On June 4, Tell Walmart to Stop Spending Their Toxic Money in NYC!

June 4: Action Against Walmart and the Walton Family’s Spending in NYC

At 12pm on June 4, at City Hall, join Walmart-Free NYC, City Council members, and community leaders to tell Walmart and the Walton family to stop spending their dangerous dollars in New York City. We will release an open letter from elected officials, to Walmart and the Walton family, making it clear that their money is not welcome here and will not be accepted in any of our communities across the 5 boroughs.

Together, we will make a strong statement by ripping up giant checks representing the money that the Walton family spends on advancing a right-wing agenda. This is an exciting opportunity for the progressive movement to speak in a strong, unified voice against Walmart.

Communities always lose far more than they gain from Walmart. New Yorkers across the five boroughs know this, and know that they can’t afford to lose the good local jobs and vibrant small businesses that predatory and harmful Walmart stores would quickly take away. That’s why Walmart will never succeed here.

Background & Context:

A Desperate Walmart Uses Walton Family $$$ to Try to Buy Influence in NYC

In recent years, New Yorkers have defeated Walmart at every turn. Because we're all too familiar with the harmful effects Walmart would have on our economy, businesses, and working families, we have prevented Walmart from opening even a single store in New York City, the most valued urban market in the country. They’re getting desperate.

The Walton family, which founded Walmart more than fifty years ago, has not given up. Instead, the Waltons have escalated their efforts to fund the privatization of our public schools in New York City and beyond. Nationally, the Waltons have a disturbing track record of supporting anti-immigrant, anti-worker, anti-democratic organizations, like the Heritage Foundation, the National Right to Work Foundation and the Cato Institute. In so doing, they are actively trying to undermine a progressive agenda – and we won’t stand for it in New York City.

Make no mistake: Walton family money is Walmart money. We need to keep their dangerous dollars out of our schools, our economy, our politics, and our communities. Walmart and the Walton family are banking on our silence in more ways than one. If we don’t fight back and raise our voices, Walmart and the Walton family will continue to use their money to try to undermine the citywide fight against inequality and our campaigns to achieve better education, better jobs, and a better city for all.

This action will be part of national week of action against Walmart and the Walton family. Around the country, opponents of the Walton family’s right-wing agenda will speak out in the lead up to Walmart's annual shareholder meeting on June 6. They will highlight how the Walton family and Walmart have together contributed to the loss of good jobs, good public schools, and good local businesses, and to an increase in conservative policies and income inequality.