Shoppers responsible
Your statement in the June/July 2002 issue that “Wal-Mart exports whatever jobs it can overseas” is wrong. Shoppers send jobs overseas. We are one of the richest countries in the world, but we demand the lowest prices. Very few think union when they shop.
Al Allington
Watervliet, Mich.
Money motive
Apparently the modern-day Wal-Mart even goes against old Sam’s handwritten word to me back in 1986. I had written thanking him for the full-page “Buy American” ad he had in the Nashville papers. The world’s richest human wrote back to me on the bottom of my letter I had sent him, “Don, Thanks for your comments and support. We’re gaining with our Buy American program. It is right! S. Walton.” It is obvious that the present-day Waltons are not trying to “gain” one inch on the foreign products issue. “Just make money” is the guiding light and motive. If old Sam knew that today’s stores had only 20 percent American content, he would probably be upset.
Don Corn
Retired international representative
UAW Region 8, Lebanon, Tenn.
Sam did give
I just finished the June/July issue of Solidarity. There was an article about Wal-Mart that said Sam Walton said he never gave to charity. This is not true. My wife worked at a children’s home in Clinton, S.C., and Wal-Mart gave them a lot, not only in money but a lot of merchandise. I thought when Walton was alive that Wal-Mart was a good store. I think he tried to have as much made-in-America products as he could. But now that he is gone, the person they hired to manage Wal-Mart said he was going to make money any way he could. Now I would bet there are stores in China that don’t have as many Chinese products as Wal-Mart has. But I think we can put some of the blame on our government for the free trade. I wish the UAW the best on getting Wal-Mart to go union. Here in Florida, unions are not well-liked. And we can’t blame it on the South. Most people in Florida are from the North or some foreign country.
Chester F. Greufe
GM retiree
Leesburg, Fla.
Team players
I just put down my August Solidarity magazine and went straight to the computer. I was hurt by the C-5 Corvette article. I work along with 14 or more people who make the Corvette convertible top. We take great pride in our product, and we’re dedicated to making the best top we can for the C-5 Corvette. In the picture of the new 2003 Corvette, you will notice it was a convertible. We may not be a Big Three plant, but we are part of the Corvette team. We are a small IPS plant that has a lot of pride, too. We deserve to be a part of the C-5 team.
Patricia A. Jermeay
UAW Local 1348
Adrian, Mich.
You are correct. There are many UAW members who help
build Corvettes, and you are justified in your pride, just
as all UAW members proudly strive to build a quality product.
There was no intention on our part to leave anyone out or
to offend you.
Larry Gabriel, editor
