Walmart: Unions in foreign countries OK - not U.S.

[lakhota]

Walmart Allows Its Workers To Unionize In Other Countries, Just Not In The United States

To complete its acquisition of Massmart, a chain of retail stores in South Africa, Walmart struck a deal that must seem extraordinary to the company’s American employees. To win government approval of the acquisition, Walmart made concessions to a South African labor union, agreeing to avoid worker layoffs, honor existing union contracts, and use local suppliers.

The idea that Walmart negotiated with and made concessions to a labor union in South Africa may seem odd to workers in the United States, where Walmart has developed a reputation as one of the country’s most virulent opponents of organization efforts. In fact, Walmart’s workers are organized in many of the foreign countries in which it does business.

In Brazil, Argentina, China, the United Kingdom, and now South Africa, some Walmart employees are organized. In China, Walmart is required by law to recognize union membership, and in Mexico, 18 percent of its workers are organized. British labor leaders describe their dealings with Walmart as “honest,” and in Argentina, organized employees make as much as 40 percent more than employees at retailer’s major competitors. Walmart has a convenient response to why it lets workers organize in these countries, as the Washington Post reports:

“We have a local philosophy,” Wal-Mart International Chief Executive Doug McMillon recently told reporters. “It’s our intention to demonstrate that we are a great corporate citizen.”

In Brazil and Argentina, meanwhile, Walmart says it allows workers to unionize because “that’s what the associates want”:

“We recognize those rights,” said John Peter “J.P.” Suarez , senior vice president of international business development at Walmart. “In that market, that’s what the associates want, and that’s the prevailing practice.”

Apparently for Walmart, however, it matters not what workers want if those workers happen to be American.

Former Walmart Executive Vice President John Tate, who also served on its board, once said, “Labor unions are nothing but blood-sucking parasites living off the productive labor of people who work for a living.” Walmart claims that view is Tate’s alone and is not representative of the company’s attitude toward unions, but its history of dealing with American unions seems to tell a different story.

The United Food and Commercial Workers has been trying to help organize Walmart employees for more than two decades. At each turn, it has been rebuffed by the company, which spent millions to oppose organization efforts. In 2000, when the meatcutting department at a Texas store organized, Walmart responded by announcing the phase-out of its meatcutting departments.

In 2008, Walmart spent millions more fighting the Employee Free Choice Act, lobbying against it in Washington and going so far as to summon “thousands of Wal-Mart sotre manages and department heads to mandatory meetings,” where it warned that voting for Barack Obama “would be tantamount to inviting unions in.”

Luckily for Walmart’s American employees, they have a useful ally in, of all places, South Africa. According to the Washington Post, the union that will represent Walmart workers in South Africa went to bat for the company’s American employees during its own negotiations. “You can’t say you violate the right to freedom of association because the culture in that country supports it,” Mduduzi Mbongwe, a South African union representative, said of Walmart’s approach to American unions. “We don’t accept such an argument.”

thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/06/08/239411/walmart-unions-other-countries/

NOTE: This article contains supporting links that can only be accessed by clicking on the main link above.

[lakhota]

Former Walmart Executive Vice President John Tate, who also served on its board, once said, “Labor unions are nothing but blood-sucking parasites living off the productive labor of people who work for a living.” Walmart claims that view is Tate’s alone and is not representative of the company’s attitude toward unions, but its history of dealing with American unions seems to tell a different story.

Sad...

[Deleted]

Thanks for the post about WalMart Lakhota. It reminded me that I needed to do some shopping there tonight. I sure want to use my dollars to support the biggest employer (that makes money) in the U.S. so that they can continue to make a profit. I hope this post reminds others to go out & support our U.S. companies & shop there too.

[lakhota]

You're welcome, oldtex. Be sure to wave your American flag as you shop at Walmart.

[ed1066]

Clearly they understand that there are places where unions are still interested in protecting workers' rights and places where they are only interested in lining their own corrupt pockets (and those of the Democats they pay off)...two points to you Lakhota if you can guess which is which...

[EVT1]

Jun 8, 2011 18:55:37 GMT -5 @lakhota said:

You're welcome, oldtex. Be sure to wave your American flag as you shop at Walmart.

The one that says made in China on it

[lakhota]

The one that says made in China on it

Yeah, that one.

[lakhota]

Wal-Mart works with unions abroad, but not at home

www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/wal-mart-works-with-unions-abroad-but-not-at-home/2011/06/07/AG0nOPLH_story.html

[lakhota]

Clinton Remained Silent As Wal-Mart Fought Unions

In six years as a member of the Wal-Mart board of directors, between 1986 and 1992, Hillary Clinton remained silent as the world's largest retailer waged a major campaign against labor unions seeking to represent store workers.

abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4218509&page=1

I never knew this. Shame on you, Hillary.

[ed1066]

Jun 8, 2011 19:10:38 GMT -5 @lakhota said:

The one that says made in China on it

Yeah, that one.

As you type on your Chinese-made computer...

...which you probably bought at Wal Mart...

[lakhota]

THE HIDDEN PRICE WE ALL PAY FOR WAL-MART

www.scribd.com/doc/16107545/WalMarts-Labor-Record

[EVT1]

Screw Wally- Costco kicks their ass and their employees don't have to have government wage subsidies to do it.

[cme1201]

To win government approval of the acquisition, Walmart made concessions

In China, Walmart is required by law to recognize union membership

Wal-Mart didn't negotiate for no reason, to operate in South Africa we see that the consessions were made to win approval, in China it is Law.

and in Mexico, 18 percent of its workers are organized

Then explain why people from Mexico are breaking into the United States to find a better way of Life.

Now to the meat and potatos of the article,

“We recognize those rights,” said John Peter “J.P.” Suarez , senior vice president of international business development at Walmart. “In that market, that’s what the associates want, and that’s the prevailing practice.”

Apparently for Walmart, however, it matters not what workers want if those workers happen to be American.

In the original wording by J.P. Suarez the bolded out portion he speaks of prevaling practice, the articles writer focus only on the want factor. Unionization has never been prevailing practice in the US, never, the highest percentage that hit was almost 25% in 1954 and non farm workers at 35% in 1945.

Today there are 15 million unionized workers in the United States or 11.9% of the workforce, non governmental unionization now stands at 7%.

The hey days of the unions came when? It was between 1940-1960 now look what our world was like for those 20 years, we built crap marketed that crap to the world, that they needed (note the word) because they had to focus on rebuilding there side of the world. Time rolled and now with trade deals/trade deficits they rebuilt with an econmoical focus selling us crap we want at cheap prices while selling us (steel/iron/electric vehicle batteries) at prices higher than they pay us.

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

I was over at Walmart near me last week. Great store. Picked up a few solar flood lights for my shore place... some towels, paint, etc....

I love that store.

[cme1201]

Jun 8, 2011 19:16:58 GMT -5 @lakhota said:

Clinton Remained Silent As Wal-Mart Fought Unions

In six years as a member of the Wal-Mart board of directors, between 1986 and 1992, Hillary Clinton remained silent as the world's largest retailer waged a major campaign against labor unions seeking to represent store workers.

abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4218509&page=1

I never knew this. Shame on you, Hillary.

Really, you never knew this? Did you never read anything during the 2008 campaign?

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

Really, you never knew this? Did you never read anything during the 2008 campaign?


....and it was Clinton who brought Halliburton on as a govt contractor.

[formerexpat]

The one that says made in China on it

All American flags sold in Walmart that I saw were made in an American plant. I specifically checked when I was picking one up for Memorial day.

The manufacturer for the Walmart flags and the ones for Lowes, at least the stores I went to, were the same manufacturer.

Guess we can spot who hasn't been flag shopping.

[lakhota]

Really, you never knew this? Did you never read anything during the 2008 campaign?

