Walmart Superstore Opening In Burbank Stirs Protests

February 22, 2012 12:23 AM

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BURBANK (CBS) — Despite heated opposition, the Burbank City Council approved the opening of a Walmart superstore at a meeting Tuesday night.

More than 50 people signed up to speak during the town hall style meeting.

“We just want them to follow through on their promises and they never do. They consistently let us down,” said resident Kate Nixa.

A group of opponents, made up of union members, residents and, even, current Walmart employees, gathered outside Burbank City Hall and staged a vocal protest. They said they don’t believe the store would be a benefit to the community.

Many protestors held signs that read, “Stop Walmart, Live Better”.

“They promised in Baldwin Park that they would pay us $14 an hour and that’s not happening,” said Walmart employee Angelita Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said she started working at the retail giant at minimum wage and, almost eight years later, is making $11.21 an hour.

Protestors were concerned with additional traffic to the area and the volume of groceries that would be sold by Walmart.

The city council decided that neither of those would be an issue if the store were to open and council members approved the permits needed for Walmart’s preparations to continue. The store will open in the Empire Center, where the “The Great Outdoors” once stood.

Supporters of the Walmart superstore said the chain offers great deals and convenient one-stop shopping for all your everyday needs.

Walmart Superstore Opening In Burbank Stirs Protests

uhoh

I love Wally World.
Bob the destroyer

GD totalitarian wankers. China imports and slave labor. Anyone who says they like working there is a scientologist. down with everyone.
Disgusted in Burbank

I am a Burbank resident who was in attendance at the council meeting last night – this story was published 20 minutes before Walmart even came up on the agenda for discussion. I guess Walmart already knew they had the votes in their back pocket and were ready to let the media know all about it. What a disappointing reflection on our elected officials, the media machine, and the corporate fat cats who manipulate the whole system.
YEA, WAL-MART VICTORY!!

Its amazing when you have lived in Burbank your whole life and you watch the video and you recognize many of the protestors! Yea, from your local Ralphs Market, LOL. Burbank residents finally got what the wanted, WAL-MART!!!
Danny

There were something like 65 speakers at the council meeting however I am not so sure that 5o spoke to oppose Walmart. There were speakers who spoke in support of Walmart and who spoke on other issues as well in the mix.

All things being said this site is not large enough to be a superstore. Those who call it a superstore always referece the Port Ranch Walmart and in convenient fashion ignore the Panorama City Walmart store. This Burbank site is more the size of Panorama City than of Porter Ranch and if these people believe that the food in Panorama City is a full super market I wonder if they have even stepped into anything but a Trader Joe’s which I do not consider a full supermarket. Try walking into a Ralphs, Vons or Albertsons and you will see a full supermarket which Trader Joes is not and certainly the Panorama City Walmart is not.

Trader Joes Rocks

Wow Danny, why you dissin T-Joes? Wal-Mart is an evil corporation and I have stepped into one once and instantly felt uncomfortable. Target is much better but still a little evil.

Dabner Tripleday

Walmart is going to locate in Burbank Empire Retail Center?

Walmart is moving in only a Nordtrom Rack, Marshall’s, Michael’s and Best Buy away from Target?

I thought those two never show their faces in the same ballroom?
http://www.laane.org/frying-pan/2012/06/27/walmart-at-50-still-greedy-after-all-these-years/ Walmart at 50: Still Greedy After All These Years – Hot Ideas for a Cold Economy – The Frying Pan

[...] are moving forward. Burbank council members approved a 30,000 square foot Walmart store despite local resistance; the city now contends with a lawsuit. Altadena residents have also [...]
http://inciteyourriot.com/2012/03/04/angelenos-stand-up-to-the-wal-mart-bully/ Angelenos: Stand Up to the Wal-Mart Bully « Business & Consumerism « Incite Your Riot

[…] Protests have been going on in Burbank to keep the unwanted retailer out of the city, but City Council members say they have no legal basis to deny Wal-Mart’s expansion. […]