Wal-Mart Employees Speak Out About Mandatory Anti-Union Meetings, Political Intimidation
Wal-Mart Employees Speak Out About Mandatory Anti-Union Meetings, Political Intimidation
Today, the Wall Street Journal reported that Wal-Mart has been warning its managers that a Democratic victory in the fall would lead to unionization at Wal-Mart stores. “In recent weeks, thousands of Wal-Mart store managers and department heads have been summoned to mandatory meetings” discussing the downsides of unionization and not-so-subtly telling employees not to vote for a Democrat.
Wal-Mart Watch notes that the article “would not have been possible without the several brave Wal-Mart employees” who spoke out against the company’s policies, including the employee below who e-mailed Wal-Mart Watch:
In a statement, Wal-Mart Watch Executive Director David Nassar said the Journal report confirmed stories they have collected from workers:
We have been receiving the reports described in the Journal for the past week. Some of the reports we received were even more egregious than what was described in today’s story. In one case, a worker said they were shown a slide that said ‘Obama = union’ and then were told why unions were bad.
Wal-Mart employees who wish to speak out should contact Wal-Mart Watch to share their stories. Sign a petition to tell Wal-Mart to stop the political intimidation of its employees.
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I’ve been saying for years that if unions make a strong comeback it will be in a place like walmart. I enourage all unions to consolidate their organizational and fundraising skills to confront this pullman of the 21st century.
If we had done that when rayguy fired the air traffic controllers we might not be in such a bad shape today.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:07 pmI hate that store!
August 1st, 2008 at 5:14 pmWhat is most depressing is too watch low income people filling their carts up with sh*t from China that they don’t need…….
There’s a Wal-Mart around the corner from where I live.
I never go in it. Every time I do, I find it dirty, sad and cheap.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:20 pmThey don’t simply “stretch the limits of the law”, they flat out break it. It’s about time the Board of Directors at Wal-Mart faced prosecution.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:25 pmi saw this earlier today… the lone headline on this version:
Wal-Mart denies that it told employees how to vote
By CHUCK BARTELS AND ANNE D’INNOCENZIO – 3 hours ago
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, denied a report Friday that it had pressured employees to vote against Democrats in November because of worries that a bill the party supports would make it easier for workers to unionize.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:41 pm[...]
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hl3hyEYcD8yj4IJlCNPGy3DaLtfAD929L5DO0
Wal-Mart Execs may well want to read some of the old Uncle Remus stories, particularly about Brer Rabbit begging Brer Fox not to throw him into the briar patch. There is probably at least a ten-to-one ratio of managers to un-managerial employees eligible for union membership. Hence it would seem to me that if Wal-Mart were serious about influencing, in a manner favorable to the company’s view, the way their employees vote they should be demanding that all the Managers instruct all their underlings to vote Democratic under penalty of losing their jobs. As long as we have a secret ballot in this Country (Well we did until eight years ago when it was still secret-so secret that the votes weren’t counted they were just hung out to chad) any BS like this is bound to be contra-productive. If you do throw me in that briar patch be sure to look closely because I have just flipped you the bird.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:41 pmI can see that, at least so far in these comments, everyone is really on Wal Mart’s side…..Ha!
What makes me curious ( and of course the big dog of retail can’t hold out forever) is why Wal Mart execs don’t realize that, in all likelihood, the vast majority of their routine customers are probably union members? What a lovely revolt and sudden turn-around that would be! I wanna be in the parking lot!
August 1st, 2008 at 5:45 pmI don’t about the rest of you but I just got off the phone with Shelley Berkley, John Ensign, and Harry Reid offices expressing my concern.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:46 pmCrusty has the right philsophical take on the situation. Imichael has the right immediate action.
Thanks.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:50 pmSpeaking of cheap crap from China is anyone else disgusted that EVERYTHING we buy from bolts to whatever, breaks, doesn’t fit or disintegrates on washing ? And just try to find American made anything. Remember when the founder of WalMart stressed American made ? Well he is gone.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:53 pmMany tool products are made in China and assembled here so they pretend they are American made, well until one use and they fall apart.
Walmart. Juden.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:58 pmtexaslady Says:
Speaking of cheap crap from China is anyone else disgusted that EVERYTHING we buy from bolts to whatever, breaks, doesn’t fit or disintegrates on washing?