Did you know Hillary never spoke up in favor of unions during her time on the Walmart board of directors?

[cme1201]

Jun 8, 2011 20:08:58 GMT -5 @lakhota said:

Really, you never knew this? Did you never read anything during the 2008 campaign?

Did you know Hillary never spoke up in favor of unions during her time on the Walmart board of directors?

I knew, I have been in "share holder meetings" that she has sat on. And since she sat on the board she also voted on whether they would be allowed to unionize, can you find her voting record for those 6 years?

[lakhota]

How many Mom & Pop stores has Walmart driven out of business?

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

Did you know Hillary never spoke up in favor of unions during her time on the Walmart board of directors?


Silence is approval.

[formerexpat]

How many Mom & Pop stores has Walmart driven out of business?

How many blacksmiths has the auto industry driven out of business?

How many industries has government driven out of this country?

[cme1201]

Jun 8, 2011 20:11:40 GMT -5 @lakhota said:

How many Mom & Pop stores has Walmart driven out of business?

How many horse and buggy shops did ford put out of business, how many Ice sellers did electric refrigeration put out of business, Wal-Mart can offer the same service that 5 different stores can offer for lower prices as they buy in bulk.

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

How many Mom & Pop stores has Walmart driven out of business?

None. There is no data that shows any correlation.
How many mom and pop grocery stores has Whole Foods put out of business.

www.be.wvu.edu/div/econ/work/pdf_files/06-05.pdf

[ed1066]

Liberals love to pretend they hate Wal Mart, even though we all know they go there too...

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Jun 8, 2011 19:16:58 GMT -5 @lakhota said:

Clinton Remained Silent As Wal-Mart Fought Unions

In six years as a member of the Wal-Mart board of directors, between 1986 and 1992, Hillary Clinton remained silent as the world's largest retailer waged a major campaign against labor unions seeking to represent store workers.

abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4218509&page=1

I never knew this. Shame on you, Hillary.

I didn't know that either.... I'm surprised it wasn't a campaign issue for her. (If it was, I never heard it.)

[lakhota]

How does Walmart still seem to make profit while their prices are between 9% and 39% lower than competitors? Walmart drives down retail wages by $3 billion dollars every year. It does not provide affordable healthcare for their employees and leaves most unable to make ends meet. The stores are somehow always short-staffed, and the worst thing about this is that it’s on purpose. The stores don’t have enough payroll budgets from head offices to have enough employees. Small local grocery stores provide better healthcare benefits than Walmart, and people who work there cannot even pay for their children’s insurance. Even full time employees have such low income, that they are eligible for and rely on Medicaid or other government medical programs, seeing as they could not even afford Walmarts health plan. Walmart has gone through numerous controversies, encouraging their employees go on welfare, using state programs to take care of their employees instead of them doing it themselves. In Florida as well as 8 other states, Walmart has more employees that are eligible for Medicaid than any other company in the world. Clearly, their wages and benefits offered are substantially insufficient, and Walmart cannot continue to take advantage of their employees.

More: macnomics.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/walmart-and-its-effect-on-us-and-world-markets/

[lakhota]

Wal-Mart Whitewashing

Wal-Mart makes its billions on a strategy of exploiting poverty. It pays low wages and its low prices cater to the increasingly destitute class of millions of people who cannot afford to shop anywhere but Wal-Mart because Wal-Mart wages -- or, more broadly, the strategy to lower wages as much as possible -- is not the economic strategy of corporate America.

Wal-Mart is the defendant in the largest sex discrimination case in the history of the country. As an attorney for the women says, "Wal-Mart tries to project an improved image as a good corporate citizen. No amount of P.R. is going to work until it addresses the claims of its female employees."

More: www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-tasini/walmart-whitewashing_b_811581.html

[ed1066]

OK, we get it Lakhota, you're unhappy at work. Find another job...jeez...

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

There is no evidence that Walmart pays substandard wages. It is a myth. Any difference is statistically insignificant.