Wal-Mart offers $8.75-an-hour wage, union balks [View All]

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/2415526,chicago-walmart-deal-062110.article


June 21, 2010

By FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter

Wal-Mart offered Monday to pay its Chicago employees a minimum urban wage of $8.75-an-hour to break the stalemate that has stalled its $1 billion plan to build “several dozen” Chicago stores over the next five years.

After six years of stonewalling labor’s demand that Wal-Mart pay its employees a “living wage,” the world’s largest retailer yielded to pressure from Mayor Daley to establish a new standard for Chicago.

The $8.75-an-hour minimum Chicago wage would be 50 cents above Illinois’ minimum wage, but far short of the $11.03-an-hour unions have demanded.

Jorge Ramirez, secretary-treasurer of the Chicago Federation of Labor, promptly rejected the offer outlined during the second face-to-face meeting between Wal-Mart and organized labor and the first since May 3.

“It’s 50-cents above the minimum wage. The big-box ordinance was $11.03-an-hour, plus $3 in benefits. Folks in our coalition are outraged that they wasted our time for a month-and-a-half and came up with something they knew would not be acceptable,” Ramirez said.

“This is a straight muscle play by Wal-Mart to ram this down the City Council’s throat. Aldermen are gonna see through it.”

FULL story at link.