Company Pulls South Side Store Because it would have to Pay Higher Wages to People
Looks like Wal-Mart won't be opening a store on
Chicago's South Side. The retailer's contract to build the store (at
83rd and Stewart) has expired, and Wal-Mart decided not to renew it.
Spokesman John Bisio says the company was concerned about efforts to
impose minimum wage and benefit standards on stores like Wal-Mart.
Those standards are proposed in a pair of ordinances that have been
introduced in the Chicago City Council. Bisio says Wal-Mart will move
forward with its plans for a store on the city's West Side (1657 N.
Kilpatrick), but that project could also be in danger if the ordinances
pass. The city council voted 32-15 back in May to allow Wal-Mart to
construct a 150,000-square-foot store in the poor, largely black and
Hispanic neighborhood on the city's West Side. [more ]
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