Wal-Mart Warns Workers Of Democratic Win

UPDATE: Wal-Mart has issued a statement regarding The Wall Street Journal article outlining how it's warning employees to beware of voting for Democrats. AP has the details. The Wall Street Journal article is excerpted below this excerpt from 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.

The measure, called the Employee Free Choice Act, would allow labor organizations to unionize workplaces without secret ballot elections. It was co-sponsored by Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic presidential candidate, and opposed by John McCain, the presumed Republican nominee.

The original report from The Wall Street Journal:

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 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.

Comments

[Okieborn]

Walmart = Anti- Union, Anti employees, anti American made !!!
If you are a Senator Obama supporter,don't shop at Walmrt.
PLAIN AND SIMPLE !!!

[gcan]

Anyone who can't see through the autocratic greed of the Walton family and refuse to patronize any of their businesses only joins them in enslaving our middle and lower classes. Why would any people in their right minds shop at WalMart? This isn't news. The family even brags about its inhumane business practices. They aren't just anti-U.S. Business, anti-democracy, anti-labor, and anti-justice, they believe they have replaced the emperors of the ancient world. They think they can buy, own, and enslave everyone, even all the businesses in China that they support to keep their employees and customers in this country in even deeper desolation regarding human rights and economic rights.

The solution: NEVER ENTER THE DOORS OF WAL-MART OR SAMS'S STORES! NEVER DO ANY BUSINESS WITH ANYTHING RELATED TO THE WALTON FAMILY!

[wdw101]

now I shop there today.....­...and I like sam's

[barbwiregrrl]

For a man whp claims to own a company...­.you certianly do not know how to write a coherent sentence..

now I shop there today.....­...and I like sam's

It should be

Today I shopped there. The more you post the more you prove you are nothing more than a untruthful being.

[snucky]

is this illegal what walmart is doing?

[wdw101]

no it is not illegal .....a business can make suggestions and explain possible out comes.....­...do tactical moves of important dates.....­.Like move up the bonus date to Jan 24, 2009. then let a rumor exist that bonuses could be canceled if legislation is expected to cause damage to the business through taxes and other costs.....­.we just hope that the cancellation can be avoided by a well place vote.

At no time were you told who to vote for..cause that would be illegal...­.

[BlackWidowPilot]

"All war is deception.­" - Sun Tzu, ART OF WAR

"wdw101," you're just not that slick, anymore than your fellow travelers in Wal-Mart are simply not that slick.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[Annie23]

This is no surprise to me. I have friends who work for large retail chains and I was told that all of them as new hires are told the evils of Unions and that unions do nothing for workers, bla, bla, bla, bla. What really surprised me that a favorite place where I shop --- Target ----does the same thing.

So Americans, in the next 10 years we will all become minimum wage workers, with no benefits and I'm wondering who will be shopping at all of these "Unions are evil retail chains." All of us will be cramped into a 1 bedroom apartment with all of our relatives to make ends meet and no one will have any protection. Isn't the American dream grand?

Annie

[gandalf74]

I have worked for Wallmart here in West Virginia twice. I know for a fact that they always show an Anti-Union video. When you go through training, the explanations they give you for unionizing the store are outrageous. I live in a area where coal mining is the main source of income in the state. Many people have lost their lives in the last few years. AT Massey gets away with murder by putting workers in unsafe conditions. If it were not for the unions. I could not imagine how much worse it could be. Unions are necessary in the USA. It is sad to see us let the power of the union slip away. I will not cross a picket line. Needless to say, the whole experience is very Orwellian, There are always huge pics of Sam Walton, or as they refer to him as "Mr Sam.". They never mentioned to us about the upcoming elections . I just know they make sure they definately do not want unions in thier stores. There are a few out of the country stores that are unionized, it just happens to be rare. The Wallmart agenda is one that does not get talked about. To supress someones rights is very UNAMERICAN and of course they love to tote the notion how American that the company is. Its a huge joke and absolutely a facade they honestly believe in.

[TheSecularist]

In 1997, I was hired by Eckerd Pharmacy and they showed a similar anti-union film as part of their orientation. I immediately regretted my decision to work for that company. Although I had never belonged to a union, I resented Eckerd's use of fear tactics to dissuade me from supporting unions. Their treatment of employees was so disrespectful, I left three weeks later because I could not in good conscience work for such a company.

