UNIONS TARGET WAL-MART WORLDWIDE (HOORAY!!!)

[BigBearJohn]

A global coalition of unions is launching an unprecedented campaign to organize workers around the world at US retail giant Wal-Mart, seeking to bring a new level of globalization to the labor movement.

The Wal-Mart campaign was set to be officially launched at a meeting in Chicago Monday of Union Network International (UNI), a group that includes 900 unions in some 140 countries.

The campaign aims to draw from labor organizations around the world to pressure Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retailer and largest private company in terms of revenues, and a frequent target of unions for driving down wages as well as prices.

Union leaders said they hope to bring collective bargaining or other improvements to the estimated 1.6 million Wal-Mart employees around the world -- possibly even in countries such as China, where western-style unions are non-existent.

SOURCE: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050821/bs_afp/uscompanyglobalretail_050821195606&printer=1;_ylt=Av7M87c.qigOns_HOhO10Y6oOrgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-

[BrklynLiberal]

1. It would be wonderful if this was the beginning of the end of Wal-Mart's

degradation and abuse of its workers.

[CountAllVotes]

2. boycott these pigs

I have been boycotting them for a very long time now. They truly suck!

UNION YES!!!!!!

:dem: :kick:

[Conservativesux]

9. Same here!

[ret5hd]

13. same here also...both of us.

[cascadiance]

23. Say NO to China-mart!

http://www.cafepress.com/chinamart

[cpamomfromtexas]

28. I'll still boycott them until they carry AMERICAN products

[mtnester]

40. Like they USED to back in the day n/t

[Spazito]

3. Excellent!

Until Walmart pays fair wages WITH benefits, I will continue to boycott them.

[mom cat]

16. Me too! Neither one of us should hold our breath!

[Kipling]

4. This could be very good for us Brits.

With any luck, this further slash their profits and take away their edge on homegrown union-tolerant firms. Soon they could slip into 3rd or even 4th place as far as market share goes. And I say, good riddance to the bastards.

[D-Notice]

36. Anyone know how Tesco

treat their workers?

[Kipling]

37. Tesco give all workers information on uinions.

So do Sainsbury's, I believe.

[bluestateguy]

5. I'd shop at a Wal-Mart with unionized workers

But only that specific store. In the past all of their efforts to organize even one store have failed. The company has people in Bentonville who specialize in union-busting. That's their job, and when people start making noise about unionization, Wal-mart flys in the boys from Bentonville to crush the union agitators. By the time it's all over, the workers who were agitating for unionization are usully forced out of their jobs.

[Conservativesux]

8. Me too. I'll believe when I see it. The Bentonville thugs wont like this

at all.

[PeachyDem88]

6. It's about time...

Good news...

One quick (and maybe unrelated) question.

What about Right to Work states in the U.S.?

How do unions work in those states?

Assuming that they don't just close down stores that are successfully organized... Could a Wal-Mart store even be unionized in the South?

[electricray]

7. My experience with RTW states and unions

I worked as an electrician in Tucson, AZ. The only difference between union and non-union in AZ is union dues. At least it was this way three years ago. And that is not to say that non-union shops are taking care of their employees by any stretch. The unions are powerless in Arizona and the benefits package was so pitiful that people were willing to trade it for a few dollars extra per hour. Right to work is really a euphamism for right to surrender your workplace democracy.

[blondeatlast]

24. Excellent explanation; I'm a Zonie who is now paraprofessional

and thus no longer union eligible.

I despise RtW and have since I discovered what it's about almost 25 years ago.

[LincolnMcGrath]

35. Ahem, They are called "right to work for less" States.

[Krupskaya]

10. Right to work? WTH is that?

You mean Right To Scab?

Right To Starve?

Right To Roll Over?

Now those, I've heard. :p

[TankLV]

38. They are correctly termed "right to be FIRED - at will" states.

It has nothing to do with any right "to work".

[caligirl]

11. Then I would expect one of the biggest fights right here in my community.

WM is opening another store in my town. Unions here went after the Gov when he came to town,they will likely go after WM too.

[blondeatlast]

25. They need to organize with the concerned citizens to fight this.

Surely there are people with zoning concerns as well.

Wal-Mart opponents need to organize and look beyond any differences they may have.

Good luck--kick their asses.

[bnr65432]

12. great

[CatholicEdHead]

14. Going to be very hard in China

as all "Unions" are highly controlled by the government.

[Akoto]

15. Good for them.

I wish the employees involved in this much success, worried though I am about them. Wasn't it a short time ago that Wal-Mart heard about a unionizing store and just shut it down entirely?

[TOhioLiberal]

27. I was a store in Canada...

IIRC in Quebec. Union actually got in. Wally-world closed the store supposedly because it wasn't making a profit.

[NYC]

33. It was Quebec.

You are correct.

[wli]

17. unions got eviscerated by Taft-Hartley and "right to work" BS n/t

[napi21]

18. There's only one way this can work. All the WM store employees

have to vote for a union at the same time.

In the past, one store's meat cutters voted to unionize, and the Corp. just eliminated all meat cutters in all stores. They now have all their meat cut and packaged and shipped to the sotre ready to be put in the display case.

The other store that voted for a union was simply shut down!

The Company obviously can't shut down the entire chain! If the majority of ALL WM store employees voted in favor of a union, it would force the company's hand...for a change!

I don't know if it's even possible for that to happen though. Most of the people who work at WM desperately need their jobs, and they're much too afraid to risk loosing them because of their vote.

I wish it weren't so, but it is.

[xchrom]

19. sweet!

best news i've heard all day.

[Canuckistanian]

20. Might even start shopping at Walmart if they're unionized

Damn good move.

[Rainscents]

21. YAY for UNIONS for taking action!!!

I will continue boycott Wal Mart until they take much better care of their empolyees!

[Jack Rabbit]

22. This is exactly want's needed to revitalize the union movement

It may turn out ot be a long struggle and will be uphill at the start, but it must be fought.

[blondeatlast]

26. I think it may mobilize some sleeping sympathizers.

Sweet if Wal-Mart could be the catalyst for a new labor movement!

[Oreegone]

29. They won't be shopping at Walmart long

In the midwest small towns business districts are vacant. They all drive 40 to 80 miles to shop at Walmart. What happens when the price of gas goes up and they can't afford to drive their studio apartments (SUVS) to Wally World to shop? Should prove interesting here shortly. Never been to Nebraska? You should drive through, small town after small town a couple of pubs and gas stations, very sad.

[BigBearJohn]

30. Need one more vote for the Greatest page.

[Aristus]

31. Woo-Hoo!

:woohoo: Go UNI!

[VTMechEngr]

32. Goodluck and God Bless.

If this works, good times are coming.

[mopinko]

34. go!

[Cathyclysmic]

39. Best news I've heard all day

[BigBearJohn]

41. I agree