More Proof that Walmart is evil!

[pgwenthold]

About non-union workers:

We missed this one. This behavior is illegal, but widely attributed to Walmart.

I find this hard to believe. As far as I know, WalMart has never made a secret of the fact that it will not hire unionized workers, and this has been policy from day 1. If it were illegal, it would have been corrected long ago.

The fact that it is still happening today suggests to me that it isn't illegal. It's not really worker friendly, but illegal?

 

[LostAngeles]

We missed this one. This behavior is illegal, but widely attributed to Walmart.

That is a good one.

I've passed the articles on to my pro-union mother. She won't shop at K-mart because it screwed the union over when building a store and she's absolutely adamant about not crossing the picket lines during a strike.

Now on another note, who in the heck buys a gallon of pickles if they're not going to eat it all? That's actually wasting your money.

 

[Corinna]

About non-union workers:

If it were illegal, it would have been corrected long ago.

The fact that it is still happening today suggests to me that it isn't illegal. It's not really worker friendly, but illegal?

Is it possible that you're being naive? Would you concede that when the nation's largest employer pushes its employees around that it's very difficult for them to fight back?

 

[Snide]

http://www.goiam.org/territories.asp?c=5236

http://www.ksworkbeat.org/Issues/Wa...ore_Walmart_Stories/more_walmart_stories.html

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

Welcome and thank you. Just so you know, the reason for the title of this thread ("More evidence...") is that Walmart has been slammed and defended here before, including discussion of "The Walmart You Don't Know." I'm just too busy getting out of here for my vacation to look it up.

 

[pgwenthold]

Is it possible that you're being naive? Would you concede that when the nation's largest employer pushes its employees around that it's very difficult for them to fight back?

Strawman. Whether I do or do not is irrelevent to whether their refusal to use union labor is illegal.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Is it possible that you're being naive? Would you concede that when the nation's largest employer pushes its employees around that it's very difficult for them to fight back?

Except tfor the fact that Labor Unions aren't exactly powerless either. If unionizing the stores were illegal, You can bet that unions would jump on Wal-Mart for that.

 

[Jocko]

We missed this one. This behavior is illegal, but widely attributed to Walmart.

Where is it written in law that all workplaces must be open to unions? I've never heard that one. But in counterpoint, as a teenager I found it highly annoying to work for retailers running closed shops, where union membership was required.

If anything, that's more of an imposition than keeping unions out. That's another 30 bucks a paycheck, after taxes, going to a union that can't deliver better enough wages to even cover the expense of its own existence! To make that compulsory is one small step from extortion, in my book.

As long as there are closed union shops, there should be places that are non-union. Given the choice, I'd keep as far away from the unions as possible. Fortunately, as an adult I work in a field that doesn't present that problem.

 

[shuize]

Labor is worth exactly as much as both the employer and employee agree it's worth. If Walmart underpaid its female employees for so long, why did they stay? If their skills are as valuable as they claim, then they shouldn't have had any trouble finding other jobs somewhere else, no?

Oh, wait ... I forgot I was talking to "the world owes me a living on my own terms" crowd. Nevermind.

 

[Tmy]

Labor is worth exactly as much as both the employer and employee agree it's worth. If Walmart underpaid its female employees for so long, why did they stay? If their skills are as valuable as they claim, then they shouldn't have had any trouble finding other jobs somewhere else, no?

Oh, wait ... I forgot I was talking to "the world owes me a living on my own terms" crowd. Nevermind.

THe real world doesnt behave just like a 2 dimentional econ graph.

Your assumption is that there would be an equal job available for them to jump to. Or that they even know they are being underpaid. As youve seen in many examples Wallymart can often be the only game in town.

Whether they stay or not is irrelevent to the equal pay argument. Its illegal for the store to pay different wages because of gender.

 

[Michael Redman]

Firing people for attemting to organize a union is illegal. Did you think I would make such a claim out of ignorance?

The NLRA forbids employers from interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees in the exercise of rights relating to organizing, forming, joining or assisting a labor organization for collective bargaining purposes, or engaging in concerted activities, or refraining from any such activity. Similarly, labor Organizations may not restrain or coerce employees in the exercise of these rights.

http://www.nlrb.gov/nlrb/shared_files/brochures/engulp.asp

 

[crimresearch]

Strawman. Whether I do or do not is irrelevent to whether their refusal to use union labor is illegal.

Except that the original complaint was that Walmart *retaliated* against workers who attempted ot organize a union.
And that retaliation IS illegal under federal labor law, even though you changed the subject to Walmart's choosing to use non-union labor, which is covered under state level 'right to work laws'..

A company can try to keep unions out by offering better conditions, pay, benefits etc., and in a right to work state, a company can use non-union workers even in a union shop, but once they cross the line into firing or harrassing workers who want to unionize, it is a different situation.

 

[pgwenthold]

Firing people for attemting to organize a union is illegal. Did you think I would make such a claim out of ignorance?

Well, given that WalMart has never been charged with a violation, then it still seems to me that there is no basis to claim they are doing anything illegal.

