Unionized Wal-Mart to Close

This action by Walmart really makes me mad.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Wednesday it will close a Canadian store whose workers are on the verge of becoming the first ever to win a union contract from the world's biggest retailer.

Wal-Mart said it was shuttering the store in Jonquiere, Quebec, in response to unreasonable demands from union negotiators, which would make it impossible for the store to sustain its business. The United Food & Commercial Workers Canada last week asked Quebec labor officials to appoint a mediator, saying that negotiations had reached an impasse.

"We were hoping it wouldn't come to this," said Andrew Pelletier, a spokesman for Wal-Mart Canada. "Despite nine days of meetings over three months, we've been unable to reach an agreement with the union that in our view will allow the store to operate efficiently and profitably."

Pelletier said the store will close in May. The retailer had first discussed closing the Jonquiere store last October, saying that the store was losing money.

Source

The above shows just how anti union Walmart is. The last time a portion of a Walmart store managed to go union was in 2000, in that case Walmarts answer was to eliminate the meat cutters job by ordering prepacked meats.

In this case they; meaning [Canadian Unions,] are asking for a boycott of Walmart stores and I say bully for them.

Frankly I wish all Walmart employees would vote a union in, that way when Walmart closed a store after store' anti labor laws could kick in, which in effect could bring Wally World down.

No I am not saying that union demands have to mean higher wages. A union can do more for its members then just raise there wages.



Buy American, Boycott Wally World




[edit on 2/10/2005 by shots]

Walmart will open a new store across the street. Previous employees need not apply.

I've seen McDonald's do this very same thing.
I think people should boycott any business that saves you money by depending on minimum wage staff. These companies save a few bucks by giving minimum wage to students and new comers to the country. Sure these people have to work somewhere but more often than not they get treated poorly.
It has been said that customer service is one of the hardest jobs there is.
Imagine working for minimum wage and taking s*** from people all day. Usually these guys get yelled at from angry customers and it isn't even their fault.
Huge corporations like Wall Mart can really show how evil corporations can be

This story is getting a lot of press here in Montreal. McDonalds pulled the same trick a couple of years back. A union was certified and they closed down almost immediately.

There is one more unionized Wal-Fart in Quebec. I heard some reporting on my way home on Radio-Canada. They were interviewing some of the employees at that second store and asking them about how secure they felt about their jobs. All were very worried, one of them said that the stockroom was getting "low" on stock and he felt it was because they plan on shutting down. I would not be surprised if it happened soon.

Apparently, labor costs are not allowed to exceed 8% of operation costs. Note: that does not say how PROFITS are affected with higher wages. It seems the Waltons don't want anybody cutting into their much needed profits.
.

All a company needs to do is look at the major US Automakers, the US Steel industry, and the US Airline Industry to see where letting a union in will ultimately take your business.

Aside from any other consideration, holding seniority superior to merit is just counter-productive, but that seems to be the hallmark of the union setup, which cripples most companies who are saddled with it. Unions had their purpose at one time, but now they just bring companies down.

The truth is, I won't buy an automoble that I think was built by union workers. Neither would my ex-wife, and she grew up in Flint, Michagan.

As to the Wal-mart in Canada, well, most people here seem to dislike Wal-mart anyway, so now be glad that there is one less Wal-mart to stain the landscape. No matter that those people who thought that their jobs weren't good enough or didn't pay enough now have no job at all. Union sure improved their situatiuon, huh?

Originally posted by Ambient Sound
The truth is, I won't buy an automoble that I think was built by union workers. Neither would my ex-wife, and she grew up in Flint, Michagan.

So in essence; are saying just because it is made by a union worker, that makes it a bad product?

I've worked all over the place, within unions, alongside unions, and at the mercy of unions. The union system in America suffers for the same reason everything else does, it's too closely tied to money, bribes, and corporate desire. The real unions don't last long. The company friendly unions tend to do better. I assume it's the same in canada. Service employees have not bowed to pressure from the hotel industry in the states, and as a result many hotels around the country have picket lines out front. They just use scabs and go on about their business.

