Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win

[EV_Ares]

From front page headline in The Wall Street Journal this morning:
---------------------


Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mobilizing its store managers and department supervisors around the country to warn that if Democrats win power in November, they'll likely change federal law to make it easier for workers to unionize companies -- including Wal-Mart.

In recent weeks, thousands of Wal-Mart store managers and department heads have been summoned to mandatory meetings at which the retailer stresses the downside for workers if stores were to be unionized.

According to about a dozen Wal-Mart employees who attended such meetings in seven states, Wal-Mart executives claim that employees at unionized stores would have to pay hefty union dues while getting nothing in return, and may have to go on strike without compensation. Also, unionization could mean fewer jobs as labor costs rise.

The actions by Wal-Mart -- the nation's largest private employer -- reflect a growing concern among big business that a reinvigorated labor movement could reverse years of declining union membership. That could lead to higher payroll and health costs for companies already being hurt by rising fuel and commodities costs and the tough economic climate.

The Wal-Mart human-resources managers who run the meetings don't specifically tell attendees how to vote in November's election, but make it clear that voting for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama would be tantamount to inviting unions in, according to Wal-Mart employees who attended gatherings in Maryland, Missouri and other states.

"The meeting leader said, 'I am not telling you how to vote, but if the Democrats win, this bill will pass and you won't have a vote on whether you want a union,'" said a Wal-Mart customer-service supervisor from Missouri. "I am not a stupid person. They were telling me how to vote," she said.

Link to entire article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121755649066303381.html?mod=hps_us_whats_news (subscription)

[Heidi]

1. Well, we sure can't have employees getting higher wages or better benefits, can we?

Recommended.

:kick:

[AwakeAtLast]

22. They're afraid they will have to provide benefits, period.

That's the part that has them shaking in their boots.

[Major Hogwash]

27. They only hire on a part-time basis now to avoid paying benefits.

I heard one of the clerks complaining to another clerk that he would now have put in 33 hours of work this week due to the 4 hours he put in that day because they called him in to work on his day off, and that would put him over the edge of being a part-timer anymore.

The other clerk said "big deal, next week they'll cut your hours down to 20 to make up for it to avoid putting you on full-time."

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

2. Sickmaking

The (much smaller) company that I work for is also against the idea of unions, but they would never DREAM of tying it to an election or telling staff which way to vote.

Walmart truly is . . . a Celebration of Mediocrity!

[ccharles000]

3. Walmart sucks.

[DainBramaged]

4. They will take the money of the poor and then tell them how to vote

The gravy train is OVER for these fucks. I guess their billions in profits will be reduced by a few over the next couple of years. Oh and don't forget that the crap they are importing will be under stricter scrutiny.

Fuck them, Reich-wing bastards. I hate Wal-Mart.

[high density]

5. Fewer $6.55/hr jobs?

Yeah that's a real serious threat to us there.

[AndyA]

6. Another reason to not shop at Wal-Mart.

Kick the Wal-Mart habit. Wal-Mart is bad for America in so many ways.

[awoke_in_2003]

7. Ah, the old "you'll have to pay union fees" meme

Oh well, if it happens, the poor Walton kids may drop a point or two in the richest people in the world list. Fuck 'em

[Triana]

8. IBM did this too - in 2004...

...they sent out flyers to all employees and individual letters regarding the same.

THEY WERE TELLING THEIR EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS NOT TO VOTE DEMOCRATIC - not in so many words - but it was the same mantra as Wal-Mart is now using. IBM is no doubt telling their employees the same again this election, too.

[EV_Ares]

9. Did IBM get in trouble for doing it? It is illegal except for your officers, etc. eom.

[Triana]

11. NOPE. They did not. If I remember, they had little conferences they invited employees to....

...about it too. Attendance wasn't mandatory but they had at least one session on it. I also remember they had email, and a phone number set up in case an employee had questions about it too.

Did they get in trouble? No. Not at all.

[Fluffdaddy]

10. I drive out of my way an willing to buy more..............

Not to shop at Wal-Mart. And have been for years

[Tesla]

13. There are 5 Walmart heirs in the top 20 richest in the WORLD!

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/Rank_1.html

I sure would feel sorry for them if they had to give back some of their profits to their employees who earn it for them!

[zbdent]

12. my family benefitted from having my father in a union ...

dental, optical, health ... all stuff we wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise ...

and yet, my brother has become a Republican - the party which attacks and tries to destroy unions ...

[Virginia Dare]

14. The corporate establishment is really getting worried about November..

we're getting to them folks, we've got to keep pumping money into the Obama campaign. Give until it hurts.

[HughMoran]

15. Glad I already boycott WalMart

What more do you need to know?

[highplainsdem]

16. Outrageous.

[jules1962]

17. Take it from me

This is backfiring on the corporate bigwigs. Associates are now saying that they will definitely vote dem since they are being told not to. The corp has been treating the hourly associates like crap and lied to them way to much. The hourly workers are just keeping their mouth shut and you can hear the hushed talk of "When I am in the voting booth, they can't see who I am voting for". The fatcats do not give the hourly workers enough credit. They are just adding to the dem votes by starting these meetings. Who are the idiots now?

[sourmilk]

18. ..."you won't have a vote on whether you want a union.'"

What a flaming pile of BS.

Has ANYONE here ever heard of a union, ANYWHERE in the USA, being formed WITHOUT A VOTE???

Corrupt moneyperverts.

[WinkyDink]

19. They can hint, they can tell, they can scare---but Wal-Mart bosses CANNOT MAKE YOU VOTE ONE WAY.

Nothing is preventing employees from learning about the benefits of being in a union.

[cascadiance]

20. Hey China*Mart, 99% of America see your "warning" as GOOD news!

And we're not sorry that you take it badly! YOU DESERVE TO GET IT BADLY!!!

Some of your competitors will realize that more union strength means they need to cut COSTS at the top (exec's bloated salaries and benefits) instead of hacking away at the bottom to the point they can't produce competitive products. And they will KICK YOUR ASS! And I'll be happy to see that day!

[DarthDem]

21. Haven't Shopped at Wal-Mart Since About 2000

. . . and have no plans to start anytime soon. What a scumsucking, disreputable, just-plain-horrible company.

[DainBramaged]

23. ONCE in over 10 years and only to get a gift card for a friend in Florida

who's home was taken down to the foundation after one of the hurricanes in 2004, and ALL that was open in her neighborhood was Wal-fucking-Mart for months.

[DarthDem]

24. Sounds like a valid excuse to me.

:-)

[Major Hogwash]

25. Another reason to boycott Walmart. Exploitation of the workers should be criminal.

I could care less what WalMart does tomorrow. That monopoly has ruined many small businesses in too many small towns.

[Writer]

26. I hope to f'ing God we do...

America needs a resurgence of the labor movement. A very LARGE resurgence.

[PA Democrat]

28. Poor Wal-Mart. Check out this quote:

"That could lead to higher payroll and health costs for companies already being hurt by rising fuel and commodities costs and the tough economic climate."

Yeah, I'm tearing up right now just thinking about those greedy workers trying to squeeze a living wage and decent health care out of poor Wal-Mart. :sarcasm: