(CNSNews.com) - A labor union that wants ABC News to drop Wal-Mart as a sponsor of its "Only in America" series is enlisting the help of Congress.
Twenty-one lawmakers released a joint letter Tuesday, urging ABC News -- "in the name of honesty and accuracy in the media" -- to drop Wal-Mart as a sponsor of the series that airs on "Good Morning America."
The letter was addressed to David Westin, president of ABC News, and it was written at the urging of the United Food and Commercial Workers, which says it helps workers achieve better wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions.
"Wal-Mart values are not American values," said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.), one of the letter-signers. "Crummy healthcare, an assault on small businesses, and poor wages is not what we value in America," he added.
Likewise, Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-N.J.) called it a "sad day when ABC News would allow itself to be used by Wal-Mart to sell a corporate image based on lies and myths. One only has to look at the real Wal-Mart record to realize the severe damage this company has done to American families and communities," Pascrell said in a press release put out by the UFCW.
Labor unions are perpetual critics of Wal-Mart -- a successful, expanding, non-union retailer.
Wal-Mart advertises low prices, and it is able to keep prices low by drawing on non-union labor -- and non-union suppliers, mostly in China.
The UFCW calls Wal-Mart's sponsorship of GMA's "Only in America" series an "attempt to wrap itself in the American flag" -- both "hypocritical and misleading," given its dependence on Chinese factories.
But Wal-Mart insists it does a lot for American communities, too. Aside from providing jobs, Wal-Mart says its property taxes, sales tax revenue and community giving help fund basic services such as police and fire departments, schools, and charities.
"The typical Supercenter raises or gives $30,000 to $50,000 a year to local charitable needs ranging from youth programs to literacy councils," the Wal-Mart website says.
In fact, Wal-Mart says it is the largest corporate cash contributor in America. In the fiscal year ending 2005, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and the Wal-Mart Sam's Club Foundation contributed more than $170 million to support communities and local non-profit organizations, the website says.
'Grassroots movement'
Joe Hansen, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, said he is "delighted" to see so many Members of Congress (21 so far) join in the growing movement to pressure ABC News to drop Wal-Mart as a sponsor.
"I join with other Americans who think it is time for Wal-Mart to stop relying on slogans and start doing what is right for our families and America," said Hansen.
The UFCW says the joint congressional letter is the latest step in a "growing grassroots movement" against Wal-Mart. The union also is circulating an online petition, asking ABC News to drop Wal-Mart as a sponsor of its "Only in America" series.
Some 13,000 people have signed the petition, the UFCW said.
The UFCW represents 1.4 million workers at the nation's major supermarket, food processing and meatpacking companies. UFCW members also work in the health care, garment, chemical, distillery and retail industries.