Hidden Nook
"Because in Cyberspace, no one can hear you scream."
Friday, February 25, 2005
Wal Mart's Union Wars
[Media Source*] (Reuters)
Dave Minshall, spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 7, talks to reporters outside the Wal-Mart store in Loveland, Colorado where workers in the auto shop voted on union representation February 25, 2005. Photo by Rick Wilking/Reuters
Tire shop workers at a Colorado supercenter operated by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Friday voted "No" to union representation, dealing another blow to efforts to unionize employees at the world's largest retailer.
Wal-Mart -- which recently shut down a Canadian store that voted in favor of a union -- said tire and lube express associates at its Loveland supercenter voted 17-1 to reject representation by the United Food & Commercial Workers Union.
I sympathize with the workers although I generally do not like Unions (takes away from your pay and I'd rather hire a lawyer if I had any hassles). Too much beuacracy and I know if Union's became standardized in Wal Mart, prices would rise up everywhere which would only benefit Wal Mart's competition.
Union's in my opinion tend to be counter productive in many ways. Sure they protect you and guarantee two weeks vacation and all, but they tend to raise prices for the business as workers demand more pay and it takes a "unionized" worker to do anything in the company which adds to the extra cost leading to conflict. All this eventually costs the worker who has to pay union dues (isn't that communistic) in order to remain on the pay roll. It was probably one of the reasons (besides fear of getting fired) that employee's did not favor the Unionization of themselves.
Terry Srsen, vice president of labor relations for Wal-Mart, said in a statement: "Many of our associates are former union members -- they know better than anyone that the only guarantee a union can make is that it will cost the members money -- and that is why they continue to reject the UFCW."
I do sympathize with the workers a little bit though, as any attempt towards Unionization is met with "brute force" from Wal Mart.
Meat cutters had voted to unionize at a Texas Wal-Mart store in 2000. That Texas vote, however, was shortly followed by the company's announcement that it was eliminating meat-cutter positions within the company.
I could go on forever about this topic, but I'll let you decide on the issue. As for me my lot is with Wal Mart on the issue...union's have just left too much of a bad taste in my mouth. Selah!
Deutsch ⢠Español ⢠Français ⢠Italiano ⢠Portugese ⢠æ¥æ¬èª ⢠íêµ â¢ æ±è¯
Comment Policy: Comments posted here do not necessarily reflect the views of this site or the authors, and are the legal responsibility of the original commenter. Intelligent opinions welcome. Comment here.
By Darnell Clayton ⢠9:20 PM ⢠Email Post ⢠â¢
Enter your email address below to subscribe.
Button Membership
Important Information
View Blog Stats
Plus 10,667 hits before August 12, 2005
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
Opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of anyone that I work with, for, or associate with in any manner.
