Here's a site with some teeth: Paid Critics.com

While I was in Washington, blogging only occasionally, I was informed by Chris Abraham of Edelman that a new site is up, Paid Critics.com.

The site exposes the paid critics of Wal-Mart.

For instance, Wal-Mart Watch is funded by the Service Employees International Union; Wake Up Wal-Mart is funded by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

The former's involvement is a little bizarre. SEIU mostly represents government workers and health care employees--not retail workers. Staunchly Democratic, they're one of the most politically active unions--the union's purple and gold T-shirts are a common site at most Democratic political rallies.

This is what I don't like about SEIU: From the outside, it clearly appears to me that the union, via its public service workers, is government lobbying for more government (electing Democrats).

Hypothetical question: Could someone be pulling SEIU's strings in their battle against Wal-Mart? Is there a quid pro quo?

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union doesn't escape criticism from me this afternoon. This comes from Paid Critics.com:

A document obtained by paidcritics.com shows that Wake-Up Wal-Mart is so desperate to lure supporters that it is offering a "Free Happy Hour" to winners of a Missouri union local's "Picket Line Participation Contest!" UFCW Local 655 is exhorting members to "see the evils of Wal-Mart" (about that "partnership" again?), as they ponder "Where in the world would you like a free happy hour?"

Looks like only UFCW members are eligible. So much for "Americans joining together in common purpose."

Apparently when Wake-Up Wal-Mart calls itself a social movement and vows to give Americans the tools to empower themselves, it is defining social movement" as Happy Hour and "tools" as free drinks (all paid for with mandatory dues, of course).

Free booze to picket Wal-Mart? Very responsible. Be careful on the drive home, or better yet, appoint a designated driver.

Of course, buying a few kegs of beer for union members to tap into at a union hall is a favorite "tool" of unions before--and after--a political rally is a time-tested tactic of organized labor to attract troops to participate in the front lines of this "social movement."

An aside: Mrs. Marathon Pundit just called me from the Niles Wal-Mart, she dropped off our film-rolls from the trip to Washington.

Technorati tags: Wal-Mart Labor union SEIU UFCW Missouri alcohol