Given all the fanatical opposition to WalMart that has been brought forth all over, it would be absolutely amazing that no one has actually prosecuted WalMart for doing this, if they had actually done something illegal.

Your accusations ring extremely hollow.

 

[Jocko]

THe real world doesnt behave just like a 2 dimentional econ graph.

Yes it does, Timmy. Your hometown doesn't, but on the larger scale the entire model does exactly what the graph says.

Your assumption is that there would be an equal job available for them to jump to. Or that they even know they are being underpaid. As youve seen in many examples Wallymart can often be the only game in town.

Because they just spring up overnight, without telling anyone they're coming. One popular theory holds that UFOs deposit them as a part of their plan for world conquest; others maintain they germinate spontaneously, much like a fungus, when environmental conditions are ideal.

And then there are people who understand people like shopping at a place where they can get everything they need at reasonable prices. It's Wal-Mart, not the red army.

Whether they stay or not is irrelevent to the equal pay argument. Its illegal for the store to pay different wages because of gender.

True, if that's the only factor. There are many legitimate reasons that may spring from gender. Speaking of discriminatory policies, how are you doing with that lawsuit against United for making you buy two seats?

 

[Tmy]

Ever work at a place thats trying to unionize. Its not all smiles n sunshine from management. THey can make things quite difficult forthe union rabble rousers. You think they are gonn walk up and say "You're trying to start a union, YOU ARE FIRED!!". Of course not. There are plenty of other ways to dump troublemakers.

 

[Tmy]

True, if that's the only factor. There are many legitimate reasons that may spring from gender. Speaking of discriminatory policies, how are you doing with that lawsuit against United for making you buy two seats? [/B]

Im naming you in my new suit Mr. McD's advertising man. Remember the Mc DLT, hot side hot, cool side cool. Well now the hot and cool sides are back together. DAMN YOU! YOU LIED TO US!!!!

 

[Jocko]

Ever work at a place thats trying to unionize. Its not all smiles n sunshine from management. THey can make things quite difficult forthe union rabble rousers. You think they are gonn walk up and say "You're trying to start a union, YOU ARE FIRED!!". Of course not. There are plenty of other ways to dump troublemakers.

I've worked at places that were union, and that sucked the big dong too, my friend. An example:

As a sophomore in high school, I had to join the union to bag groceries at Dominick's. I had to cough up like $120 up front and kick in about $20 a month. That's big bucks for a kid making minimum, which back then was something like $3.50 (it was 1984, I don't remember how much it was exactly)... all for a union that couldn't get anyone benefits or get me better than minimum wage. And this was a closed shop- if you wanted to work, you were union. Period.

I would have preffered to keep the money, make the same wage and avoid the union hassles altogether. Same story a couple years later at a K-Mart... unoin dues, but never any benefits from it.

If that's your idea of a great time, by all means. I prefer to do my own salary negotiations, though.

 

[Jocko]

Im naming you in my new suit Mr. McD's advertising man. Remember the Mc DLT, hot side hot, cool side cool. Well now the hot and cool sides are back together. DAMN YOU! YOU LIED TO US!!!!

Don't blame me, blame the EPA. They got on McD's case about all the polystyrene they were dumping into landfills. Remember when their burger boxes were styrofoam? And then they suddenly switched back to paper and cardboard?

How can you build a McDLT box out of cardboard? Answer: you can't. The EPA killed my favorite burger of all time. I've never forgiven them for that. I keep that in mind every time I shoot a spotted owl with my trusty air rifle.

 

[Tmy]

If that's your idea of a great time, by all means. I prefer to do my own salary negotiations, though.

Im sure the managment wouldve crummbled under the negotiating prowess of a zit faced McDlt eating teenager!!!

'Why sure Jocko, we will provide you with a rain slicker when you are on shopping cart duty. In exchange, you waive all child labor laws.........NOW GET BACK TO THE ASBESTOS REMOVAL!"

 

[crimresearch]

"Well, given that WalMart has never been charged with a violation, then it still seems to me that there is no basis to claim they are doing anything illegal."

Are you now claiming that this proves it IS legal to fire employees who attempt to unionize?
-----------------------------------------------------------

"Given all the fanatical opposition to WalMart that has been brought forth all over, it would be absolutely amazing that no one has actually prosecuted WalMart for doing this, if they had actually done something illegal.
Your accusations ring extremely hollow."

The National Labor Review Board disagrees with you on both points.

It IS illegal to retaliate against employees who are conducting union organizing activities, and Walmart, specifically their
Sam's Club division, has been cited repeatedly for violations.

Case 5-CA-24369
Case 7-CA-36934
Case 28-CA-17057
are all easily searchable on the NLRB website.

 

[Jocko]

Im sure the managment wouldve crummbled under the negotiating prowess of a zit faced McDlt eating teenager!!!

'Why sure Jocko, we will provide you with a rain slicker when you are on shopping cart duty. In exchange, you waive all child labor laws.........NOW GET BACK TO THE ASBESTOS REMOVAL!"

A little ambition will go farther than you think. Besides, I'd rather eat a diet of straight asbestos for a month rather than agree with a certain drunk plumber we are both acquainted with.