(BUFFALO) - A recent meeting involving the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF), the Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council and State Assemblyman Mark Schroeder - who made it clear to area Labor Leaders that he will not back away from his publicly announced support of working with Walmart to construct a supercenter in his South Buffalo District - did not go well and has prompted local representatives of Organized Labor to schedule a meeting later this month to discuss and chart a plan of political action.

WNYALF President Angelo Vellake, who also serves as executive vice president and area director for UFCW (United Food & Commercial Workers) Local One, tells WNYLaborToday.com a meeting held several days ago with Schroeder "did not go well."  Vellake said the Buffalo Assemblyman - who has a long history of Labor support and endorsements - failed to explain why he would champion such a project by an anti-Union/anti-Worker employer.

"While our problem is with Walmart, (Schroeder) is going to continue to be the 'pied piper' for Walmart," said a disgusted Vellake, who added the feedback he's currently receiving from WNYALF Union affiliates after the meeting with Schroeder is one of "outrage."  The meeting with Schroeder also included Buffalo AFL-CIO President Michael Hoffert and WNYALF Vice President Richard Lipsitz, who also serves as Business Agent/Labor Movement Liaison with Cheektowaga-headquartered Teamsters Local 264.

"He apologized, but that's all he did.  (In light of the support from Organized Labor that he's received in the past,) We asked him to stop his involvement in this effort.  He was told there will be no net job gain because other area retail stores will be forced to close (over the course of time).  (Schroeder) said it was economic development, but this is not economic development.  He then started with the 'political speak.'  We asked, 'Are you saying yes or no?'  Then it became clear.  I got frustrated with him and he was asked to leave," Vellake said.

A couple of days after their meeting, Vellake said Schroeder -- who is running for re-election for his 145th Assembly District seat this Fall - contacted the WNYALF president by phone and told Vellake that he would "continue to fight to have the Walmart store built Union" and that "he thinks he can get Walmart to Unionize" its projected 300 workers at the store.

"Doesn't he know that Walmart makes all kinds of promises to get their stores built?  Mark Schroeder telling us this means nothing.  He's being hoodwinked.  (Walmart) has no intention" of agreeing to Unionize their retail outlets, Vellake said.  The UFCW would be the Union grocery and retail workers would be represented by if Walmart agreed to Unionize.

"This is nothing more than a race to the bottom," added Vellake, who said he was told by Schroeder that "it never occurred" to him to contact the UFCW about the Walmart project that he's publicly described as a "game changer" for the Seneca Street Business Corridor.

"This, supposedly, is 'Labor's guy' and it never occurs to him to call us?  This raises a lot of concerns, including concerns with the Erie County Democratic Party.  I did call (Party Chairman) Len Lenihan to complain, but it's a fractured party and this is nothing more than a complete disregard for Organized Labor.  The Erie County Democratic Party is not working in Organized Labor's best interests," Vellake said.

Buffalo AFL-CIO President Hoffert who has known Schroeder "for many years," added: "I thought (Organized Labor) could count on his support at every juncture.  I'm very disappointed in the tact he's taken.  If Assemblyman Schroeder thinks he can change (the way Walmart does business), he's got his head in the sand.  This is an employer that offers low wages and no benefits with no promise for any worker to get out of poverty.  These are 'get-by jobs.'  (Organized Labor) has members in other retail locations in that area and they come first.  (Organized Labor) will fight this."

Hoffert also addressed Vellake's concerns with the Erie County Democratic Party, saying: "Labor helped build the Erie County Democratic Party and today's party does not reflect days past.  I thought things were getting better, but there is not a conscious effort to involve Labor and the buck stops with Len Lenihan."

Despite the fact Walmart is known as an anti-Union retailer that has been charged with numerous worker wage violations, Schroeder called the decision by Walmart to open a new 115,000-square-foot supercenter - which would employ 300 and straddle the border between South Buffalo and West Seneca - a "game-changer" for Seneca Street.  Reportedly, the store would feature general merchandise and a full-service grocery store under one roof.

For years, Walmart has come under fire for years for its shoddy treatment of its employees. 

WNYLaborToday.com recently published a Labor News Report from California detailing Walmart's agreement to settle a class-action lawsuit and pay up to $86 million to 232,000 affected employees.  Walmart employees had charged they were collectively denied over $12 million in vacation pay and $74 million in other unpaid wages mandated by California law.  While agreeing to settle the multimillion-dollar lawsuit, Walmart continues to refuse to acknowledge cheating its workers out of hard-earned wages.  The report also noted the settlement is separate from the $640 million agreement in 2008 in which Walmart agreed to settle 63 federal and state class-action lawsuits that claiming similar illegal wage violations.

WNYLaborToday.com has also reported on Labor's initial surprise that Schroeder would support such a project with such a well-known anti-Worker entity. 

When the announcement was made at the end of March, one local Labor Representative told WNYLaborToday.com that a recent campaign to stop Walmart from building a supercenter in the Town of Evans had been a success, as that announced project was contested by community residents.  That individual, who requested anonymity at the time, pledged to do the same should Walmart move ahead to build a supercenter in South Buffalo.

Coalition for Economic Justice (CEJ) Executive Director Allison Duwe - whose organization has been fighting for the payment of a Living Wage in Buffalo for years - said Walmart would only be held accountable to do so if the big box retailer took public/taxpayer assistance for their South Buffalo Project.  "Nothing else would trigger (that kind of) wage requirement," said Duwe, who - based on Walmart's past track record - was not optimistic of that happening.

"I believe greater thought should have been put into this," Duwe said of the overall effort to attract Walmart to South Buffalo.

On another front, representatives of the Buffalo Building & Construction Trades Council - including President Paul Brown and officials of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 17 - said they had already reached out to Schroeder in an attempt to convince Walmart to build Union, much like the retailer agreed to with a recent store in Niagara County.

"I did speak to Mark Schroder and there will be discussion with Walmart's contractors to go all Union.  If that happens, it would be the first Walmart ever built Union with city limits," Brown told WNYLaborToday.com.