The Chicago city council has voted to allow Wal-Mart to open a store in the city's West Side, however plans for a second store on the South Side came up one vote short of approval. Several council members have raised objections to Wal-Mart's plans to open stores in Chicago because they fear it would depress wages and destroy local businesses. Unions also protested the arrival of the retail giant, highlighting their poor track record with organized labor.
See "Wal-Mart gets half a loaf", Dan Mihalopoulos, Chicago Tribune, May 26, 2004