the ongoing Wal-Mart debate, entry #41,667

(or whatever number we are on, I've lost count...)

Many say that when Wal-Mart enters a community, bad things happen, like jobs being lost, small businesses put out, etc. So you would think that when Wal-Mart decides to close a store and leave a community, that would be good for said community, no? Well, according to a union fighting a Wal-Mart in Canada, that's not quite the case:

"Fair-minded people who respect the rights of workers call on Wal-Mart to abandon plans to close its Jonqueiere, Quebec, store," the union urges Wal-Mart's chief executive, Lee Scott, in an electronic petition. It says the store's closing would "displace an entire community."

So they are urging the store to stay open:

The union has gone further than the petition, also filing a complaint with the Quebec Labor Relations Commission in an attempt to force Wal-Mart to return to the bargaining table and remain open. The store plans to close in May.

And can this be true? In a $285 billion a year company, leaders act like this?

Unions complaining about Wal-Mart's stinginess might have a better case if Wal-Mart's top brass were living lavishly. But the retailer's commitment to controlling costs can be seen from the top down. Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott has a tiny office in the company's corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. Along with other executives, Scott flies coach and shares budget hotel rooms when traveling.

Inquiring minds would like to know.