Welcome to America’s Disposable Society. Remember when our wars first started and Bush told us to go spend more money. Well, it looks like our credit card bills are now due.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:02 pmI hope people start to realize that having a Wal-Mart in your neighborhood is costs everyone in the end. Having their employees sign up for food stamps because they can’t work full-time cost us all.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:03 pmI only went to Wal-Mart once. To use the bathroom.
I heard a Hannah Montana commercial today in collaboration with Wal-Mart with a bunch of little kids all saying “Bring it on”.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:06 pmThreats like this were also applied in South AMerican countries as they imposed the economic policies of the conservative repugnicans.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:08 pmIn our own country, threats like this were rampant as factories tried to improve working conditions and wages – in the age of the robber barons and pre-Depression.
I have serious doubts that this has anything to do with WalMart’s fear of unionization. I suspect this WalMart campaign has more to do with their fears of the Demcratic plan to kill the Bush tax-cuts for the very rich one percent.
Lets not forget, when Bush and the Republican congress were moving to entirely eliminate estate taxes on the fortunes of America’s wealthiest citizens, one of the strongest advocates of the bill was the Walton family.
Of course if WalMart were to tell its employees the truth about their real motives and personal interests for wanting to keep republicans in office and maintaining the status quo, I imagine the WalMart employees would laugh in their face.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:10 pmTake care of their own employees? Nahhh….
August 1st, 2008 at 6:28 pmUnions will make a comeback due to the lack of worker’s rights and benefits, corporate greed, and the shrinking middle class.
Thank you Kane very informative. To the people who get all upset over Estate Taxes, you have to be very rich to have to pay and that fact gets left out every time a repub talks about it. Last I knew $600,000 was tax free but I may be behind times and there are other ways to pass the inheiritance down without taxation. Funny how that gets left out.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:29 pmI am not a big union fan, the original idea in the 1930’s was great but unions have gone the way of big business. But people don’t have a voice at all without any representation so something is needed.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:30 pmMalWart ~ your source for cheap plastic Chinese crap and the death of the America we grew up in.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:45 pmMy father (a conservative Repug) told me that when a new Wal-Mart Super store went into his town, they forced the city and county to condemn property for them and to build a divided road to their site. Then they drove 2 locally owned hardware stores and 1 local grocery and a local department store out of business. Even he hates them now.
My neighborhood went through a year of fighting a 24 hour Wal-mart and WE WON! But it took thousands of people and a lot of work by a lot of folks to make it happen. But we chased the bastards out and now have a Sunflower Organic market instead!
August 1st, 2008 at 7:01 pmHey Walmart, why do you hate the Constitution?
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. {Bill of Rights- First Amendment}
Walmart is treading on very thin ice and may very well be in violation of Federal Law!
According to Federal Law, an employer cannot:
* Fire, punish, intimidate, or coerce employees seeking to organize or join a union
* Threaten to close the facility or lay off employees if they organize a union
* Tell employees that unionization will take away benefits and privileges currently in place.
* Bribe employees to vote against the union, or promise other benefits or privileges in order to influence their vote
* Ask about union activities, how employees intend to vote, or if they have signed a union card
Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other mutual aid or protection. {National Labor Relations Act 1935}
August 1st, 2008 at 8:43 pmIf you know anything about business and retail you would now that Wal-Mart cannot survive with a union.
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:22 amThey already did without meat cutters because of the unions. That is why all of their meats are prepackaged.
If Walmart has to increase prices is bad news for consumers.
If Walmart is not highly competitive is bad new for consumers.
If Walmart raises prices is bad news for consumers.
If consumers stop driving 10 to 20 miles to shop at Walmart because there are no savings is bad news for Walmart.
Walmar needs high volume sales to be able to cover for expenses for large square footage of stores.
If Walmart is not profitable is bad news for the employees.
If Walmart files for bankruptcy is bad news for every body associated with Walmart.
If Walmart goes out of business the unions won’t care but the employees will be out of a job and the consumers will have lost the lower retail prices that Walmart offers.
To summarize the unions and Walmart cannot coexist together.
Good luck with the unionization of WalFart. Not sure if it would really benefit the employees. My take is that it will benefit the union bosses before it benefits the employees.
