Ad accuses Wal-Mart of stifling port security
Posted on Friday, March 23, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Business/185361/
A union-funded anti-Wal-Mart group debuted a television commercial Thursday charging the world’s largest retailer with blocking efforts to make ports more secure.
Wal-Mart and a business lobbying group it works with, the Retail Industry Leaders Association, said the allegations by WakeUpWalMart. com are baseless.
The group and its commercial contend that Wal-Mart is the major force blocking use of scanning equipment on all incoming containers to guard against terrorist deployment of nuclear weapons. The 30-second spots feature the images of Osama bin Laden, leader of the al-Qaida terrorist organization, and a mushroom cloud resulting from a nuclear explosion.
The company is singled out because “Wal-Mart is RILA for all intents and purposes,” Chris Kofinis, spokesman for Wake-UpWalMart. com, said in an interview. He said the organization is blocking efforts to scan all incoming ship containers for nuclear weapons. “This is probably one of the most important issues the country faces,” he said. “We are putting our heads in the sand and not realizing how important this is.”
Kofinis said the group will spend “six figures” to begin airing the commercials Monday in Baltimore; Charleston, S. C.; Houston; Philadelphia; Kansas City, Mo.; St. Louis; New York City; Savannah, Ga.; Des Moines, Iowa; Manchester, N. H.; Mobile, Ala.; Carson City, Nev.; Detroit; San Jose, Calif.; Niagara Falls / Buffalo, N. Y.; and Tulsa.
Wal-Mart spokesman Robert Traynham said the company is working with the federal Department of Homeland Security and is not blocking the move toward scanning equipment. “This union-funded ad is in poor taste and an irresponsible attempt to avoid the facts, prey upon people’s fears and disparage our company,” he said. The Retail Industry Leaders Association, whose membership includes several large retailers in addition to Wal-Mart, supports a law that took effect in October that requires scanning of shipping containers at three foreign ports as a pilot project, said Al Thompson, the organization’s vice president for global supply chain policy. The results of the project should be evaluated before more mandates are added, he said.
To contact this reporter: spainter@arkansasonline. com