Breakaway unions target Wal-Mart workers

[Twist_U_Up]

Change to Win Coalition pledges to organize retailer's employees

ST. LOUIS - Leaders from unions that broke away from the AFL-CIO pledged Tuesday to organize Wal-Mart Stores Inc. workers and reach out to those who lost their jobs due to Hurricane Katrina.

The Change to Win Coalition met for its founding convention in St. Louis. In between official business — adopting a new constitution and electing leaders of the new labor federation — the event resembled a rally for the 460 delegates. They often stood and cheered speeches by labor leaders or comments from workers who recounted their own battles.

Teamsters President James P. Hoffa and UNITE HERE President Bruce Raynor called on the coalition to organize workers at Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer.


Wal-Mart “contributes nothing to America but more poverty and they’ve got to be stopped,” Raynor said.

Labor leaders said they weren’t just repeating the same old message about Wal-Mart, but formulating plans to help those workers gain the right to organize.

“You bet your life there’s a renewed commitment,” Raynor told a news conference.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9505486/

[ret5hd]

1. well, HOT DAMN...it's about time!

i'm startin' to like dese guys.

[mcscajun]

2. Oh, yeah! I want to see the Teamsters go up against Wal-Mart

It'll be like a steel cage match...with no choreography. :)

:woohoo:

[mongo]

3. I hope they proceed with caution

after what happened in Canada - a Walmart tried to unionize and Walmart closed the store.

They need to secretly prepare and organize 50 or 100 stores on the same day.

[blondeatlast]

4. Exactly; they need to go HUGE with this. I wish them all the luck

that I can.

OTOH, if they are successful, I would have to patronize Wal-Mart... :shrug:

[mongo]

5. I don't fault Walmart

for labor protections and trade practices that should be dictated/determined by the government.

Before labor laws, we had children working in mills for 16 hours/day - it is the governments responsibility to provide these basic protections for citizens, not Walmart's fault for running their business within the laws of the United States.

I do hope that the workers of Walmart succeed to unionize.