Last Thursday, unions representing the Wisconsin Professional Police Association; the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin; the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 311; Madison Teachers Inc.; Green Bay Education Association; [image-nocss] Dane County Deputy Sheriff's Association; and the Madison Professional Police Officers Association said that they would boycott M&I Bank if the bank does not begin publicly opposing Governor Scott Walker's efforts to curtail collective bargaining for public workers.
On Friday, the unions added Kwik Trip to their list of boycott candidates, said the report.
In the letter, the groups said the boycott would begin Thursday, March 17, if the bank and retailer do not oppose Walker.
Jim Palmer, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, said Friday the companies were targeted for either supporting Walker directly, or its executives supported Walker's campaign, or because the companies are members of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, a pro-business group that supported the governor, or all three.
Here is a sampling of some of the comments on Kwik Trip's Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/KwikTrip) page. The responses skew heavily toward the positive in favor of the chain and its support of Walker.
Among the comments supporting Kwik Trip: Thank you for supporting our Governor Walker...You will now get 100% of my business as well as my company's business. We have always stopped at Kwik Trip and now I will make a point of it. You run a good business. I usually try to use your facilities whenever possible due to their quality and excellence but now that the public union thugs are using extortion against you I will buy from you whenever I possibly can. I will stand with you as you stood with the taxpayers of this state! I will continue to purchase from Kwik Trip as I have for over a decade. Don't give in to the bullying tactics from the unions. Thank you for supporting Governor Walker. Your store is now my preferred stop for gas and all those little things that need grabbing on the way home! Thank you KT for supporting Governor Walker, smaller government, lower taxes and FREEDOM. I am a regular customer and I will continue to spend lots and lots and lots of money at your stores. In fact, I search out your stores to shop at. Boycotts go both ways. I am specifically shopping at stores that you lefties are boycotting! I and many others I know will be spending as much money as possible at Kwik Trip in the future.
Among the comments supporting unions: I will no longer be a customer of Kwik Trip stores due to your financial support of Scott Walker, and I'll telling all my friends and family to stop as well. When you recant your support and start supporting Wisconsin families, I will reconsider my patronage. Thank you. I can no longer "like" a business which supports Walker. I just found out that Kwik Trip is a BIG Scott Walker financial supporter. I spend about $4,000 a year at Kwik Trip. I will have to veto spending at your store until you stop supporting him. I may even blog and ask to share! Shame on you! Too many stores in Wisconsin to support him right now! A recent CSP Daily News poll reflects a similar breakdown of opinions. It asked readers, "Do you agree with Governor Walker or the public-sector unions in the Wisconsin budget standoff?" Of the approximately 250 responses, nearly 84% said Governor Walker, while 9% said public-sector unions; about 4% each said neither or that they had no opinion.La Crosse, Wis.-based Kwik Trip did not respond to a CSP Daily News request for comment on the matter.But it told one customer who posted a note on Facebook: "Thank you for sharing your views and concerns with us. We respect your views and appreciate you taking time to communicate this with us. Kwik Trip did also provide financial support for Tom Barrett during his campaign as we recognize the need to have a balanced approach to the political process. Kwik Trip's financial support of Governor Walker's campaign should not suggest we agree with every policy or legislation he will propose during his time in office. Kwik Trip is committed to supporting our schools and local organizations by providing scholarships and donations in the communities we are located in. Again, we appreciate your views and hope you reconsider your choice to shop our stores."
La Crosse, Wis.-based Kwik Trip has thousands of employees serving customers in more than 400 Kwik Trip, Kwik Star, Hearty Platter and Tobacco Outlet Plus stores throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.
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