mart’s presence will be the beginning of a new day for a community that has been economically distressed and abandoned and hopes that others will allow this model to stimulate further growth in areas that are in need of an economic boost.
In a news story on the day that the store was opening, Mitts was heard yelling “Thank God for Wal-Mart.” For some Wal-Mart critics, that remains to be seen.