In my 10 year experience in a union I saw my wages go down, my healthcare benefits go down and my pension go down. 30-60 years ago unions might have been worth something. The unions these days are self serving corrupt entities that focus only on collecting dues off the backs of labor. No matter how low their wages.
Make more money now than I ever did in a union and I do not pay any dues :-)
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:24 amWhat some of you people forget is that Wal Mart is quite interested in Free Trade Agreements that keep their prices of IMPORTS low.As a country that use to be a world leader in manufacturing this is a slap in the face.China makes nothing but junk,they have different standards when it comes to keeping toys for our children safe,they manufacture products in sweatshops,they pay low wages and people work in deplorable conditions, in some cases these actions are taking place all of the time or some of the time.Unions in America brought about changes that got children out of the workplace and in school where they belong.Unions brought us the 8 hour day and the weekend.Unions gave us pensions and health care.Unions made this country because we were fighting the same type of greed and corruption from the same type of CEO of today.Wal Mart is not good for america when all it does is exacerbate our trade deficit with China and other country`s it buys it`s goods from.This country needs to make a stand against trade agreements that are lopsided and inferior to our rebuilding of this country.I do not shop at Wal Mart due to their antiunion practices and the fact that they IMPORT most of what they sell(CRAP)and the Chinese gov`ts labor practices and HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.Wal Mart has no shame when it comes to making $$$$$ and not treating it`s employees properly.
In Solidarity
August 2nd, 2008 at 9:44 amhivanh Says:
I can see that, at least so far in these comments, everyone is really on Wal Mart’s side…..Ha!
What makes me curious ( and of course the big dog of retail can’t hold out forever) is why Wal Mart execs don’t realize that, in all likelihood, the vast majority of their routine customers are probably union members? What a lovely revolt and sudden turn-around that would be! I wanna be in the parking lot!
It is so easy to fix this. If everyone were to go into shit-mart and pack up a couple of carts full-o-shit and then leave it, having “forgotten” your wallet at home, then they would need to pay lots of time to their workers to put the crap back on the shelves. Insuring jobs.
I say F-U-C-K wont-mart at every possible turn.
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:57 pmP Alfonso Says:
If you know anything about business and retail you would now that Wal-Mart cannot survive with a union.
They already did without meat cutters because of the unions. That is why all of their meats are prepackaged.
If Walmart has to increase prices is bad news for consumers.
If Walmart is not highly competitive is bad new for consumers.
If Walmart raises prices is bad news for consumers.
If consumers stop driving 10 to 20 miles to shop at Walmart because there are no savings is bad news for Walmart.
Walmar needs high volume sales to be able to cover for expenses for large square footage of stores.
If Walmart is not profitable is bad news for the employees.
If Walmart files for bankruptcy is bad news for every body associated with Walmart.
If Walmart goes out of business the unions won’t care but the employees will be out of a job and the consumers will have lost the lower retail prices that Walmart offers.
To summarize the unions and Walmart cannot coexist together.
OH PUHLEEEZE,
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:02 pmSo, now we HAVE TO HAVE ont-mart. What line of shinola is that? If the wont-marts just think of all the OPPORTUNITIES for the local businesses to fill the market place…Oh what is that, you do not beleive in the free market system? Oh, why are you a communist? Is that why you tell us to support CHINA at our own peril?
Hmmm, give it rest troll
Gee, ALFONSO, let’s take your stance to its extreme conclusion…no business can survive with unions…Costco is more unionized than Walmart will ever be, but last I checked, the neighborhood Costco is prospering…Perhaps you’re right, because everyone knows the most oppressed “people” are corporations…because the big, bad unions are out to get them. Even the Chamber of COmmerce suggests that corporations which make billions are the Davids against the Goliath unions…
Perhaps we should return to the days of child labor, unpaid overtime, lower wages, etc.
