Posted on 07/31/2008 9:53:55 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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 actions by Wal-Mart -- the nation's largest private employer -- reflect a growing concern among big business that a reinvigorated labor movement could reverse years of declining union membership. That could lead to higher payroll and health costs for companies already being hurt by rising fuel and commodities costs and the tough economic climate.
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
This is GREAT!!! If every employer would do this it could change the outcome and keep the “Community Organizer” out of the Whitehouse, which I’m sure will NOT become “organized!”
yeah,and taxes,don’t forget the taxes,,,but unions have strong-armed people to vote forever.
They’ll also force Wal-Mart to stop selling firearms and ammunition.
Every company, big and small, should follow Wal-Mart’s lead.
not ‘likely’ definitely.
About time that big businesses woke up to the threat to free enterprise that Obama and his marxist minions pose.
Time to put their money where their mouth is, and speak up against the Democrats and their business-wrecking agendas.
I shop at least once a week at Walmart because of their low prices - hope they stay low.
I don't know if TI is the same today. I do hope so.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many employers would post a note in their employees pay envelope saying “if so-and-so candidate (usually a democrat) is elected, don’t bother reporting for work the next day.” It worked then, but will it work nowadays?
bookmark for later
At the Rite Aid I use to work at, If you did not join the union, you were not allowed to work after a month or so. I stayed there for 2 weeks and never payed the union dues.
The first thing the Democrats will do will be to eliminate the secret ballot for approving a Union. That way the goons will know which heads to crack.
For later.
“growing concern among big business that a reinvigorated labor movement could reverse years of declining union membership. That could lead to higher payroll and health costs for companies already being hurt by rising fuel and commodities costs and the tough economic climate. “
If Obama wins, a severe recession is almost guaranteed and the US will never be the same again.
The Democrats would most likely use the recession as an excuse to fully convert the US into a totalitarian regime, with full government control of our economy and the people.
If they are so worried about the unions, if Obama gets elected. Then they should stop kiss their asses on socialized health care and global warming. I work for Wal-Mart. I noticed they were having meetings on this B.S. in the Wal-Mart world magazine which is available for associates. I have only seen it online on the Walmart associates only website. I don’t know if it would be allowed to post on here. They were having presentations that were like Al Gore’s movie, without his incessant whining. I do agree though that they should watch their backs if Obama gets elected and the Democrats have power in Congress.
The main target of the card check legislation is Walmart. I am sure that Walmart is actively planning actions to counter unionization. If a union is forced through this legislation, Walmart will lower employment levels and increase automation. If Walmart succumbs to the union goons, retail prices will rise substantially.
Wait until white collar office workers unionize and put the HB1 visa/temp staff/offshore scamming corporations on the defense... < /s >
I have taken the Pepsi challenge multiple times between both pharmacies, and I can assure you that each time I go into a Rite Aid, I almost get sick from the lack of cleanliness and customer service. I won't even go into detail about an experience I faced when using their bathroom once.
Walgreens not only has higher standards of cleanliness and sanitation, they also give you a free bag of goodies if you are a new customer.
That is why I love it when States utilize what is called The Right To Work law if I am correct, my state Florida has it. Either that or it was a law with a different name that made it always OK to join a business or become a worker without being a Union member(Even I think that AFL-CIO endorsed this law as one of the political issues in 2004). Personally I find it absolutely ridiculous that you owe anything to a group that supposedly “cares about your struggle”. It makes it turn into another Wally Millions Infomercial.
It is like a charity of your choice to donate to, that the company picks, except it goes to a group of people who walk you on a leash in certain States. Unions are OK, as they can be like lawyers, that is a private balance between employer and employee. Yet in certain Unions(Teacher’s Unions come to mind) there is a tendency to get the members to conform, corruption to overflow, and make the worker become obsessed with the paycheck rather than the job.
Whatever happened to showing up at the hardware store taking pride in your work and making money on the side? Then again, I shouldn’t talk.
I also remember in film class discussing On The Waterfront. I think that I put forward that that was definitely a Conservative film classic because it talks about corruption in Labor Unions. My Liberal classmate, however, countered saying that that might’ve been a Liberal film because Liberals hate Unions that don’t care about them(sounds like he watched the documentary American Dream). Ah political spin, good times.