[wdw101]

corrected:
so work as a coal miner

[wdw101]

so work be a coal miner

[MacTheBlogger]

First of all, if Wal Mart actually communicated this, it was a stupid move on their part.

That said, at the very foundation of running a business is the fact that, as costs go up, eventually you will have to raise your prices. Anyone who has owned, run or managed a business can tell you that.

Wal Mart's costs of doing business will increase significantly if/when a union gets in there. So if you're happy for the Wal Mart employees who will be making more, fabulous, good for them.

But don't even try to claim that you give a crap about the millions of low income people who shop there for food and clothing. Their costs will ALSO increase significantly.

I guess, at that point, we'll hear calls for the nationalization of food and clothing. Appropriate, after the current calls for nationalization of energy, health care and banking. Gosh, hopefully soon we can join Venezuela, where everyone is "equal" in their mediocrity.

[LollieDotCom]

This is the best news I've heard all year!!!

Walmart has about 140 million employees. This news is going to spread like wild fire throughout the ranks and infuriate the majority of them.

Come on folks, what do you do when your monster employer tells you not to vote for Obama because it's likely to get you a better paycheck, better hours and better healthcare if you do? lololololol Oh Thank you, thank you, thank you Walmart executives. With enemies like you, Obama looks more like a shoe-in every day!

I am doin' the happy dance of joy for this story!

[wdw101]

LollieDotCom:

there are only 330 million people in this country...­....yet you state "Walmart has about 140 million employees"­.......wow so you think walmart employs over 1/3 of the US population­....

you are either stupid or trying to mislead

[Jomojo333]

ask any wal-mart super store casher , in springfield tn, many illegal aliens
come in several times a week with food stamps, one person uses several aliases
to receive multiple food stamp accounts, they use several fake IDs
This give away program benefits wal-mart and farmers,
maybe walmart has a fear that this may be cut back if Obama is elected,
after all look how many people were weaned off of welfare when clinton was president
I can see where any change could effect walmarts bottom line, so lets go with McSame

we should finger print all who receive welfare
Lets make sure illegals are not double dipping, while I work a double shift

[TheSecularist]

While illegal immigrants (who are paid low wages and often abused by American employers) help depress wages, don't lose sight of the fact that they are not our biggest problem. If you want to blame someone for having to work two jobs to get by, blame the Republicans. Beginning with Reagan, corporations gained control of our government and implemented policies that benefited them at the expense of the American people. Blame the Republicans for refusing to raise the minimum wage for 28 years. Blame the spineless Democrats for having neither intelligence nor fortitude to outwit the Republicans and do what's best for Americans. Blame yourself (i.e., any of you who voted for Republicans) for supporting the Republican­/corporate agenda with your votes. Don't be distracted by attempts of conservatives to blame illegal immigrants for all our economic woes. Don't be distracted by proposals of offshore drilling to bring down gas prices (pandering politicians always propose more drilling when prices are high and it has yet to work). Become informed by looking at history and realizing that McCain's "economic" policies are a poorly disguised offering of Reagan's trickle down economics (also known as breadcrumb­s-left-on-­the-table economics) that didn't work then, didn't work for GW Bush, and won't work for the next president. We have become the soylent green for the wealthy and powerful and it is up to us to effect change.

[wdw101]

i blame the democrats and republican for the illegals..­......i blame democrats for the first minimum wage increase in 28 years.....­.if it has oil drill drill drill

[Vurz]

If Wal-Mart was paying their employees what they were worth, the employees wouldn't be tempted by unionization. Since Wal-Mart is scared of unions, it is obvious they aren't paying their employees what they are worth.

Paying such low wages that their employees qualify for food stamps, medicaid and section 8 housing just means that all the other businesses in the state are subsidizing Wal-Mart just as the people in the state do. In fact, sole proprietorships and partnerships get to personally subsidize twice; once through their business taxes, once through their personal taxes.

This affects everyone down the "food chain". Only sell to the military? Well, increased social services' budgets might just cut a few military program's budgets.

Maybe you only sell B2B. You aren't selling nearly as much as you could be selling; your customer base is having to subsidize Wal-Mart's workers. Your customer's customers are having to subsidize Wal-Mart's workers.

