First Wal-Mart Union Begins In China

The first Wal-Mart trade union in China was formed after the company bowed to government demands for organized labor in its stores, The New York Times reported Friday.

Wal-Mart's reluctance to allow unions, particularly in the United States where they remain banned from stores, has been a point of controversy for many years. But the government-controlled All-China Federation of Trade Unions fought for the right to create branches in the company's 60 outlets.

Beth Keck, director of international corporate affairs for Wal-Mart, said she was aware of the reports of Chinese unions forming and said the company hopes to have a "cordial and productive relationship" with the federation.

"We know they have been interested in having a relationship with our company for some time," Keck said. "We will, of course, be looking forward to how this will evolve."

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, has operations in 15 countries, many of which have at least some employees that are union members.

The United States, Keck said, is the "clear exception."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[nomoredead]

We will see the day when the Chinese labor force will demand higher wages to start living the modern middle class lifestyle they hear so much about. Add any new environmental safeguards that might begin with the pollution problems. Factor in the cost of shipping products to the US and we will see factories closing there. Just like they abandoned the Mexican factories, corporations will next move their operations to Africa where they will pay $2 per day.

[Enid]

If a black man can not be elected in the US then we really are in a limbo place.

McCain will never get under the pole, he will attack it instead.

[FreedomCorpse]

I support Chinese and Indian workers making a lot more money so they have an autonomous economy instead of one based solely on the destruction of America's jobs and economy as that is all that this so-called 'free trade' and globalization thing is doing.

[Boboday555]

China creates labor unions to protect their workers from the predators in the board rooms of Wal-Mart while here in America those same filthy Wal-Mart executives threaten their workers to vote republican or else!

Wal-Mart and the GOP; why America is now only a shadow of her former glory!

[Boboday555]

Way to go China!!!
Way to protect the rights of your workers.

We used to do that in America too...back when we cared about the workers.

[Chavez08]

No jobs
No healthcare
No retirement
No education
No end to war
No civil liberties
No political recourse
No dignity
No freedom of speech
No freedom to gather
No freedom from materialism/consumerism
No right to privacy

But somehow we claim we are "Free"

[wdw101]

we have all of those thing you have cited

[Chavez08]

In the U.S. Capitalist system:

No right to organize, condemned to slavery
Rise in suicides as a result of Capitalism-sponsored class-war.
Prison Industrial Complex
No affordable education
Record foreclosures
Filthy rich or in poverty - nothing in between
No healthcare for the lower classes (though 1/3 are dying from or stricken by Industrial-era caused cancer)
No legal recourse against corporate abuses
33% taxation to subsidize Capitalism
Endless War
Predatory banking systems
Loss of Intellectual Capital
Torture
"Rendition"
"Bait and Switch" Corporate retirement scams
Military Industrial Complex
No free press
Predatory marketing
Predatory financial credit systems

But those Chinese Communists are really awful, aren't they??

[Chavez08]

"The United States, Keck said, is the 'clear exception.'"

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Good, I hope they bust this chain

[Hirnlego]

How the ---- can a corporation decide whether the workers should be allowed to form a union or not?

Richest tenth own 85% of world's assets
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article661055.ece

Keep bending over folks...just keep bending over folks..

[Wiredwilly]

Now we're getting somewhere. It hasn't occurred to the The Central Bankers and Global Corporations that Globalization can work both ways : Unions can organize Globally as well.
As the astute Karl Marx said " Workers of the World Unite ". It's ironic that Global Capitalist will create exactly that.

[darthdarcy]

Good observation Willy; the greed of these Republicans like Phil Gramm and Bush and John McCain will do more to advance Socialism than all the activists who have come before...!

[AdV2k1]

Head Explodes. This makes no sense. Awesome for China.

[RoseMerry]

Yeah, right, a union required by the government. I so sure that when it is time to elect a union leader, there is only one choice and every one votes.....they KNOW they BETTER!

The People's Republic of China is a lie. It is NOT a republic.

[Podewumun]

This is entirely too ironic for words.

[levibatgirl]

Americans have been brainwashed mostly starting with ronnie the demented and have it in their heads that unions are bad.

Very sad our society is so clueless.

[wdw101]

union are bad?
brainwashed how?