Thousands of Wal-Mart managers summoned to mandatory meetings, told no Dems or Unions

[dajoki]

Wal-Mart mobilizes against Democrats: report
Wall Street Journal says effort aimed at thwarting unions
updated 11:22 a.m. ET, Fri., Aug. 1, 2008
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25967103/

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mobilizing U.S. store managers to lobby against Democrats in November's presidential election, fearing they will make it easier for workers to unionize, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

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

About a dozen employees who attended meetings in seven states said executives argued employees would have to pay hefty union dues and get nothing in return, and might have to go on strike without compensation. They also warned that unionization could force the company to cut jobs as labor costs rise, the Journal reported.

<<snip>>

"If anyone representing Wal-Mart gave the impression we were telling associates how to vote, they were wrong and acting without approval," David Tovar, the Wal-Mart spokesman, told the Journal.

Wal-Mart Watch, a union-backed group that often takes issue with labor practices at the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer, argued that the meetings were just the latest example of bad behavior toward employees.

"Today's Wall Street Journal story demonstrates once again that Wal-Mart intimidates its workers," Executive Director David Nassar said in an e-mailed statement.

[Captain Hilts]

1. W-M has tobacco people in its PR dept. and uses the same pollster as the White House.

Why blue people shop there is beyond me.

[napi21]

2. If that bill passes where the employees can vote on a card, I doubt

Mgmts opinion will make any difference. The only way they're getting away with it now is because the employees can be SEEN going to cast a "secret ballot".

[liberal N proud]

3. An employee can not threaten its employees about their vote

There must be some law violation here.

Wal-Mart is good at threatening it's people if injured or out on LOA

[gratuitous]

8. Of course there's a law violation here

But who's going to prosecute it? The Bush Justice Department? It is to laugh.

Wal-Mart's really worried about unions because their employees might actually get to participate in the profits they generate, and who knows? If they get good enough pay, they may actually go shopping somewhere else than the company store. And that's just too scary for the Walton Family of Fine Fascists to contemplate.

[Tesha]

11. Unless someone will prosecute, violations of law mean nothing.

Isn't this precisely how the NeoCons get away
with much of what they get away with?

Tesha

[LiberalFighter]

12. Yes it is a violation but they have the finances to stall and delay.

They have intimidated, fired, demoted, promoted out of hourly to mgmt, spied, tracked and many other tactics to instill fear into employees so they don't vote for a union.

The only recourse employees have is with the NLRB which is controlled by the Republicans. The General Counsel of that board is also Republican.

[hedgehog]

4. Is it even legal for Walmart to pressure its employees on how they vote

in the election?

[dajoki]

6. That was my first reaction n/t

[LiberalFighter]

13. No it is not. Each state has laws against that. And there is I believe a federal law against it too.

[Annces]

5. Un-American thugs - Wal-Mart that is n/t

[magellan]

7. I don't know what they're worried about

The current crop of Dems in Congress haven't shown themselves to be particularly friendly towards unions.

[Turbineguy]

9. This is a mistake

terrible idea.

Our Union used to send out a guy to recruit offshore platform workers. The Union rep was obviously drunk and the drive failed miserably.

[Warpy]

10. Those managers are on salary and worked to death

and forced to try to cheat the employees. I sincerely doubt they're going to try to vote to support corporate management.

I'll bet there was a lot of whispered "FUCK YOU" during that meeting.

I've managed a chain store. I know how managers are treated and it's not pretty.

[L0oniX]

14. Place a check mark by your political affiliation on your Walmart job application....

...that's what it's coming down to.

[NashVegas]

15. Class Action Suit

But someone's got to file it.

[Pharlo]

16. Ok.....and WalMart doesn't consider the following as

contradictory arguments?

"employees would have to pay hefty union dues and get nothing in return"

and

"unionization could force the company to cut jobs as labor costs rise"

If the employees are receiving nothing in return, why would labor costs rise? Did the company explain that?

[undeterred]

17. They laid off a woman 9 months pregnant.

I just had my hair cut by a woman who said she used to work at Walmart, but they laid her off when she was 9 months pregnant. Good for her for going to cosmetology school.

[dajoki]

18. The trouble is...

that Wal-Mart has so many of our small towns by the balls. They drove all the local stores out of business, are probably the largest employer in some areas and will NOT allow competition. A Target or something like it tried to move into our area and Wal-Mart put a stop to it before it even got started, thanks to the politicians in their deep pockets.