Walgreen’s just went on my personal “bad list”...caught them “pimping” for MediCal (Cali. name for Medicaid). Was in there a couple of weeks ago, and on the overhead “Muszak” system an announcement came on urging customers to sign a petition at the pharmacy desk to urge lawmakers to not make changes to the MediCal reimbursement for Rx’s (read “cuts”) during this Cali. budget crisis ($17 Billion + over budget). I’ll stick with Long’s or Target thanks.
My area is basically limited to either Rite Aid or Walgreen's.
I pick Walgreen's simply because it is cleaner and their associates are friendlier with customers.
I do like Target, though.
I am puzzled about this. What is the Union argument for NOT allowing voting to be secret?
This should have done this in 06 but better late than never.
They should have learned when the rat tried to extort free health care for illegals ( let’s face it that was the real reason ) in Maryland. If that stood, it would have damaged Wal-Mart nationwide.
Of course, having always lived in TX (a right-to-work state), I am not a strong supporter of unions. When it comes to safety issues, I can see a need for them. For the most part, it seems unions support outrageous demands for wages and benefits, and doing nothing to give a reason for persons to still have their jobs.
I used to work for a hospital that was non-union, and did similar kinds of things. They would tell us how to act, what to say, and that we didn't have to talk to union organizers. They would follow the letter of the law in exiling them to the parking lot, etc.
I hate unions, of course, then and now. Only thing was, I despised the hospital where I worked even worse. I always wished there was a way to force them to unionize just to get even with them for their barbaric HR practices.
I know, I know, the intelligent thing to do was leave, but this was during a brutal regional economic slowdown when I had no other job skills. I had no choice but to work for those animals. I re-educated MYSELF (no job training programs for me, thank you) and moved on eventually. Thank God.
The hypocrisy is that the unions let it be known how they feel their members should vote.
It’s places like that that give fuel to the unions.
If a company wants to keep unions out, they just need to treat their employees better.
The whole purpose of unions to begin with, as I understand it, was to do that very thing.
There would be some legal action taken against any employer that did that these days -
however, strong arming and “voter awareness” campaigns by unions is somehow OK.
Those plans are already in order with the present congress.
I believe it’s called “card check”. I don’t see how anyone can defend giving a union the ability to PHYSICALLY intimidate people this way.
I miss my Long’s at Montana and San Vicente.
Everyone should look up Pres Wilson, the “Blue Eagle”, and fascism.
Basically, the “Blue Eagle” businesses were in cahoots with big government fascism. The businesses would provide the dependency programs to its workers, and the government would protect their monopoly.
Just tack a big “Blue Eagle” over Rite Aid, and not one on Walgreen’s. Then you set up people taking photos of folks going into walgreen’s, their license plates, etc, for intimidation purposes.
Seriously folks, this kind of thing ALREADY HAPPENED in America, and these people would do the same or equivalent again.
Yeah, just ask GM how the union labor has worked so well for them...
It’s indefensible,
but I heard some brainwashed union idiot who’d fallen for the marxist rhetoric state that
it was to counter the business’ “propaganda”.
WalMart Ping......
Uh....Yes you are. They were telling you the expected results of your vote, not how to vote.
If Walmart workers unionize management will replace them with robots. Walmart is one of the biggest users of technology in the world.
If you vote for a Democrat, sweetie, you are stoopid.
Unions particularly here in Houston, have outlived their usefulness. They are run by socalists. Socalism by any name still means being reduced to the very lowest common denominator.
Intimidation is the reason. If they know how a person voted they can retaliate if that person votes against the union. The idea is that a person will be afraid and vote for the union.
Yes, I saw on some news website this morning that WM was explaining that they weren’t trying to tell anybody how to vote, or whom to vote for, whatsoever!!! Egads!!!
I understand the REAL resaon the Unions want the vote open, What I am interested in is the reasons given by the Union for wanting the vote to be open.
The Unions avoid that and try to change the subject. The thing is why would one believe the Unions who oppose a secret ballot over employers who want one?
I agree. And it’s not only because of unions that Walmart should oppose the Dims. Even under a Republican administration, there has been too much interference with Walmart’s labor practices by Department of Labor officials.
But the most important reason is to prevent any effort to unionize Walmart employees. Unions are a bane on American productivity, and the only way America can become productive and competitive again is if all unions are banned by the federal government.
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