Disgruntled Walmart Employees Fight to Keep Walmart out of Chinatown

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At a demonstration in MacArthur Park today to protest Walmart's plans to move into Chinatown, few residents from Chinatown showed up but there was a strong showing of disgruntled Walmart employees.

Among the protestors was James Elmendorf, the campaign director of the LA Alliance for a New Economy. He says a new Walmart supermarket will run small longtime Mom and Pop shops out of business.

"They're family owned and locally owned and if Walmart comes in undercuts them by having cut rate wages and cut rate prices just to drive them out of business," said Elmendorf. "We will see a loss of important institutions in Chinatown."

But we're not talking a monumental Walmart intervention. Walmart officials say the supermarket in Chinatown would only be 33,000 square feet - about one fifth the size of the average super store.

But Elmendorf claims the corporate giant is bypassing 2004 law that requires a job quality and economic impact assessment on the neighborhood before stores larger than 100,000 square feet can be built.

Opponents of the also fear Walmart will compromise the cultural integrity of Chinatown, which was established in 1938. But Walmart says it will bring healthy food and employment to low-income neighborhoods. However, those gathered at McArthur park were more concerned about working conditions.

"Walmart is the modern day 21st century slave driver," one Walmart employee announced at the conference.

Walmart pays about $8.50 an hour and provides health benefits. Walmart says Chinatown Mom and Pop shops cannot afford to provide healthcare to its employees.

But Walmart employees complained these benefits are not sufficient. And they were pretty vocal about their grievances.

"There are many, many associates in our store alone that had to drop their insurance because they just couldn't afford it," said Maggie Vanness, a Walmart employee.

There are also questions over Walmart's track record. Greg Fletcher has worked at Walmart for 5 years and says historically when Walmart is introduced to a community, small businesses ultimately suffer.

"Walmart makes promises to these communities of wages and positions they usually do not live up to," he said.

Despite efforts to stop Walmart's debut in Chinatown, Walmart plans to start construction this summer.