October 28, 2016 by Union Advocate
From selling goods manufactured overseas to avoiding federal taxes, Walmart and Donald Trump have a lot in common. In fact, it’s a connection so strong that Walmart sells products promoting Trump’s presidential campaign on its website.
Nearly 50 people connected the dots between Trump and Walmart at a protest Monday in St. Paul’s Midway shopping district, sponsored by the worker group Making Change at Walmart and two locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.
Since Trump admitted to “locker room talk” about making unwanted advances on women, at least 10 women have stepped forward with claims the Republican nominee sexually harassed or assaulted them.Jennifer Christensen, president of St. Paul-based UFCW Local 1189, pointed to a particularly disturbing thing Walmart and Trump have in common: accusations that they treat women poorly.
Walmart, meanwhile, was accused of sex discrimination in one of the largest class action lawsuits ever, dismissed in a narrow, 5-4 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We are here to tell Walmart to take responsibility and show that they respect women in America by denouncing Donald Trump’s offensive, misogynistic rhetoric,” St Christensen said.
“The very notion that a large corporation operates stores in our neighborhoods and is complicit in the promotion of the denigration of women is unconscionable and offensive, and it will not be tolerated. We demand change at Walmart, and we demand it today.”
Several corporations, including Macy’s, NBC Universal and NASCAR, have publicly distanced themselves from Trump’s rhetoric.
The protest in St. Paul was among several nationwide this week. Others took place in Phoenix, New York, Chicago and elsewhere.
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