@cystic:
I don’t know much about that other story, but i have to admit that when i worked for Wal-Mart, they were about as reasonable a company as their managers were. Now granted this is in Canada - a country with pretty strict workplace codes. At the same time, when i requested a few (6) shifts off to prepare for exams and finish my honor’s thesis they denied me, so i quit outright.
There is a lawsuit in Quebec currently (the most sociallistic province). In the Saguenay region a group of Wal-Mart employees tried to unionize and succeeded. The company promptly shut the store downThe workers are now suing Wal-Mart over this particular action.
IMO - this is ridiculous. Granted i think that unions in Canada have too much power as it is, but forcing a store to unionize is absurd. If i set up a store, i should have the right to open/close it where i wish. If i find that i can not support/maintain a given workplace, then i should have the right to close. If i don’t want certain headaches (i.e. threatened union action) then i should be able to close a store to avoid it.
True this seems a bit dramatic, but not much more so than a strike.
This is the first time I’ve heard of a Walmart closing its doors to avoid having to deal with unions. I hope the Quebec worker succeed in their suit - Walmart is clearly adopting unfair labor practices if they go to this extreme to avoid having to deal with a union.
In the same manner that Walmart can use its mass purchasing power to keep its cost of good sold as low as possible, workers are allowed by law to form unions to bargain en masse for their wages and benefits. If they cannot bargain collectively, there is NEVER an incentive for Walmart to pay them a living wage.
It may not even be such a big deal in Canada whether Walmart is unionized or not - all citizens are entitled to basic health care regardless of who their employer is. What I think Walmart is terrified of is having to pay medical costs for ALL its employees in the US if the unions ever get a foothold. Currently about half of Walmarts have no medical insurance whatsoever - if they get sick, well - too bad.
BW
