UNI joins protests on streets of Delhi over Walmart threat
Ahead of an international meeting on the implications of foreign direct investment (FDI) in India hosted by UNI Global Union in Delhi, Hoffman led a delegation to support small traders and hawkers holding a rally and a march on Parliament to show their opposition to foreign direct investment and the threat of a Walmart invasion.
Hoffman said, “Although the decision on FDI in multi-brand retail is on hold the small traders are right to protest. They are one of the prime groups who will suffer if the FDI decision goes through without proper and enforceable conditions. UNI is here in Delhi to share its experiences of the woeful global work practices of Walmart. We are launching a report which outlines the size of the Walmart threat to Indian workers and India’s economy. We have the evidence gathered from South Africa, China, Latin America, the US and elsewhere.”
After the demonstration, the protest leaders joined other stakeholders including farmers, small retailers, economists and politicians at the Constitution Club to debate ‘Walmart’s Global Track Record and the Implications for FDI in Multi-Brand Retail in India’.
Dr Krishan Bir Chaudhary, a leading voice for the farmers said, “Walmart has created only around 2 million jobs globally. Therefore for the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma to argue that Walmart would provide 10 million jobs in India alone is ridiculous. The real fact is that the retail chains would displace more than 40 million small retailers from their livelihood.”
Eminent economist Mohan Guruswamy said, “About 90% of Walmart’s stock comes from China. It has an annual turnover of 422 billion dollars and imports from China amount to 80 billion dollars. Walmart’s procurement from China is the major source of its profits. Walmart depresses wages by forcing suppliers to cut costs as seen in the low wages in the Chinese labour market.”
On Wednesday UNI will launch the report ‘Walmart’s Global Track Record and the Implications for FDI in Multi-Brand Retail in India’ which will serve as the focal point for the second day of discussions when participants will hear in detail the experiences of South Africa, USA and other countries through the testimonies of UNI’s affiliates, including SACCAWU and the UFCW and other experts from both India and abroad.