Walmart made BILLIONS in profits, the Walton family is lobbying for an end to the estate tax because it’ll save them billions. Save me the poor oppressed Walmart canard. It’s nothing more than turning the oppressor into the oppressed, a shameful tactic that Republicans are masters at…
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:24 pmThe only way to free the corporations is to do away with unions, do away with regulations, and practically return to slavery, eh? How about Chinese wages here? How about child labor? How about no medical leave, no employer-provided insurance, how about no breaks, no lunches, let’s return to the 18 hour day…Then perhaps corporations won’t feel the need to outsource jobs then…and Americans will be happy because their job isn’t overseas…
/sarcasm /snark
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:26 pmWALMART is unionized in China…last time I checked, they weren’t failing over there…
your premise is flawed…because the evidence suggests otherwise…
you have nothing but GOP and Chamber of Commerce talking points…
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:31 pmof course unionization in China is not saying much, because Walmart probably knows the ACFTU would side with them more often than not…
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:32 pmtexaslady Says:
Thank you Kane very informative. To the people who get all upset over Estate Taxes, you have to be very rich to have to pay and that fact gets left out every time a repub talks about it. Last I knew $600,000 was tax free but I may be behind times and there are other ways to pass the inheiritance down without taxation. Funny how that gets left out.
Republicans have done an incredible job convincing the average American that they will have to pay a death tax themselves…even if they make 5 figures instead of 7 figures and above…It’s the ESTATE tax, but framing it as the death tax, makes people think that they’ll have to pay it too. Republicans with their faux populism are masters at enriching the top 2% while laughing at the average American who supports them to the detriment of their economic interests…
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:36 pmTripleKick 6 Says:
Unions are for dummies. Lower income folks rely on walmart’s low prices and good for Walmart for not letting unions wreck their business by raising their prices.
Opinons like THAT are for brainwashed MORONS like you CLEARLY are. I mean why would anyone want a job where a high school grad can make 100,000$ a year and get five weeks vacation with a good pension and full medical benifits really stupid people like YOU wouldnt want that because you are ignorant and brainwashed to the point your REAL loyalty isnt to your FAMILY but to the wealthy interests that lead you around by your nose and do your thinking for you.
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:38 pmpersonally I don’t believe anyone who says they don’t shop at Walmart. Small businesses don’t go out of business because of Walmart, Target, etc., unless the locals don’t support the mom and pop shops already. Lots of small shops prosper even after Wally World comes to town.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:15 pmOn the subject of unions–they had their place and time-retail and banking is not where they belong. I work in retail, not Walmart, and unions would affect me as much as Walmart. The federal laws trying to pass will allow unions to get into businesses easier than before and make it much harder to get them out. Most people I know cannot afford to have a union in their business. I know I can’t afford to pay dues and get nothing back. I don’t want someone to tell me who I can talk to at work, what part of my job I can do, where I can shop and what I can buy.
My dad was a carpenter and the union was great for him-he got vacation time and pay, sick time and pay, retirement– at the same time the union built a huge multistory building and used non-union labor to build it because it was cheaper…… what does that say about the union. Also, the engineers union is the most corupt union I know of-unless alot has changed in the last 20 years(which I doubt) two friends of mine got black balled because they spoke out against the reigning president at election time-they also saved a guy from being beaten to death by the union presidents flunkies-shades of years way past…..- I don’t agree with Walmart bringing in inferior chinese products-but I do shop at Walmart because I really can’t afford to do alot of shopping at many other stores, I also like to shop at Target when I can get there.
Everyone here favoring unionizing Walmart don’t understand that it won’t just affect Walmart and you are either union people or people who no longer work and you don’t have to worry about working under union rules-unless they unionize where you used to work-then watch out for your pension-if you have one, it’ll disappear real quick.
Lets see my choice is John McCain or that smart black man Barack Obama?
McCain who does not know how to use a computer but is willing to learn if we elect him – I’ll just vote for that smart black man.
My Choices are: John McCain who says the economic downturn is psychological? – Na! I’ll vote for the smart black man.
McCain who says you are better off under George Bush? – Nope I’ll vote for the smart black man.
Mc Cain who wants to continue killing more people looking for weapons of mass destruction that do not exist? – Gee! I’ll vote for the smart black man.
McCain who believes that we should stay the course but is not willing to support the people he puts in harms way. – I’ll take a chance on the smart black man.
Should I vote for a man that does not know that 9-11 was caused by Osama Bin Laden not Sedam Hussein? – Easy! I’ll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for the man who does not know if the Sunnis or Sheits are our enemies? – No way I’ll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for the man who helped put our government on the China, Saudi Arabia credit card? – Not a chance I’ll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for the man with the worst temper in the Senate to have his finger on the nuclear button? – No way – I’ll vote for the smart black man.
August 15th, 2008 at 8:27 pm