In Washington state, theWashington Education Association's Children's Fund reimburses teachers for school supplies purchased. The teacher's union has decided that it will no longer reimburse teachers for items purchased at Wal-Mart:
How exactly is it a bold political stand? I'm not really sure considering how politcally active teachers unions have been for years.
When it's time to pick up supplies for her third-grade classroom, Jennifer Strand would prefer to steer clear of Wal-Mart.The teacher is convinced the retail giant isn't paying workers a fair wage, but in the northeastern Washington town of Colville -- population 5,000 -- the only other option is a small stationery section in the local grocery store.
So Strand became a reluctant Wal-Mart shopper -- venturing in from time to time to pick up supplies and emergency items for disadvantaged students, such as coats and shoes. She'd get reimbursed through the Washington Education Association's Children's Fund, a decade-old charity that provides up to $100 per student each year.
Not anymore.
Taking a bold political stand, the state teachers' union last week declared the fund off-limits to Wal-Mart purchases.
This my favorite quote:
Nevermind that if WM had to pay for healthcare for this person, she wouldn't have a job.
A Spanish teacher at Columbia River High School in Vancouver, Olveda lauded the association's move and said she refuses to shop at Wal-Mart, as do many of her colleagues."One of my students has an 80-year-old grandmother who works there and has no benefits," she said. "There are so many other places we could be spending our money other than Wal-Mart. Granted, they have lower prices, but it's because they're predatory."
Posted by Bob on March, 11 2005 at 03:07 PM
