UFCW Local 789 members, Bob Adams and Bernie Hesse completed the first annual “Big Box Worker Dignity Tour” last week. Bob Adams, a member from Rainbow Foods thought up the idea of biking to communities with Wal Marts and engaging residents, consumers, and local media in a discussion about corporate responsibility.

The bike tour went to Faribault, Owatonna, Rochester, Red Wing, and was wrapped up at an abandoned Wal Mart in Hastings, MN. The primary issue that was brought on the tour was; healthcare and a disclosure bill that was derailed in the waning minutes of the Legislative Special Session. The “disclosure” bill would have mandated a report from the Health and Human Service dept. on which large employers have workers on MN Care and other state run healthcare programs. In ten out of twelve states, Wal Mart has led the list as having the most workers on State and Federal programs. The bill’s primary focus was on corporate responsibility.

We kicked off the Tour from our Hall in South St. Paul and we fought extreme headwinds and heat on Sunday. Bill Moore, MN AFL-CIO and Don Seaquist accompanied us for the entire day, and proved to us how tough our leadership can be. We arrived in Faribault in the early evening.

The next day found us at the Faribault Wal Mart, we leafleted, did the Wal Mart Watch from the parking lot (Air America 950 AM), and met with the Editor of the Faribault Daily News. We headed off to Owatonna and enjoyed a pleasant ride through a number of small communities. Upon arriving at Owatonna we met with organizers from Centro Campensino and explained our ride to them. We exchanged information on a number of campaigns and promised to check in later this summer of both groups’ activities. We then pedaled down to the Owatonna People’s Press and met with the Editor, Jeffrey Jackson and explained our “Tour”. Owatonna is the site of a Super Center and has one abandoned Wal Mart on the outskirts.

The morning found us pedaling towards Rochester, MN with the support of Diane Winter, a long time member and activist. After some creative map reading and some directional issues we ventured into the town of the Mayo Brothers, and were greeted by the staff of Local 21 HERE/UNITE. A big thank you goes out to Brother David Blanchard and his staff for their hospitality. Russell Hess, President of the Central Labor Council in Rochester coordinated the leaflet at the North end Wal Mart and helped me get kicked out of my 14th Wal Mart. We were able to do an interview with the Rochester Post-Bulletin and talk to many consumers. The response was positive and we think our message got out.

For every hill you go down, there is one to pedal up, and the next we headed on to Red Wing, MN. It was a pleasant ride for most of the day, though the heat was oppressive at times. I managed to blow a rear tire on the final approach and with out the help of Brother Bob Adams, I would be living in Red Wing, MN as of today. Bob Adams proved to be a man of steel with his 35 pound pack and the ability to have every gizmo available for repair or relief of a mechanical issue. We made it into town and met up with the the Leaders of Local 527 UFCW and handed off information and gave them a briefing on the national “Wake -Up Wal Mart” campaign. The Red Wing Wal Mart has been operating for a few years and one can observe the shift in traffic patterns and a preponderance of antique/collectable stores downtown. From talking to local business people there has been a struggle to compete with the mega-retailer that is at the edge of town.

On Thursday we finished the last leg of the “Tour” with a quick ride to an abandoned Wal Mart in Hastings, MN. We thought it would be symbolic of what is going on in small town, USA. Big boxes thrown up, small businesses destroyed, and acres of asphalt left with weeds growing, and no businesses to replace the big, ugly, concrete shell. The “Tour” was a success with much information going out, some money raised for the Universal Healthcare Coalition, and an appreciation for small towns in Minnesota. We would like to thank all the support we received and all the folks we talked to along the way. Start planning to participated in 2006 for the “Tour.”

Bernie Hesse