LACEY — Wednesday was opening day for a Walmart Supercenter on Route 9 in the Lanoka Harbor section, where those who turned out included customers as well as a large inflated rat and union members who protested outside.

Community organizer and United Food and Commercial International Workers Union Local 152 representative Gerald M. Chudoff joined around 20 union representatives for the protest.

"We're not here to organize Walmart as a union member, but to educate the community about their practices," Chudoff said.

Chudoff said that the local store originally was not intended to be a Supercenter, which includes a grocery section. He said the store has only three loading docks and would see a lot of truck traffic.

The protesters said the store chain does not provide adequate medical coverage and that the average employee makes about $19,000 a year, which is below poverty level.

"Walmart can do better," Chudoff said. "These are not career jobs. The average employee stays less than a year."