During the battle to oppose workers' right to organize, Wal-Mart is a polarizing figure. From it's support for Communist Chinese unions while opposing independent unions elsewhere, Wal-Mart is on a corporate mission to make sure that workers are not afforded any level of dignity. In Canada, where workers have stronger union rights than U.S. workers, Wal-Mart is particularly virulent in opposing its workers. So, the following story from the Canadian National Union of Public and General Employees will give some evidence to both sides of the debate. The pro-worker side will see this story as another example of Wal-Mart's intransigence and refusal to bargain by any means necessary. The anti-worker side will see this as proof that when workers organize companies simply close up shop, since companies like Wal-Mart would rather take their ball and go home if their workers win. If you oppose the Employee Free Choice Act I'm sure I'll hear from you, but if you support it make sure you speak out. I'm proud to be an American, but I'm ashamed that Wal-Mart is an American company.
Wal-Mart workers unionized at third store in Quebec
Employees in Gatineau follow lead of those in Jonquiere and Ste-Hyacinthe
Ottawa (22 Dec. 2008) - Less than two months after closing a tire and lube shop in Gatineau to get rid of a union, Wal-Mart is now faced with a certification order for 150 employees in the adjacent retail store − located across the Ottawa River from Canada's capital.
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW Canada) has been certified bargaining agent for the employees and wants to begin negotiating a first contract immediately. Predictably, Wal-Mart is appealing the order to the Quebec Superior Court.
Employees at the store signed union cards 3 1/2 years ago when the tire and lube shop was unionized. However, certification was delayed while Wal-Mart, using its bottomless financial and legal resources, exhausted all means available to avoid a union.
Wal-Mart now says only 63 of the original 194 employees from 2005 remain on staff in the store and it is asking the Quebec labour board to order a secret ballot before the union is recognized.
The ultimate card - shutting down
When it had no option left but to deal with a union at the tire and lube shop, Wal-Mart played its ultimate card in October and shut the shop down, claiming it could not remain profitable if forced to pay wage rates decreed in a contract imposed by the labour board.
The union, and critics across Canada and beyond, said the company was merely behaving as it always does − doing whatever it takes to kill any union, no matter how small, wherever it appears in any Wal-Mart operation.
In 2005, Wal-Mart shut down a full-fledged retail store in Jonquiere, Que., just as an arbitrator was set to impose a union contract. The company is also facing arbitration at a second store in Ste-Hyacinthe, Que.
Meanwhile, workers have also been certified at a Wal-Mart store in Weyburn, Sask., where Wal-Mart is also resorting to all legal tactics available to delay and kill the union drive.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) has signed a protocol with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW Canada) to support and cooperate in the UFCW's campaign to organize workers at Wal-Mart stores across Canada. NUPGE
Comments
Congratulations Wal-Mart employees!!!
UAW Local 909 employee
Another hit-piece on Walmart from a union mouthpiece. There's a reason union membership is down to 7% in the U.S. - it's because unions have destroyed every business they've touched - textiles, airlines, steel, auto.... shall we go on?
The Union's time and place has coma and gone. If employers do not treat their people right, the employees will walk and go somewhere better.
As for Walmart, I suppose you think someone putting your can of soup in a bag at the checkout should get $70 an hour?
Haven't unions done enough damage to this country? Come on people, this union BS reprehensible. What good do they do? Look what the UAW has done to the auto industry. Why do you suppose all the southern states have become right to work states. Unions were everywhere at one time; now they're hated. Nobody gets rich except the idiot union reps. You pro-union people need to find a brain and stop being lemmings.
Haven't unions done enough damage to this country? Come on people, this union BS reprehensible. What good do they do? Look what the UAW has done to the auto industry. Why do you suppose all the southern states have become right to work states. Unions were everywhere at one time; now they're hated. Nobody gets rich except the idiot union reps. You pro-union people need to find a brain and stop being lemmings.
unions=mafia
unions=p.o.s.
chris is right unions only create damage
Canadians are getting sick and tired of this bully disrepecting our laws and culture.
Walmart is about the worst company I have ever seen. Canadians are citizens not just consumers. If Walmart can't provide decent jobs than it can get out of here.
Let them shut down. Help them shut down. Make them shut down. Just be sure they are not allowed to reopen in the area again.
People really need to WORK at WalMart to understand that the media REALLY slants how things work. Also, individuals need to understand how the company functions and brings the lowest cost to the consumer by pure economics of supply and demand. I am a proud former WalMart associate of 5 years and I left the organization with dignity and respect for what they do and how they function!
...and Unions may have been a way in the past, but there is no room for them in the new economy!
Walmart just needs to go ahead and buy Canada. I hear it can be owned for about $50 cash. Unions are great, all three unionized car makers are shut down, out of money. Unionized retailers are out of business because their customers shop at Walmart. Yeah, unions are good for America.
Tadd Martin doesn't know!!! A study of retail stores indicated that Wal-Mart's always low prices were not always low. In fact, Wal-Mart uses loss leaders and then charges dramatically higher prices so that places like Target and K-Mart are actually cheaper over the broad spectrum of consumer goods that people really need. That and low wages gives you a great incentive to keep your profitably obscene and spend a little extra dough on the lawyers who'll guarantee it. Now, more than ever we need Unions to step up and take back Our World from the rich and powerful who are still hellbent on ruling us as vassals!
This is about Wal-Mart's disregard for the law. The employees voted to unionize and that is that. To all those union-bashers-wake up-the unions don't run the company, invest in new technology, design the products, etc. The managers are at fault. Actually-nobody in manufacturing can compete with chineese slave workers. A company can pay their workers nickles and dime and still not survive. By the way, GM still sells more cars than toyota.
Tadd Martin doesn't know!!! A study of retail stores indicated that Wal-Mart's always low prices were not always low. In fact, Wal-Mart uses loss leaders and then charges dramatically higher prices so that places like Target and K-Mart are actually cheaper over the broad spectrum of consumer goods that people really need. That and low wages gives you a great incentive to keep your profitably obscene and spend a little extra dough on the lawyers who'll guarantee it. Now, more than ever we need Unions to step up and take back Our World from the rich and powerful who are still hellbent on ruling us as vassals!
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