My local paper is doing a story asking if the efforts to reform WalMart are having an effect on WalMart shoppers. I was interviewed for it by the reporter, who seemed genuinely interested in finding an honest answer. I kept trying to make the point that the best evidence that we're having an effect is that WalMart is running scared from us "guppies," who are pushing for economic justice within and without the walls of the nation's biggest retailer. WalMart isn't spending millions commissioning favorable studies and hosting huge PR events to sell those studies because there's something they don't know about themselves. They aren't leaking memos assuring readers that they will address health care issues not by improving benefits but by avoiding older and overweight employees because they want to. They're doing it because they're vulnerable on these issues and Wall St. knows it.
One of the Ohio blogs has a nice snap shot of WM going down hard in his hometown -
http://wordofmouthblog.blogspot.com/2005/11/grassroots-lorain-says-no-way-to-wal.html
It warmed my heart.
Posted by: Decker | November 28, 2005 at 01:05 AM
The "guppies" line is priceless. By that, I mean the line from WalMart about being "nibbled to death by guppies."
WalMart is a focus around here, because of the pending healthcare legislation in Maryland, so I'm suprised I haven't seen that quote reprinted.
Also, just wanted to mention that I'll have one or two trips coming up in Philadelphia. Maybe we can get together with RiggsVeda at some point?
Posted by: AltHippo | November 30, 2005 at 10:56 PM