ISSUES & FORUMS

Corporate Reform -- Archived Events:

December 10th - Caroline Vernon introduced the Code of Corporate Responsibility to a group of approximately 80 QC citizens that came together to commemorate the 58th anniversay of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to raise awareness about the Employee Free Choice Act as it pertains to the 23rd article on human rights. The event, Workers Rights are Human Rights, was at the Laborer's Hall in Rock Island, and was sponsored by the QC Federation of Labor. This was a great event! Channels 4, 6 and 8 provided excellent coverage of the event.

November 18th - PACG Corporate Reform hosted a screening of Robert Greenwald's new movie, Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price at the Steelworkers Union Hall, 880 Devils Glen Rd, Bettendorf, Iowa. Over 100 people turned out to watch this highly controversial documentary! Other sponsors of this event included QC NOW, Sojourners, Churches United Justice Issues Forum, Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community and Organized Labor.

November 19th - DFQC (Democracy for the Quad Cities) hosted a legislative forum at the Bettendorf Community Center. PACG Corporate Reform members discussing proposed changes to Iowa's Corporate Charter with local legislators and shared with them the Code of Corporate Responsibility, which was well received. This was a great opportunity to discuss the various issues with our legislators. We hope to participate in similar events in the future.

October 30, 2005 - PACG Corporate Reform and UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) faciliated a Wake-Up Walmart workshop at the PACG Fall Summit. Ten of us participated in the workshop which was designed to raise public awareness about Walmart's many unethical business practices. Three areas of particular concern were:

1. Walmart's current disregard of US labor laws
2. Walmart's encroachment upon rural America
3. Walmart's current and ongoing effort to get into the banking industry

Based on the above concerns, we discussed various action plans, such as:

1. The importance of networking with other groups including the current Wake-Up Walmart campaign (wakeupwalmart.com) as well as Walmart Watch (walmartwatch.com). We encourage individuals to sign up at both of these sites in order to stay informed of the latest news about the campaign to change Walmart.
2. Write letters to the Editors about Walmart's need to be responsible to their workers and the communities in which they operate.
3. Lobbying our Legislators about various corporate issues including adoption of the Fair Share for Healthcare Bill as well as the Kennedy-Corzine Bill which requires mandatory reporting by companies whose employees are on public assistance.

PACG Corporate Reform will also be asking our legislators to adopt The Model Uniform Code For Corporate Responsibility (to be enacted in the Minnesota State Corporate Charter Law).

The Model Uniform Code of Corporate Responsibility:

Preamble
Whereas directors of corporations formed under this [chapter] have heretofore been required by law to manage their companies in the best interests of such companies and their shareholders and Whereas this requirement has been found to restrict directors from managing companies in a manner that fully respects the public interest and Whereas the legislature believes that large corporations formed under the laws of [this state] should have due respect for and safeguard the environment, human rights, the public health and safety, the welfare of communities in which such corporations operate and the dignity of employees, Now therefore, in order to expand the duties of corporate directors to require that the pursuit profit by corporations formed under this [chapter] no longer occurs at the expense of the environment, human rights, the public health or safety, the welfare of communities or the dignity of employees, be it enacted that the following [article] shall be added to the [State] [Business Corporation Act]:

Section 1. Duty to Safeguard the Public Interest. It shall be the responsibility of the directors to manage the corporation in a manner that does not cause damage to the environment, violate human rights, adversely affect the public health or safety, damage the welfare of the communities in which the corporation operates, or violate the dignity of the corporation's employees.

Summary of Forum on Corporate Power Versus Democracy

Progressive Summit April 16, 2005
Main Goals
Take back power and control of our system from the corporations and return it to the people. Get corporations out of government through campaign finance reform and restrictions on corporate lobbying. Restrict corporate control over news media and promote public journalism.

Action Plans
Organize action groups in Iowa and Illinois to begin work toward goals. Promote corporate charter reform at the state and national levels. National charters must set minimum criteria by which state charters must abide. Identify, support and recruit socially responsible corporations. Promote public policy and tax policies which promote socially responsible corporations. Educate American people to help them understand the full spectrum of impact corporations have on their lives.
Corporate Power V. Democracy Forum

GOALS:

• Take back power and control of our system from the corporations and return it to the people.
• Get corporations out of government through campaign finance reform and restrictions on corporate lobbying.
• Restrict corporate control over news media and promote public journalism.