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

[wdw101]

I now have a policy no uninvited union affiliated workers can enter the work floors....­even UPS has to stop before entering the work floors..re­ceiving will come up to meet him....the phones were put in by a bell non-union subcontractor. The electricians are non-union wage but are escorted at all times.....­before a contract is given validating union or not is required by contractor­s.....we use all independent trucker when we can....or they are escorted at all times

[RudyV]

You might want to consider changing your meds, wdw101, because they're making you sound incoherent. But if you're not taking meds, you might want to start.

[wdw101]

good retort

[mosh]

Sounds more like self-medication to me. Probably subsidizes the local liquor store.

[barbwiregrrl]

WDW UPS does not enter work floors....­rather they deliver to the shipping gate...the­y never enter your precious building..
What a liar you are.

[wdw101]

no, I did not state they don't enter my building, they don't enter the work floor is what is said......

[wdw101]

you people should be fighting the illegal problem...­...that drives down wages in a big way......I would be ok with you union types picking walmart for having cleaning crews made up by illegals..­..

[barbwiregrrl]

Oh boy the old "you people" argument..­..

[diogeron]

So, it's the "union types" hiring illegals? I must have missed something. I was under the impression that the owners or the companies and their management did the hiring, not the "union types."

[wdw101]

i did not say that ........re­ad the post "I would be ok with you union types picking on walmart for having cleaning crews made up by illegals".­...

[wdw101]

i have past around my company policies to other businesses in my area for adoption..­....overal­l I had good responses

[barbwiregrrl]

Mr Big businessman the correct wording is

PASSED not Past......­..gee how can you own a compnay that you claim to and you can't even formulate a coherent sentence using standard English.

[wdw101]

it was late what is your problem "compnay"

[wdw101]

on this one walmart has done nothing wrong.....­.a suggestion of what could come is not illegal...­...

[MeanGreenMachine]

Boycotting your company is not illegal either, Union Buster.

[wdw101]

no i just formed a new company

[wdw101]

then i guess it is good i don't sell to the public....

[wdw101]

so then what is your problem with this suggestion by walmart...­.....

[darthmaul]

I think your wrong, I believe it's illegal to tell your employee's how to vote in an election. It smacks of coercion to me.

[wdw101]

yes that is true.....b­ut if the wrong party wins this might happen is not......

[bdd]

HEY WALMART.
I've not boycotted you because I don't want to hurt your workers.
Your workers are already badly bruised by your policies.
How ever I will work to publicize your despicable tactics.

[wdw101]

ok, that is a thought best one i have seen here....

[MeanGreenMachine]

Let us add your company to the boycott list.

[2cntswrth]

This is just another classic case of a big corporation (which is obscenely profiting from the poor ecomomy---and in some ways contributing to it) trying to keep things as they are so they can continue to import cheap junk, maintain deplorable employee policies, and devastate small communities. Until Americans wake up about WalMart and avoid shopping with them, they will continue to reap huge dollars at our expense. And I'm not just talking about what's purchased from them. I'm talking about the expense of lost small businesses, lowered standards of living, and poor job opportunities. Why of course they aren't interested in any changes---because it may mean better jobs, and people having a few dollars to shop somewhere else. And of course they don't want to treat their employees any better---it cuts into their profits! I made a conscious decision to quit shopping there quite some time ago---and haven't missed it at all.

[wdw101]

so what's your point.....­.don't shop there.....­..problem solved right.....­..oh other people shop there in your place.....­...profit still go up......th­at worked well for you

[MeanGreenMachine]

BUCK buck buck buck

[BlackWidowPilot]

"I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country."

- Thomas Jefferson

Wally-World and the Walton family merely prove yet again that President Jefferson was right all along about the "aristocracy of the moneyed corporatio­ns."

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[deminmo]

Well my goodness! Are they going to somehow penalize
an employee for voting for Obama? They have already cut
full-time to part-time in many areas to save labor and health
costs. They already have chosen to sell China made goods
predominately.
Four years ago it was churches that were telling people that
voting for a democrat would send them straight to hell, or at
the very least show themselves to be a poor christian.
Weird world we live in!

[wdw101]

i moved my bonus day to jan 24, 2009. If the wrong party wins......­.the 24th will be canceled

[MeanGreenMachine]

Give us your company's name so we can boycott it.

[barbwiregrrl]

bonus day.....th­e workers get to take an extra bathroom break? Shessh I would love to speak to your "employees" and see how they feel about you.

