July 15, 2013
By Stephanie West
Levittown, NY—On the morning of Friday, June 12th, Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW joined dozens of Long Island community and labor organizations to protest the grand opening of a Walmart Neighborhood Market in Levittown, the first of its kind in the Long Island region. Protestors claimed that another Walmart opening on Long Island would hurt the local economy and small businesses, and said that the store’s opening on the same site of a previously unionized Waldbaum’s supermarket added insult to injury.
“This store was proudly represented by Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW and it saddens me that what used to be a great 
supermarket that took care of its workers with good wages and strong benefits, as Waldbaum’s did, is now hosting a Walmart Neighborhood Market. I urge all Levittown residents to consider the workers’ plight before setting foot into this shop. The residents and workers of this community deserve better than the bottom barrel wages and unaffordable benefits that Walmart jobs bring. A Neighborhood Market sends the wrong message here on Long Island.,” said John R. Durso, President, Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW.
Over 100 Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW members, community activists, and labor allies called on Walmart to change their business and labor practices and held signs that read “Shame on you Walmart,
Workers Deserve Better Wages.” Protests at the store will continue until Walmart practices change and workers are provided with fair wages and affordable benefits.
**Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW represents more than 19,000 workers in grocery stores and dairies, specialty food stores, and retail drug stores across the New York region.
