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August 10, 2005
erose@aft.org
202/879-4458
Statement by Edward J. McElroy, President, American Federation of Teachers,
On the 'Send Wal-Mart Back to School' Campaign
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Faced with a grassroots campaign to educate the public about the true cost of shopping at Wal-Mart, the giant retailer could change the way it does business. It could end its abominable treatment of its workers and its violations of child labor laws. It could quit forcing states to pick up the tab for its employees' healthcare. It could stop demanding property tax subsidies that force communities to cut school budgets.
But Wal-Mart didn't take any of those steps. Instead, it issued a press
release/advertisement touting its 25-cent crayons as an example of how the company supports communities. Wal-Mart just doesn’t get it.
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The AFT represents 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.