This is my one gripe regarding a specific union. The teamsters. Oh boy, we could on and on about them. I've worked with them in LA and in IL, and they are the same the country over. They don't want to work, but they want to get paid. Some of these guys drive thirty minutes a day and get paid for the entire 8-10 hours. I've seen them sitting in their trucks on the film lot, or eating at the caffeteria while on the clock. In IL the teamsters won't load a truck that's pulled up until they're off their coffee break, but every time I showed up they were on a coffee break!

I heard stories from my girlfriend's dad too, about the ineffeciency and waste. One time he got so tired of waiting, he hopped in the front end loader and loaded his own damn truck. The union-mafia bastards came back from the break room, and he was done already, with the paperwork waiting to be signed. They told him he had to unload the truck and let them load it back up again, otherwise they could sue him and get him fired. Absolutely unbelievable. This is the sort of union nonsense that makes people anti-union. I think the basic premise is sound, you just have to watch out for the money infection that may prove fatal to the organism.

There is a HUGE difference between the Union movement in the United States and the movement in Canada. Canadian Trade Unionism is centred around activism and social change. American Trade Unionism is centred around racketeering (at least historically, I really don't mean to besmirch American Unions)

The Canadian Autoworkers Union (of which I am a member) separated from the United Autoworkers Union (UAW) in the late 70s (?) and have pursued a distinctly Canadian agenda.

That said, American Unions were no more crooked than the rest of society at the time and are responsible for the standard of living Americans and Canadians now enjoy.

Union bashers don't recognise the necessary counterweight the Unions provide. We're not here to win every battle. We're here to keep you honest.

Well when I worked for wal-mart at one of their d.c.'s they made it pretty clear that they thought unions were innefiecent and that they could do everything a union could do so that employees (oops, I mean associates) wern't throwing their money at an organization to make decisions when they could do it themselves. Well that was wal-mart's take on it. But I actually think they pulled it off pretty well. Every month every department would gather up requests and questions from every single person and then a sort of elected co-worker would go bring them to something they called "grass roots" where the top brass would come and answer every question and "consider" every request. The next day during our daily meeting the department supervisors would discuss the results with their "associates". Everyone in the warehouse actually got a $.50 raise from one of these meetings. The only good request I ever saw get turned down was one for larger employee discounts at the stores

Plus I and EVERY SINGLE "associate" made quite a bit more then minimum wage. The people in the stores get more than minimum as well. People rant and rave about everything they can when it comes to wal-mart, but in truth, the people at the stores dont really deserve anything more then minimum wage yet they still get it. I've worked in retail as well, doing everything they do inside the stores, and I really dont feel any pity for those "poor people breaking their back every day for only minimum wage". Yeah right...the work isnt that difficult, sorry. I see everyone forgot to mention the awesome benefits those people recieve for doing jack squat all day, Im not being sarcastic either. The benefits they recieve rival most companies including STARBUCKS (who I've also worked for) . It's also quite difficult to get fired from wal-mart, I dont know if thats really a good thing, but for those poor abused hard working employees it is. Working for a retail store isnt some speciality, anybody can do it, and its not that difficult, therefore your not going to be paid incredible wages. Thats the way it works, EVERYWHERE. I busted my ass at their D.C. and made a lot of money doing it, I got paid what I deserved.

All this hatred being directed at them is unjustified and it seems people are beginning to grasp at straws. I cant say anything about how their whole union process works in Canada, but I've explained somewhat of how it works in the U.S. and it worked fine for me.

The union senority system was devised to counter a very real and specific practice then being used by corporations. Pay scale is commonly based on length of service (even in non-union shops). The reason for this is the more experienced a worker becomes, the more valuable he or she is TO THE COMPANY.

However, corporations in most industries got around this by hiring new low-wage employees and doing away with the jobs the higher-wage employees were filling. The senority system was developed to counter act this practice by enabling the employee who has been working the longest to claim the jobs available.

Unfortunately, in the present day with unions becoming less and less common, this practice is raising it's ugly head again. Who says unions are no longer needed? We need them just as much today as ever.

This is just one more example of workers biting off their noses to spite their faces. I fully recognize the good that unions have done, but I have seen nothing but stupidity from the unions with which I have been associated with or affilitated.

Thank God, I quit my last job before the union took over. Now don't get me wrong. I campaigned heavily for union participation by my fellow workers, because I knew that if they did not get on board early they would be denied the chance to vote on the contract.

