Wal-Mart, unions face off on port security

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.examiner.com/a-634722~Wal_Mart__unions_face_off_on_port_security.html

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union wants nothing less than 100 percent.

Working through one of its national campaigns, WakeUpWalMart.com, the group wants to hold Wal-Mart accountable for its business actions. At the Inner Harbor on Thursday the local 27 chapter of the UFCW, along with WakeUpWalMart.com, took Wal-Mart to task for the mega-retailers stance on a piece of port security legislation in Congress.

The groups, joined by the Maryland chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, voiced displeasure with Wal-Mart’s opposition to a bill that would require security to check 100 percent of the containers that come through the port.


(Dave Carey/Baltimore Examiner)
Protesters bring attention to port security in front of Rash Field by the Inner Harbor on Thursday.

“There has to be tighter and better security,” said Brian Nesbit, organizer of the Baltimore rally for the UFCW Local 27. “We have an opportunity to make sure that we have secure ports and to take care of them.”

Wal-Mart, which spent more than $760 million in Maryland during 2006, views the UFCW’s attack through both advertisements and news conferences nationwide as unwarranted.

As of February, Bentonville, Ark-based Wal-Mart employed more than 15,650 people in Maryland.

FULL story at link.

[Vexatious Ape]

1. That's right, profits over people from the the nations

#1 retail death star. Who cares about scanning cargo containers when there's money to be made.

[POAS]

2. Hmmmm I wonder what

they are bringing in with all those Chinese made widgets?

:tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat:

Actually I'm sure it is about profit. How much would the extra security cost them and how much sould it delay shipments. Gotta get those widgets on the shelves pronto.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Just blowin' smoke here-- the longshoremen's union...

calls the shots in the ports.

And what's with Wal-Mart? Some kind of symbol just because they're the biggest importer? Whadda they have to do with the ports? Do they own the ships or containers?

As I keep on saying, we've always had dozens of agencies looking for everything from spoiled food to phony Rolexes to bags of heroin in the ports and they can't catch the stuff they know is coming in, so what "security" are we looking for?

I doubt anyone gassing on about this has any idea just what it takes to physically unload all the containers on each ship, check everything in them, and reload them. Sometimes you got small locomotives in those boxes-- you gonna check every nook and cranny in one for a bomb? Sure, it COULD be done, but who's going to pay for it? And who's going to stand for the incredible delays getting everything from cheap sneakers to frozen shrimp to market?

Maybe, just maybe, some plan to properly inspect all containers for everything, from pesticide-ridden vegetables to Chinese immigrants hiding in there could work, and any terrorist weaponry would be found as a matter of course.

[Omaha Steve]

4. At the 04 convention Kerry and Clinton both spoke....

in favor of 100% inspections. Remember President Clinton said he would give up his $5,000 new tax cut to do this.