Another Wal-Mart rant...

[Lenny]

Another one for Poodle as he was the one that originally got me "going" on all this... :(

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~33~2702720,00.html

:D

[boxy]

Here's some more.......
The part that shocked/suprised me is that 42% of Quebec's workforce is unionized, but Quebec is a topic better saved for a late night dock discussion .




Union vows to continue efforts to organize Wal-Mart workers in Quebec, Canada

Fri Feb 11, 5:17 PM ET

NELSON WYATT

MONTREAL (CP) - The union representing workers at a Quebec Wal-Mart store said Friday it will continue trying to negotiate a first contract at the outlet even though the U.S. retail giant is shutting it down.

"We have the right to have a collective agreement imposed by an arbitrator," said Henri Masse, president of the Quebec Federation of Labour. Wal-Mart Canada announced earlier this week it will close a unionized store in Saguenay, about 250 kilometres north of Quebec City, on May 6 because it's not profitable. The union had asked for arbitration before the announcement of the closure.

Masse said the union will not ask for a boycott of Wal-Mart stores.

"We're going to put this aside for now," Masse said, explaining a boycott isn't considered a good strategy now, considering efforts to organize at other Wal-Marts in Quebec and other parts of Canada.

"Our people are saying, 'Don't rule it out but don't do it now because Wal-Mart will use it to convince other employees that they won't succeed, that the big union - the Quebec Federation of Labour - is working against Wal-Mart workers in Quebec.' "

Wal-Mart couldn't be reached for immediate comment Friday.

In Quebec City, provincial Labour Minister Michel Despres said the collective bargaining process at the Saguenay store will continue despite the threatened closure.

Despres said he will impose an arbitrator if Wal-Mart and the union don't agree on one by Feb. 19. The arbitrator will have the power to impose a contract between Wal-Mart and the union before the store closes.

Employees at a Wal-Mart in St-Hyacinthe, east of Montreal, have also received union accreditation but have not yet obtained a contract.

Despres said a contract in Saguenay could serve as an important precedent for workers trying to get collective agreements in St-Hyacinthe and other Wal-Mart stores in Quebec in the future.

"But I can't prejudge what his decision might be. The process is underway and we will follow through with it."

However, the arbitrator would not have the power to force the store to remain open, Despres said.

Masse predicted that Quebec will pave the way for unionized workers at Wal-Mart, noting that about 42 per cent of Quebec's workforce is unionized compared with about 12 per cent in the United States.

"We can't take ourselves for the centre of the universe. But I'm confident one day that Wal-Mart will be unionized in North America and the effort will be spearheaded in Quebec."

Efforts to organize workers at Wal-Mart in Quebec and other parts of Canada will continue, he added.

Masse also said his union will pressure the Quebec government to make sure Wal-Mart respects provincial labour laws.

The United Food and Commercial Workers, which is affiliated with the Quebec Federation of Labour, also plans to take the giant U.S. retailer to the Quebec Labour Relations Commission, charging it bargained in bad faith.


"They never wanted to negotiate," Louis Bolduc, a spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers, said at a news conference in Saguenay. "With Wal-Mart, it was 'My way or no way.' "

Other labour organizations, including the Canadian Labour Congress and the Ontario Teachers' Federation, lined up behind the Wal-Mart workers on Friday.

In Ottawa, the federal New Democratic Party called the Wal-Mart situation "economic terrorism."

NDP MP David Christopherson said the federal government should do something to protect workers from "corporate bullies."

Federal Labour Minister Joe Fontana said the matter is out of his hands because retail business issues fall under provincial jurisdiction. He said he will lobby Quebec's labour minister to ensure workers' rights are protected.

In Toronto, Michael Fraser, national director of the United Food and Commercial Workers, said the union will be with the Saguenay workers "as long as it takes until the wrong that Wal-Mart has done to you is made right."

He dismissed claims the Saguenay store was not making any money.

"Wal-Mart's calculated ruthlessness was not about profit," he said. "It was about power - the absolute power that Wal-Mart wants over its workers and suppliers and towns it does business in."

Two Wal-Mart stores were evacuated in Gatineau, Que., Friday morning after they received bomb threats, police said. Police were unable to immediately say who made the calls.

The stores later reopened.

[harbormaster]

Personally I hope that Walmart shuts them all down. I am not particularly a fan of Walmart, but hope It will send the Unions a message.

Businesses are not required by law to give in to the "legalized bullying" imposed by unions.

Michael Fraser, national director of the United Food and Commercial Workers, referred to "Wal-Mart's calculated ruthlessness". I am sorry but that appears to be a tactic that alot of unions utilize.

I believe that in the beginning, Unions were a good concept. Nowadays I have second thoughts.

I have always thought that:
1). If you do not like where you work, change jobs.
2).If you do nor like how much you make, change professions.
3).If the first 1 and 2 don't work, then move to Florida. :D

Disclaimer: Everything I say could be total crap.

[mattyboy]

well i thought spring was coming and i could work on the boat a lil today but it is too cold, so let's talk hot stove politics

being from the union capitol of the world I have been on both sides of the fence on this matter as a member and as mgmt.
and I have seen the problems with both as well as the benfits of both when common sense and a fair balanced approach is used.
some basics I feel are undeniable
in a free country can employees have the right to form a union yes
If the union formed negotiates on a fair basis of its members and realizes that their well being is linked totally to the employers well being it works
when i was a union member they fought for a raise, what I got was a cut in hours and a dues raise??

with the establishment of osha alot of the need to form a union for safety issues as deminished
but that doesn't mean a company like walmart can't bully their employees into unfair conditions I mean they do it to their suppliers why not to their employees and with 500 plus stores what's 1 or 2 stores
wonder why I have not seen a walmart in the city?? is there one?? wonder who'll they'll get to build it??I mean in the surburbs you can't swing a dead cat without hitting one and
from what I've seen most of the employees at walmart aren't upwardly mobile or cross trained to take another job

a fair wage for a fair day of work
and you get what you pay for
if i do well the company does well then i do well