Anti-Walmart zealot, union bosses, on Rahm's grocery store task force

A soon-to-be-closed Dominick's

Safeway-owned Dominick's is closing all of its stores in the Chicago area, exacerbating the "food desert" problem in some city neighborhoods. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is doing what any liberal would do to address a problem. He's forming a committee. And on the committee is ethically-challenged Ald. Joe Moore (49th), best known for his crusade against the goose liver delicacy foie gras. The North Sider was the driving force behind a so-called "living wage" bill that was the only piece of legislation vetoed by Rahm's predecessor, Richard M. Daley, during his twenty-two years in office that would have forced big box stores such as Walmart to pay its workers more than other retailers. It was part of Big Labor's assault on the successful non-union chain.

Although Moore did vote to allow a Walmart to be built on the South Side. Exactly why such a matter came to the floor of the City Council confounds non-Chicagoans.

Dominick's is unionized, as is Jewel-Osco, the supermarket leader in Chicago. But the growth in the grocery business is with non-union chains such as Walmart.

Also on Emanuel's committee is a present and former union boss with the United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents Jewel-Osco and Dominick's employees. The rest of the group is dominated by other aldermen and representatives from community organizing groups. As with the Obama White House, there are few people with private-sector experience on Rahm's grocery store task force.

Expect little success.

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