A screening of Wal-Mart: The High-Cost of Low Price last night at the Wealthy Theatre was attended by over 350 people. The film addresses the majority of Wal-Mart’s objectionable practices, including its failure to provide fair wages and benefits, its destructive impact on communities and local businesses, and tax subsidies, among other aspects of the Wal-Mart model. Perhaps most interesting portions of the film were its descriptions of Wal-Mart’s aggressive anti-union activities, including the use of a $7,000 “anti-union surveillance camera package” and a $30,000 “spy van.” While the film does offer a good introduction to Wal-Mart, it is lacking in solutions with only a single five to ten minute segment describing organizing against Wal-Mart.
The film will be shown again in the Grand Rapids area tonight at 7:30pm at Sabo’s Infoshop and on Thursday, December 1st at 8:00pm at Grand Valley State University in the Louitt Lecture Halls on the Allendale campus.
