RWDSU Hosts Special Walmartopia Performance (9/7/07)

The RWDSU celebrated Labor Day week last night with a special performance of the new satirical Off Broadway musical Walmartopia at the Minetta Lane theatre in New York City. The show played to a packed house of labor leaders, union members, elected officials and community group activists.

After the show, which depicts a frightening future where the entire country, save for Vermont, is run by Wal-Mart, a special panel discussion was held featuring RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum, New York City Councilwoman Melinda Katz, New York State Commissioner of Labor Patricia Smith, and Walmartopia creators Catherine Capellaro and Andrew Rohn.

The panel and audience discussed the problems presented by big box retailers like Wal-Mart, who work hard to drive down pay for their employees while taking no responsibility for health care. The Wal-Mart workers in the show, just like countless Wal-Mart "associates" in real life, are forced to rely on taxpayer funded state health care and live in poverty.

For more information about Walmartopia and to order tickets, visit walmartopia.com.