All to often unions price themselves right out of the market and that is, in no small measure, why we get so much of what we need from third world workers who are just happy to have a job and think we are just as spoiled as the French workforce.

[edit on 05/2/11 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by Umbrax

I think people should boycott any business that saves you money by depending on minimum wage staff. These companies save a few bucks by giving minimum wage to students and new comers to the country. Sure these people have to work somewhere but more often than not they get treated poorly.

Woa, budy. walmart gets by paying minimum wages to 16 year olds and the like because THEY HAVE NO SKILLS. it doens't take a rocket scientist to stock shelves and run a register (ie scan in bar codes)- you barely have to be smarter than a box of rocks to work at Walmart.

people have to start somewhere in life and Walmart has opened doors for a lot of people and is one of the pre-dominate employers of the aged and handicapped (nothing to do with the box of rocks comment).

sure Walmart probably isnt a long term career choice- you work there to get experence and move onto another job and another 16 year old comes in to earn some pocket change and learn something. anyone wanting to hang around Walmart stocking shelves for 20 years and expecting regular raises while contributing nothing more is a moron (unioners?)

not everyone can work up to manager as there are only so many manager slots open- WHY should they keep sheeling out more money and not get any more for it- a very poor business decision- i'd hire the "fresh blood" too- piss on the guy stocking shevels for 3 years who expects to to little more than continue to stock shelves and a dollar an hour raise.

last i heard though, walmart DOES give regular raises.

getting treated poorly is not the fault of Walmart as a company- but rather the DIRECT supervisors doing the poor treatment.

our other option is to pay these union jokers more money for doing unskilled labor and the store closes anyway because it loses money.

dispite what most think Walmart doesn't make tons of profits compared to the amount it sells- walmart only makes money based on VOLUME- you sell volume by having low prices and a large convientent selection. If prices are more than 1-2 cents more per item than it costs Walmart i would be very surprised. totally low mark up is the most honest way to make money- and you should be thankful that they do provide jobs for the unskilled in your area because it does bolster the local economy.

You can always go shop down the street at someplace that has a 300% markup IF you can even find someone else with the product. (bet you that place pays minimum wage to its shelf stockers/checkers too- just not big enough to worry about having to deal with a union!)

i say "GO WALMART- toss those lazy unioners who want more money for not doing a thing more out on their ear!"

i think that walmart should take on the miltary approach to the whole issue. UP or out. failure to make the next level of responsibily in a certain time (say 3 years) you get let go so thay DON'T have to keep giving you raises/retirement.- oh and no severence packages either.

i don't hear the public decrying that- here the military risks their life/ many get paid less than a wlamart employee (without stock options walmart provides) and can get booted out just shy of retirement because they didn't make a certain rank in a certain time period in a highly competitive field. not much competition in walmarts area- you pretty much just show up and get paid. geesh.

"wawawa my life sucks and it is all someone else's fault" i just don't understand what is up with all the whiners complaing about companys who actually have sound and successful business practices. Wahhhh Microsoft, Wahhhhh Walmart. so it's unethical to do well or pay people based upon what it is they do????

The Radical Workers Party is not happy with this decision and will probably be staging random protests at many local Chinese Peoples Distribution Centers.

For a Wal-Mart, or any business, to close it's doors, as the employees are organizing is illegal in the USA.

Wal-Mart saves tons of money by asking employees to stay and work overtime, after they punched out for the day. The pressure is enormous to do so. I will never stepfoot in a Wal-Mart.

Some states have "The Right to Work" law, which means that if a business becomes Unionized, they have a choice whether or not to become a Union Member. Illinois (the state I live in) does not have this law. The diesel repair shop I work in just became union last year. I was against it, as were a few others. The vote was close, 17-13 in favor of the union. I was then faced with either joining, or losing my job. I joined, and I am now not so unhappy with it. I have a pension, and great medical benefits. If I am called to work on Saturday, even if they need me for only 1 hour, I am paid for four hours. Sundays are double time, and holidays are triple time. We are under a 5-year contract, so I know exactly what my raises will be, and when I will receive them.

All in all, it wasn't such a bad deal.

Originally posted by launchpad
dispite what most think Walmart doesn't make tons of profits compared to the amount it sells- walmart only makes money based on VOLUME- you sell volume by having low prices and a large convientent selection. If prices are more than 1-2 cents more per item than it costs Walmart i would be very surprised. totally low mark up is the most honest way to make money- and you should be thankful that they do provide jobs for the unskilled in your area because it does bolster the local economy.

