TWG needs to be included in discussions of Home Depot. Sue -- John Rizzo <jrizzo@sprintmail.com> wrote: Home Depot is a lot like Walmart. Home Depot is the second largest retailer after Wal-Mart in the US (and third largest in the world). Like Walmart, Home Depot is radically non-union, and fights efforts to organize labor. Like Walmart, Home Depots have the effect of lowering wages. They pay lower wages than the smaller local hardware and appliance stores that they put out of business. Like Walmart, Home Depot has been proven to massively discriminate against women and minorities for management jobs: (From the Denver Post 09/20/04: "On Aug. 25, [Home Depot] agreed to pay $5.5 million to settle a discrimination and retaliation charge brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of dozens of Colorado employees.") Like Walmart, it is a stated goal of Home Depot to eliminate retail competition. Like Walmart, Home Depot does NOT create jobs. Studies show that for every two jobs created by a big box store, the community loses three. (1994 report from the Congressional Research Service) If that isn't enough, Home Depot causes rainforest deforestation on a massive scale by selling high volumes of old-growth rainforest lumber at cheap prices. John PS: A quote from Home Depot's 1996 Orientation Handbook: "We believe that Home Depot associates are much better off remaining union-free rather than dealing with third-party outsiders. We believe outsiders would destroy the open and direct communication we have with our associates. Home Depot is strongly opposed to union organizing and will resist organizing attempts by unwanted outsiders."

We need to also take into account that THIS Home Depot will be 40% larger than any other Home Depot in the region. Now, why would they do that? Are there more people in San Francisco than in surrounding areas where there are other Home Depot's? Or, are they planning on closing other neighboring stores in order to consolidate? This would bring even more traffic and congestion to San Francisco.

A condition must be included in their permit that if any Home Depot closes within a 20 mile radius, this store must also close.

Please, let's reconsider this. Can this be done online as with other actions?

Bruce

mark barnes wrote:

...

Folks,

I think need to reconsider our position in regard to Home Depot. We took a vote on a narrow issue with few in attendance with minimal information. Perhaps a working group can consider this. Is the BOS vote next week on this?

More on Home Depot:

http://tinyurl.com/cjojz

Mark

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