The unions are putting big bucks into what anyone (well, almost) can see is a futile cause. Very few Americans can be persuaded that Wal-Mart is any different than Target, Costco, or similar retailers.
Wasteful spending on the part of non-profits is nothing new. Maybe the heads of the unions involved regard money spent on Wal-Mart bashing in the same way that heads of big philanthropies regard fancy offices and splashy conferences: Just makes them feel good whether it accomplishes anything or not.
There is one difference, though. The money that other non-profits toss around is acquired voluntarily, whereas the money the unions get is automatically deducted from the paychecks of workers who might not consent if they had any say in the matter.
