Walmart's CEO offered details of the plans the world's largest retailer has for Chicago earlier this week. The plans include up to 24 stores in the city, with three different size levels of store, depending on neighborhood. more ›

With the wheels of local government all greased up after churning the proposal for a Wal-Mart in Pullman Park through, the City Council today gave the thumbs up for a third store in the city set to go up in Chatham by a vote of 45-4. According to the Sun-Times, Aldermen Toni Preckwinkle (4th), Ricardo Munoz (22nd), Eugene Schulter (47th) and Joe Moore (49th) were the 'no' votes. more ›

Ahead of a key Zoning Committee vote, officials for super-retailer Wal-Mart sat down with union officials to hash out a wage agreement. more ›

The Battle Over Wal-Mart in the City of Chicago has been delayed. For a few weeks, anyway. A vote by the City Council's Zoning Committee over a proposed new Wal-Mart in Pullman Park that was to happen today has been postponed until May 7. The vote was slated as a follow-up to last week's approval of the store by the City's Plan Commission but was postponed by Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) and Zoning Committee Chairman Danny Solis (25th). Beale has been an ardent supporter of the new Wal-Mart, saying last week, "We want to get people out of their homes and back to work. And if we don't find a new source of revenue here in the City of Chicago, we're going to be forced to lay more people off in the years to come." Beale claimed that he has the necessary votes to pass the plan, so why ask for a delay? He told the Sun-Times earlier this week: more ›

Earlier this month the Chicago City Council approved the Chicago Fair Trade Resolution, bringing the city closer to being the largest Fair Trade City in North American. Sponsored by 4th Ward Ald. Toni Preckwinkle, the resolution commits Chicago to promoting and procuring commodities produced via a market-based economic system that requires a living wage and safe, environmentally sustainable conditions for workers, artisans and farmers. “I have always been a strong proponent of living wage legislation, not only here but around the world,” says Preckwinkle. “I’ve been concerned with environmental preservation, which is another component of this resolution.” more ›

Following the defeat of 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke's proposal to impose an $11.03-an-hour wage on retail workers in stores that have received city subsidies, Mayor Daley lashed out at the public debate that has followed Wal-Mart's controversial plans to expand its business into the city. “These questions are not debated in the suburban area,” Daley said, waxing poetic on his favorite part of the region. “They are never even talked about.” Daley has said that he'd like to see a Wal-Mart open up in Chatham, but he wants to make sure there is agreement in the city council first. more ›

14th Ward Alderman Ed Burke, Chair of the city's Finance Committee, is no closer to a deal on the proposed Wal-Mart on Chicago's South side (and a future deal on Wal-Marts on the city's 9th, 12th, 20th and 34th Wards as well). The deal hinged on a proposal to impose a so-called "living wage" of at least $11.03-an-hour on employees that work for retailers that benfit “directly or indirectly” from city subsidies. The store in Chatham would be exempt from the deal, since the the redevelopment agreement that would allow that store has already happened. more ›

With the Olympics out of the way and Mayor Daley's imposed delay on a vote over the proposed second Wal-Mart store in Chicago, 21st Ward Alderman Howard Brookins has decided it's time to up the ante on bringing the global mega-retailer into his neighborhood. Setting a stuffed hound in front of 14th Ward Ald. and Chairman of the council's Finance Committee Ed Burke, Brookins vowed to "hound" Burke until the issue was brought to a vote. “Not after 40 years,” Burke said. “Woof, woof.” more ›