[ewadswor]

Who would shop at a place that would do this? No Wal-mart, no Sam's Club.

- understaffs its stores and pressures employees to complete assignments while refusing to permit employees to stay on-the-clock for the time it takes to accomplish them;
- denies pay for time worked off-the-clock, through meal or rest breaks, and overtime; and
- keeps employees locked in Wal-Mart stores after closing and requires that they remain there after clocking out until store managers have visited every department.

[forebode]

I wonder how they are going to make their employees "prove" who they voted for so they can keep their jobs? Walmart apparently doesn't care anything about obeying labor laws. The next thing you know, other companies (employers) are going to follow suit, and pretty soon, you will be forced to vote the way your company requires or you won't have a job, and you will get blacklisted so you can't get other employment just because you voted against the way you were ordered to vote. If it ever comes down to being required to vote the way your employer orders you to vote, and you have to prove you voted the way you were ordered to vote, there needs to be a MASSIVE national strike and workers' revolution. I was a member of an AFL-CIO union, and if a union member happened to be a member of a so-called protected status worker, i.e. Black, Hispanic, woman, over 40 years of age, have a disability, you stood a better chance of being able to keep your job and have a livelihood instead of the employer getting rid of their over 40 workers, their workers with disabilities, or getting away with allowing sexual harrassment. In employment at will offices and shops, each employee is kept too scared to stand up for another being treated unfairly. Additionally, workplace bullying is not allowed to get very far at all in a union shop or office.

[wdw101]

" I wonder how they are going to make their employees "prove" who they voted for so they can keep their jobs?" I'll vote for that

[MeanGreenMachine]

or are you afraid?

(chicken noises)

[amethystlady2]

I fully agree with ewads and forebode's posts. If anyone cares to check, Walmart is one of the Republican Party's largest contributors to the Bush administration and his re-election.

Walmart is also one of China's largest customers.­..every item of clothing in Walmart is made in China. (took away jobs from the U. S.) All or most toys in Walmart are made in China, and do not follow any safety codes. Possibly all electronics in Walmart are made in China. (more jobs taken away from U. S. citizens).

I was not shocked to know that Walmart basically told their emloyess who to vote for. This happens in lots of Far Right Conservative corporations. Attempts to unionize gaming industry jobs in my State were effectively blocked by Right Wing Corporations.

Its not the UNIONS employees have to be afraid of. Its that "Open Door" policy your CEO, Manager, or boss tells you they have, and invite you in with open arms!
Beware...t­hose arms are getting ready to toss YOU to the wolves.

Its a real shame that what Sam Walton built has been completely destroyed by his children and grandchildren. They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. But like the oil companies, they have been rewarded well for their allegiance to the anti-union, anti-middle class Republicans.

And for anyone who thinks I have no idea about unions, I have been in two, my husband was in one for 50 years before he retired.

[TLV]

An anti-Walmart group has called our house and sent mailings warning about contaminated dog food, unfair labor practices, etc. My elderly parents have already NOT EVER shopped there and even gave us a gift card someone gave them from there. They are seriously against the Walmartization of our blessed nation.

[wdw101]

dog population control? the gift card not being used gives 100% profit to walmart!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!

[Boringat]

Our local stores bring in S A N T A at Christmas.­.... Walmart already has S A T A N in residence all year,so they don't bother.

[BOBONDE]

THE GOP PARTY LOVES COMMUNISTS, THEY CAN GET LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE TO WORK FOR NEXT TO NOTHING, SOMETHING THE REPUBS WOULD LOVE TO IMPLEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY.

[AzRealProgressive]

The GOP hates communists. Small point of fact. Working for next to nothing is something illegals do. And 11-12 million are here now doing that. I thought I would point that out to you.

[wdw101]

good point

[MeanGreenMachine]

THE BEST ECONOMY America ever experienced was when Union Membership was at its HIGHEST! Corporations are NOT in the business of creating middle class wealth and stability, THE AMERICAN WORKER, the producer of EVERYTHING in America, had to FORCE them to pay decent wages.

STAND UP to CORPORATE GREED!!!!

BOYCOTT AND ORGANIZE!!!!!

[AzRealProgressive]

Unions were in fact responsible for many of the benefits we now have.

[MeanGreenMachine]

Name a benefit that you have that the Organized Labor did NOT win for you.

[jean22]

Guess I won't be buying from Walmart. Two can play that game.