Union Wins Move to Block Wal-Mart Push

Organized labor won the opening salvo in an all-out effort to limit Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s expansion in California, successfully lobbying the Inglewood City Council to block the nonunion retail giant’s plans to build a super center in that city.

The union representing local supermarket clerks, which recently raised dues to create a $3-million war chest to fight Wal-Mart’s expansion in California, is now pushing a similar ordinance in the city of Los Angeles.

Wal-Mart recently announced plans to build at least 40 super centers in California over the next four to six years. The union says those stores directly compete with union supermarkets and could erode the union’s numbers.