Womans' group protests Wal-Mart hire practice

HANOVER TWP. - Objecting to treatment of female employees, by Wal-Mart, the country's largest discount retailer, the Morris County chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) held a silent vigil Thursday outside the company's store in the Morris County Mall on Ridgedale Avenue.

Chapter President Mavra Stark and Susan J. Waldman, vice president of fund-raising, handed out pins with a picture of a bright yellow frowning face saying, "Wal-Mart Always Discriminates." The women also distributed fliers detailing complaints about the company's alleged mistreatment of women in the workplace.

The organization contends that Wal-Mart promotes women at a much slower rate than men, keeping them in lower-paying jobs.

Stark said male full-time employees working about 45 hours a week are paid about $5,000 more than women.

"We're not trying to boycott them or ruin their business," Stark said. "We're here to give them a little extra push."

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Christi Gallagher took issue with NOW's charges.

"We're not sure what they are basing their facts on, she said. "Wal-Mart is a great place to work, and some of those isolated complaints don't change that fact. Because of our size, Wal-Mart is a target of criticism by special-interest groups"

Gallagher said she started working at Wal-Mart as a college student on an hourly salary and three years later was promoted to a management position.

Joyce Jackson of Morristown said that when she was working at AT&T, her boss chose her for a supervisory position but offered her a lower salary than her male predecessor had earned. If she had stayed, Jackson said, she would have spoken up.

Stark said NOW plans to picket one hour a week in front of the store in Cedar Knolls.

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