Posted On: May 4, 2005, 8:56 pm CDT

Posted By: Jacqueline Homan

One of the companies listed as a "red" company, hence implying it is not as socially responsible or socially conscious as a "blue" one just so happens to be one of the home improvement stores -who was the first to initiate corporate policy in proactively hiring economically disadvantaged jobseekers aged 55 and over who normally get discriminated against for jobs due to age by everyplace else - which is how many become poor and 100% reliant on social security in the first place.

Note: Trying to reduce senior citizen poverty, hence welfare dependency in society by utilizing experienced workers aged 55 and over was NOT started by one of those "blue" companies - it was started by a "red" company, Home Depot.

When the new Wal-Mart supercenter opened in Erie's poor east side last year, they made every effort to hire from within the immediate neighborhood as a measure of being a good business neighbor. The neighborhood in question has a poverty/jobless rate of about 68% and the average home value is under $50K. Those Wal-Mart jobs pay on average, $8/hr to start plus full health benefits. In Erie, anyone making $20K or more a year is able to live a middle-class life, so those hired at the new Wal-Mart are getting the chance to pull themselves and their families out of poverty. Many of these new hires are black, others are white middle-aged downsized workers who had a difficult time getting hired anywhere despite experience, education and skill levels due to age discrimination. Now they are no longer poor and in the food pantry lines. Many are now for the first time, able to afford a decent used car - and became my auto insurance customers. Wal-Mart is considered a "red" company.

Meanwhile, in the local plants like GE which is unionized, as well as the skilled trades unions that offer high wages and great benefits, which are predominantly Democrat, and hence "blue", the number of minorities hired as apprentices are slim to none - and as for women, forget it. Poor women wanting to learn and work in a skilled trade and have the chance to earn a decent living in order to be able to live decently without having to rely on welfare are told by the fine liberals running those places to go on welfare because a high-paying union job isn't for them - it's for white males under 40 only. They do not come right out and say this, rather they insinuate and act accordingly by "losing" or refusing to accept applications from women and blacks. Actions speak louder than words.

As for wishing to support companies that are fair to workers, good business citizens, that is all fine and well. Support those who have proven by their actions within your community by their hiring practices as well as their customer care policies in your own back yard within your community instead of paying lip-service into color-coded hype and propoganda. Do not get sold on all the "blue" and "red" hype, because you will find that it all boils down to brown - the color of bovine feces.