Union Protest Angers Black Caucus Members

SEIU Complained About Wal-Mart Role

The Service Employees International Union has angered a number of African American House members by protesting Wal-Mart's involvement in a Congressional Black Caucus fundraiser.

The conflict between two mainstays of the Democratic Party began after Anna Burger, SEIU secretary-treasurer, wrote caucus members "to express our disappointment that the Congressional Black Caucus has given Wal-Mart an opportunity to fashion a false image as a friend of African Americans and of working people generally."

SEIU and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. sponsored an April 27 caucus fundraiser. The union has criticized Wal-Mart's personnel practices as anti-labor.

Caucus member Rep. Albert R. Wynn (D-Md.) described the letter as "presumptuous."

"The attitude of the letter was that somehow we were allowing someone to do this as though we had no free will or common sense," he said.

The CBC chairman, Rep. Melvin Watt (D-N.C.), said, "I couldn't imagine them writing a similar letter to other members of Congress, Democrats, Blue Dogs [conservative Democrats], Republicans."

Wynn and Watt argued that it would make no sense for the caucus to break off ties with Wal-Mart officials, noting that at meetings with the company caucus members have raised many of same issues of low pay, limited fringe benefits and outsourcing to China that concern labor leaders.

The dispute was first reported Tuesday by the Hill newspaper.

"As the largest employer in the world, Wal-Mart's labor relations model is now undermining standards for all American workers," Burger wrote in her letter to caucus members. "The average salesclerk makes below the poverty line, and a majority of Wal-Mart workers cannot afford the company's health insurance plan. . . . Wal-Mart has forced its more than 600 suppliers to shift operations overseas to exploit workers there at even lower wages while destroying good American jobs."

Leaders of many unions in addition to the SEIU have identified Wal-Mart as a major threat to organized labor and a powerful force in driving wages down in the United States and globally. A number of members of the AFL-CIO are pushing a plan to spend $25 million or more annually to try to organize Wal-Mart employees.

Kimberly Woodard, director of federal government relations for Wal-Mart, said the company "is the largest employer of African Americans, and it's only natural that we would want to reach out to members of the Congressional Black Caucus."

"We think it is our right and obligation to engage them," she added.

Ray Bracy, Wal-Mart's vice president for government relations, stressed the company's view that the dispute is "really between the Congressional Black Caucus and SEIU" and said, "We are not trying to create a fight here."

Wal-Mart has become a significant supporter of the CBC Foundation. Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), chairman of the foundation, said the company first gave $50,000 about four years ago and has since raised its annual gift to $100,000. The caucus and its foundation have been criticized for accepting contributions from tobacco companies and beer manufacturers.