Corporate Ethics International : Victories

Victories

In this section we'll provide you with a sampling of the key victories that communities and campaigners are winning against the big box industry. These retailers, and in particular Wal-Mart, have fundamentally changed our economy, our communities, and our environment, pushing costs onto workers, taxpayers, small business, local communities, our air and water, and well beyond. This is why we seek a fundamental change in the role of corporations in society and are focusing on the ever growing big box retail industry.

Across the U.S. we are seeing communities fighting to protect their local economy, small businesses, and environment from unwanted big box stores. You'll see examples of their victories to stop these stores in this section. We've also provided information for local communities on fighting these site battles in Site Fight Resources.

Seaside UK Town Battles Supermarket Expansion and Wins
by Bonnie Alter, London, TreeHugger

There can hardly be a town without Tesco in Britain. The supermarket controls 30% of the business in the country and has stores everywhere.

Wal-Mart to Pay $54 Million to Settle Minnesota Suit
by Joe Schneider and Margaret Cronin Fisk, B&HRRC

Wal-Mart...agreed to pay $54.3 million to settle a Minnesota lawsuit over wages after a judge ruled the company broke state laws by requiring employees to work off-the-clock

Wal-Mart China Unions!
Wal-Mart Watch

Within two months of starting an intense campaign to get Wal-Mart China stores to sign collective contracts, the Chinese labor union has declared success.

VICTORY! Maine Legislature Passes Bill Requiring Economic Impact Studies of Big-Box Projects
Big Box Campaigner

The Maine legislature has given its approval to a bill that requires cities and towns to evaluate the impact of large-scale retail development.

S.D. council bans supercenter-size stores
by Craig Gustafson, Union Tribune

San Diego vs. Wal-Mart. In a move that pits the city squarely against the nation's largest retailer, San Diego yesterday joined a growing list of cities nationwide to place restrictions on large retail developments.

Wal-Mart Loses Suit
by Associated Press, New York Times
October 13th, 2006

Wal-Mart Stores forced employees to work through rest breaks and to put in extra hours without pay, violating Pennsylvania labor laws, a state jury found Thursday.

Beaverton council rejects Cedar Mill Wal-Mart plan
by The Beaverton Valley Times, Tigard Times
August 8th, 2006

Beaverton’s City Council Monday night unanimously rejected plans to build a new Wal-Mart store in Cedar Mill.

Tosa keeps 'big box' moratorium
by Pete Millard, The Business Journal of Milwaukee

The Wauwatosa Community Development Committee voted Jan. 25 to extend the city's moratorium on large-scale, retail developments for another six months. Wauwatosa enacted the so-called big-box moratorium in late 2003 while elected officials discussed an ordinance that would regulate and impose new standards on large retail buildings.

No smiles for Wal-Mart in California
by CNN
April 7th, 2004

The world's biggest retailer's effort to build a supercenter in Inglewood, Calif., suffered a blow Tuesday as voters overwhelmingly rejected a Wal-Mart Stores Inc.-sponsored initiative that would have exempted the company from zoning and environmental restrictions in the L.A. suburb.

Wal-Mart Loses Unpaid Overtime Case
by Associated Press
December 20th, 2002

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, forced employees in Oregon to work unpaid overtime between 1994 and 1999, a federal jury found Thursday in the first of dozens of such lawsuits across the country to come to trial.