A TOP secret Wal-Mart memo obtained by WakeUpWalMart.com shows how Wal-Mart is exerting corporate pressure to force suppliers to join a right-wing front group bought and paid for by Wal-Mart.
The memo reads: ‘Memorandum to Retail Link Users Group Leaders from: Terry Nelson, Working Families for Wal-Mart.
‘Date: April 28, 2006.
‘Re: Recruiting RLUG’s and Suppliers to Join Working Families for Wal-Mart.
‘Wal-Mart is under attack, and Wal-Mart and SAM’S CLUB suppliers have the power to do something about and help protect their businesses.
‘This week in Irving, Texas, I was pleased to meet many of you and talk about our organisation, Working Families for Wal-Mart (WFWM).
‘This national organisation is countering the unprecedented $25 million campaign against Wal-Mart by promoting and defending the many benefits Wal-Mart provides working families.
‘WFWM is recruiting a standing army of supporters from all aspects of Walmart’s business.
‘Suppliers are strong and credible voices in this national debate because of their unique relationships and experiences with Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club.
‘Their friends, neighbors, colleagues and fellow RLUG members may look to them to understand the impact Wal-Mart has on our communities.
‘Towards that end, we would appreciate the opportunity to attend your next RLUG meeting, make a presentation about WFWM and continue to build our membership.
‘If you’d be willing to be part of this presentation by showing your support for bringing suppliers into the WFWM program, that would be even better.
‘Either way, we’d be very grateful for the chance to address your group.
‘Thank you for your consideration.
‘Please contact Steve Rice at (202) 338-0022. Or and we will follow up to schedule a presentation or to provide you with any additional information.’
The UFCW trade union commented: ‘Unbelievably, though, despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary, Working Families for Wal-Mart, more accurately described as “Wal-Mart for Wal-Mart,” still claims that it is “autonomous.”
‘But, the truth is the group is 100 per cent controlled by Wal-Mart and run out of the same office as Wal-Mart’s war room.
‘Even “Wal-Mart for Wal-Mart” steering committee member Martha Montoya, when asked if the organization had received money from anyone other than Wal-Mart said, “No, not that I know of.”
‘This just exposes what a sham Wal-Mart’s publicity stunts have become. Wal-Mart has become so desperate it is even willing to cross the line and intimidate its suppliers to try and salvage Wal-Mart’s faltering public image.’
The Wake Up WalMart campaign commented: ‘The memo, authored by Terry Nelson (the former National Political Director for Bush-Cheney 2004), asks suppliers to join Wal-Mart’s front group because, “Wal-Mart is under attack, and Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club suppliers have the power to do something about it and help protect their business.”
‘Unfortunately, Wal-Mart’s memo to suppliers makes no mention of the fact that Wal-Mart’s image is declining because the company pays poverty level wages, provides unaffordable health care, helps ship US jobs overseas, is being sued for discrimination, and continues to get caught for child labor violations.
‘Rather than address these serious issues, Wal-Mart is now using its own personal right-wing front group to try and deceive the American people.
‘The group, in conjunction with two right-wing firms, The Herald Group and Crosslink Strategies, is running a smoke and mirrors campaign, complete with paid steering committee members and canvassers, to create a false impression that there are people willing to defend the indefensible.
‘We hope this memo will expose “Wal-Mart for Wal-Mart” for the sham that it is and will begin to force the company to address the real issues in this campaign. Until Wal-Mart changes, WakeUpWalMart.com, on behalf of the American people and its 231,000 real grassroots supporters, will continue to build the largest grassroots campaign to change a corporation in history proving the power we all have to change Wal-Mart and change America for the better.
‘The truth is Working Families for Wal-Mart is nothing more than Wal-Mart’s own personal right-wing front group.
‘Many of its board members are either paid by Wal-Mart directly or have business relationships with the company, and the group has contracted with two right-wing firms, The Herald Group and Crosslink Strategies.
‘We hope this memo will help expose Working Families for Wal-Mart for the publicity stunt that it is and will begin to force the company to address the real issues in this campaign like the terrible cost America’s families pay because Wal-Mart fails to provide affordable wages and health benefits, forces our jobs to be shipped overseas, and shifts its costs onto taxpayers.’