The United Methodist Church is concerned about Caterpillar selling bulldozers to Israel because they’re “used in an immoral way, such as bulldozing the homes of suspected terrorists, to help Israel maintain control over the West Bank and Gaza,” according to the Journal Star. The denomination’s General Board of Pension and Health Benefits owns 60,189 shares of Cat stock with a market value of just over $4 million according to this March 31, 2007, report on their website.
However, also on that report I see that they own 767,746 shares of Wal-Mart stock with a market value of over $36 million. What do the denomination’s “social principles” say about that? Unlike Caterpillar, which has no control over how its products are used once it sells them, Wal-Mart is directly responsible for this (courtesy of WakeUpWalmart.com):
Despite $10 billion in profit last year, more than 600,000 Wal-Mart workers and their families struggle with no company-provided health care. Even more troubling, nearly 1 out of every 2 children of Wal-Mart workers lives without health care or relies on a public program. Wal-Mart has repeatedly broken child labor laws. Wal-Mart is being sued by 1.5 million female employees for discrimination. And, Wal-Mart continues to pay poverty-level wages, forcing many of its workers to make the impossible choice between rent and health care.
And this (courtesy of WalmartWatch.com; also see this PDF from ChinaLaborWatch.org):
A China Labor Watch report detailed the mistreatment of workers in a factory making small toys for Wal-Mart. As of early December 2005, violations against workers at the Lungcheong factory were as follows: the systematic denial of maternity leave, work-related injuries leading to termination, illegally denying health insurance, mandatory overtime work, insane quotas and employing underage workers.
This Cat divestment threat looks like a political statement masquerading as social concern.
Not only political, but probably anti-Jewish. Note, Israel doesn’t control Gaza anymore, and has withdrawn from much of the West Bank. At last report Gaza was in the hands of terrorists who were murdering people in the streets, and are threatening Christians and Christian missionaries. So much for morality. Has the Methodist Church condemned the terrorists lately (or called them freedom fighters??) What rubbish.
OK, so what if Israel started buying used bulldozers on the open market and they just happened to be buying CAT products. What’s the difference? This is stupid anyway.
No one is being FORCED to work at Wal-Mart. They do so by their own choice and free-will. If people refused to work at Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart would have to raise wages and/or benefits to get the labor they require. Obviously, with that many employees, at least a few are content to be there.
MDD — Interesting viewpoint. So, if I understand you correctly, you feel it’s okay for companies to exploit their workers up to that point at which conditions are so bad that no one is willing to work for them? That rolls back about 100 years of labor law, doesn’t it?
The platform taken by the UMC is no more reflective of its memberships views than the national party platform of the Republican (or for that matter the Democrat) party represent the views of the typical “Republican” (“Democrat”). Most individuals affiliated with these groups couldn’t tell you half of what is contained within the platform (and even less probably agree with what is contained in them).
I agree with you there, Peo Proud.
Unfortunately, if I had to agree with every tenet of the Methodist faith or the Republican party, I’d be without an “identify” on two fronts.
Wal Mart and lots of other companies soon won’t have to raise wages to get the labor they require, they’ll just have to import some more illegals, and yes, CJ, it will set us back more than a hundred years. If you think Wal Mart is anti-union now, see what happens if this amnesty bill passes. Unions will be in danger of total annihilation. Now, before the union bashers start up, I agree that unions (and their often out-of-touch leadership) have many faults – as many as big corporations, and their oftern-overpaid, sometimes-indicted CEO’s, but unions are necessary evils. Without them, the standard of living of the average American would be much lower, including a great many workers who have never been union members, and may not like unions. We have all benefited from what unions have done for workers.
As anti-union as wally world is, how many union workers have the fortitude to avoid shopping there? They will avoid and picket a culvers that is built with non-union labor but still spend hundreds each month at wal-mart. I am not a big pro union person but because they have always sucked I have not set foot in a wal-mart in 8 years and it has not been a burden to me at all. Shopping has become a little more interesting in fact. I first try and buy from locally owned stores and then if I cannot find what I need I look to the chains that do not completely offend me by their business practices or choices of location ect. It almost allows me to think while spending my money and I believe I save more through the thought process and lack of impulse buying than I would ever save by “one stopping” it at wally world once a week. Try it for a couple of months!!
Duke – Bravo. If everybody voted with their dollars (far more powerful votes than those that go into the ballot boxes) we would have an real impact and this would be a different world. Notice how many CITGO stations have switched to some other brand? The establishment media hasn’t reported it – because it’s been the result of individuals voting with their dollars and the establishment doesn’t want to encourage that.
I like Dollar General. Can anyone tell me if I am being morally or ethically corrupt?
The best way to describe unions – “a necessary evil.”
I would bet big money that Dollar General pays their people less (and they get fewer benefits) than those who CHOOSE to work at Wal-Mart. If one works at Wal_mart and doesn’t like it, QUIT!
Unions were and still are great for 2 things – safety and equality in the workplace. Other than that, they have screwed over most of their members over the years.
If you need someone to tell you wether you are being morally or ethically corrupt then you are both.
I am willing to bet that anyone with a name like “Raoul Duke” has the market cornered on moral and ethical corruption. I’ll see YOU at Wal-Mart!