Deny Ignorance.

Fact Walmart is the largest retailer in the world.

Fact, five of the top ten richest in the US are members of the Walton Family.

1. $48 billion Gates, William Henry III
2. $41.0 Buffett, Warren Edward
3. $20.0 Allen, Paul Gardner
4. $18.0 Walton, Alice L
5. $18.0 Walton, Helen R
6. $18.0 Walton, Jim C
7. $18.0 Walton, John T
8. $18.0 Walton, S Robson
9. $14.2 Dell, Michael
10. $13.7 Ellison, Lawrence Joseph

Its funny to see people bash unions, but people are quick to forget that the 40 hour work week, paid vacations, sick time, pensions, overtime pay and the such are here because of unions, not because the corporations wanted to be nice guys.



ohplease

Wal-Mart Union to File Complaint After Quebec Closure (Update3)

Then the French Candians get mad and

2 Wal-Marts in Quebec evacuated after bomb threats

Originally posted by ohplease
Its funny to see people bash unions, but people are quick to forget that the 40 hour work week, paid vacations, sick time, pensions, overtime pay and the such are here because of unions, not because the corporations wanted to be nice guys.

Are you in one? I am. I'm a Teamster, and I don't like unions. Their useful purpose has long since passed and now have too great an opportunity to do more harm then good as outlined here:

Ambient Sound:
All a company needs to do is look at the major US Automakers, the US Steel industry, and the US Airline Industry to see where letting a union in will ultimately take your business.

One word: Pittsburgh. If not the most unionized city in the nation it's at the top. It's also extremely economically depressed. Why? Unions.

The USWA played a big role in killing their own industry by forcing wages to economically unviable levels. It's not worth making 22 dollars an hour if it causes the mill to close.

USAir is one of the biggest employers in Pittsburgh - for now. They're teetering on the brink. Partially due to poor upper management, partially to do with 9-11, and partially to do with an overbearing union. In spite of the fact Pittsburgh is going to lose it's "hub" status, and the company very well may close, the union is still stands pat on some issues that could help save their jobs. #ty benefits are better than being unemployed in a job market saturated with your former co-workers.

The recent steel tariffs the USWA pushed for caused 12 people in other industries to lose their jobs for every one steel job saved. The source for that is my Micro-Econ professor. That's good for those steel workers, but not so good for the economy.

I am not a fan of WalMart by any stretch, however, I applaud them taking this action to stop a union gang from trying to take over.

Unions are a socialist leftover of a failed communist system.

Unions are nothing more than legalized gangs.

Union leaders and negotiators dont care about the rank and file members, they just look after their own personal interests.

If they know so much about retail, why not start ther own stores? I'll tell you why, they dont want to risk the huge investment of capital necessary.

Good for Walmart.

(The Russian word for Union is Soviet.)

[edit on 12-2-2005 by Black Flag]

Originally posted by nathraq
For a Wal-Mart, or any business, to close it's doors, as the employees are organizing is illegal in the USA.

Wal-Mart saves tons of money by asking employees to stay and work overtime, after they punched out for the day. The pressure is enormous to do so. I will never stepfoot in a Wal-Mart.

Not if the union is causeing the store to lose money- no law on the books requiring a store to stay open when losing money- please read the article. If nothing else they would stay open long enough (1 month) for the union to have formed and the accountants can show that they lost money- well then fine for the doors to close.

i would REALLY like to see a link to the "free overtime" - no such thing corporate wide if this ever occurs anywhere it is individual mangers abusing their authority. single occurances at individual stores does not make a corporation wide policy.

if you are refering to CHARITY FUND RAISERS then i would dismiss that with a waive of my hand. Most large companys support things like this to the extreme. Sucks for the employees being "required'- but it does bost the companies image with the public. Even the military psuedo 'requires' volunteer time for things like special olympics and such. If your level of involvment ISN'T on your performance reports you can pretty much count missing out on any "special jobs" or in some cases that next promotion recomendation (for officers) (waaaaaaaa) its called being involved in your comunity which is a BIG policy for Walmart (and other large organisations)- you see the banners all over the stores and even advertisement on TV.