Neo-cons like to pretend they are for "self-reliance" and American Values. So why are they paying Wal-Marts way?

[skruff]

Actually it is more than just "pay" Walmart assigns "split shifts" where a worker may work from 6AM to 9AM, then be required to return at 1PM. The health care that they (finally had to) offer is almost worthless. They hire outside entities to "provide service" so they can wash their hands of situations like the recent hiring of illegals, locking employees in the stores, making employees work after clocking out. making workers handle hazardous material without proper protective garment. and the list goes on forever.

Hillary Clinton (allegedly the workers friend) was on their board of directors for eight years and never once addressed a single worker issue.

[wdw101]

we should cancel the social programs..­.....so walmart can not do this......­..

[racetoinfinity]

Can the preference of the corporatocray be any plainer?

[bluman-n-redstate]

Free Choice is when a majority of the rank and file employees of a company has signed a union card then the union that they have signed with can start contract negotiations with that company. Rather then the current law of when a majority of the rank and file employees has signed, then you have to wait several months before an election. A study was done on this and on average employees have to wait four months for an election and during that time companies harassed and intimidated employees and fired 20% of the in house organizers, ( the employees at the company who are trying to organize their co-workers) and fired more afterward.

Consider who owns the WSJ and the company who is telling lies about the hefty dues and getting nothing in return. And sometimes you have to walk a picket line for you, your family, and the next generation of workers.

I've noticed that the people who thinks minimum wage is enough doesn't live on it, who think no one should just have insurance can afford it or gets it from their employer, or think that companies don't need to provide a pension and at best a funky 401K that the company might put money in along with you has their own pension or a golden parachute.

Voting for the Greedy Oil Party won't get you to heaven or give you a better life

[wdw101]

next you union people will want insurance that new type of marriage in CA....

[GenXLiberal]

Since you believe that unions are bad, then give up your overtime, pension, raises, vacation time, short term disability, workers compensation, weekends, etc. and SHUT UP YOU STUPID UNEDUCATED, FREE RIDDING SACK OF MONKEY DUNG.

[limonista]

Wal-Mart is another version of hell. They closed out all of our smaller supermarkets here in town. So when I needed a job, I got one at our local co-op, which I get discounts, work with happy liberals, happy costumers, and healthy local food. And yes, I'm hoping Obama will stop by our store to buy to purchase some arugala!

[wdw101]

never said unions did not have a reason for existing 75 years ago......b­ut now i don't have much use for them......

[wdw101]

corrected:
next you union people will want insurance for that new type of marriage in CA....

[mosh]

This comment still makes no sense.

[barbwiregrrl]

The holey boxer dude has not made sense in his lifetime. He probably lives in mommy's basement and has not seen daylight in 20 years.

[proudloudlib]

Still unintelligible.

[SimonNZ]

wdw101 = weally dumb wingnut 101

[Dunsmuir]

I recently watched a short documentary on the CBC in Canada about Wallmart. in China. Are you aware that the Walmart in China is unionized? The workers weren.t really sure what it meant.

[wdw101]

so i would expect that.....c­hina is a communist country...­......Cana­da is a socialist country

[TheSecularist]

Neither communism, nor socialism is evil. It's all in the implementation. Democracy is supposed to be good, but when it is implemented in a way that keeps the wealthy and powerful in control (e.g., corporations), it is evil. Our form of democracy is neither better nor worse than socialism or communism.

[wdw101]

I even have union parking spots.....­..that is very proactive?

it is far away from the building though....­...

[wdw101]

I put them in as a joke......­but they just stayed in.....

[barbwiregrrl]

Only joke is that you have this fantasy life that you own a company and that you are someone important. Only thing you are is a holey boxer dude in mommy's basement.

[barbwiregrrl]

Boy oh Boy your fear of unions permeats your ability to think....

You are so afraid of the unions you spend all your time thinking of ways of "hurt" the unions...r­eally you hurt yourself.

[wdw101]

no just will not deal with them they will not benefit from my company if i can help it.....plu­mbers were the hardest to get past the union on(we are within the corporate limits of our city).....­..prevaili­ng wage is strongly suggested.­.......but it is just a suggestion­.....so I bring in smaller plumbing outfits from the suburbs. a smaller plumbing outfit is grateful for the work and is cheaper by about 1/2 if not more......­.