Respect DC statement on Walmart’s delay of D.C. store openings.
April 9, 2012 – The Respect DC campaign released the following statement today:
Walmart’s announcement that it will delay the opening of five of six planned stores in the District of Columbia is further proof that the company has not won over city residents. Our coalition talks to community members every day, and they express concerns and reservations about Walmart opening stores without signing a legally binding Community Benefits Agreement, or CBA.
As city residents ourselves, we worry about Walmart’s potential impact on existing small businesses. We are asking the company to commit in writing to support local small business and hire local residents at a living wage.
Walmart would not be altering its original timeline if company executives did not believe it needed more time to convince District residents that low-wage poverty jobs that can force workers to rely on public assistance are what DC needs.