Another example of industry leaders having a different agenda from citizens

Big or Small, Wal Mart wants it all. Mosaic created by FD's Flickr Toys.

The Baltimore Business Journal reports, in "National retail group challenges Wal-Mart bill," about a large retail industry trade association taking up the WalMart fight. From the article:

The Arlington, Va.-based Retail Industry Leaders Association filed a challenge to Maryland's Fair Share Health Care Act -- the so-called Wal-Mart bill -- in U.S. District Court. The law, which passed over Gov. Robert Ehrlich's veto last month, taxes for-profit companies with more than 10,000 employees that fail to spend 8 percent of their total payroll on health benefits. It became known as the Wal-Mart bill because it would only affect the retail giant.

Now the fact that Walmart doesn't pay much in the way of health insurance (or wages) makes it easier for Walmart to sell for less, compared to chains like Safeway and Giant, which are unionized companies providing higher wages and health insurance for their employees. Other Maryland businesses and citizens subsidize WalMart's "Every Day Low Prices" and businesses fail as a result.

Which part of the retail industry is the Retail Industry Leaders Association representing? Not independent retailers. And clearly not supermarket chains...

RILA advocates so that enormous retail businesses can get even larger. What's innovative about that?

Index Keywords: retail