When Wal-Mart employees stand up for themselves and try to form a union, they face threats, propaganda, discrimination, intimidation, and even firings in retaliation. As the word’s largest employer, the company’s abysmal labor standards and aggressive interference with its employees’ democratic right to form unions has a hand in legitimizing the widespread use of this behavior.
Exposing the harmful impact of Wal-Mart's low-cost, low-price business
model is the subject of the recently released report "Wal-Mart's
Sustainability Initiative: A Civil Society Critique." Twenty-three
organizations, including American Rights at Work, reveal how the big
box retailer's business model undermines the environment, communities,
and workers.
Erin Johansson examines the labor standards at Wal-Mart, including the poor compensation, difficult working conditions, and most importantly, the company’s ability to remain union-free, which is primarily the result of a companywide strategy to prevent and quash union efforts. Checking Out illustrates the devastating toll on workers and their communities as wages and benefits are slashed and once secure jobs are lost; the retail giant threatens to wipe out middle-class jobs and the American dream as we know it.
According to Garth Brooks, "it's
great to work for Wal-Mart." But what would happen if Garth found out what it's
really like to work for the retail giant? What
would he have to say about Wal-Mart's ruthless campaign against
workers' rights?
When workers at Wal-Mart try to form a union for respect, decent health care, fair wages, and working conditions, they're met with fierce resistance from the company. Read more to find out the five things you should know about Wal-Mart's unionbusting tactics.
This report offers a comprehensive examination of the company’s abysmal labor standards, including an investigation into Wal-Mart’s unapologetic, systematic manner of aggressively interfering with its employees’ democratic right to form unions as a method to address their mistreatment. The study also demonstrates how Wal-Martization is eroding middle-class standards for workers in the grocery industry.
Wal-Mart's recent announcement that it will close down its store in
Jonquière, Quebec, is much more about its hostile labor relations
strategy than its bottom line. The company says the store will close
because it hasn't turned a profit. But, a closer look at Wal-Mart's
practice of opening and closing locations suggests its anti-union
stance might be a more accurate reason for its decision.
Hot Topics 
When Wal-Mart employees stand up for themselves and try to form a union, they face threats, propaganda, discrimination, intimidation, and even firings in retaliation. As the word’s largest employer, the company’s abysmal labor standards and aggressive interference with its employees’ democratic right to form unions has a hand in legitimizing the widespread use of this behavior.
This report offers a comprehensive examination of the company’s abysmal labor standards, including an investigation into Wal-Mart’s unapologetic, systematic manner of aggressively interfering with its employees’ democratic right to form unions as a method to address their mistreatment. The study also demonstrates how Wal-Martization is eroding middle-class standards for workers in the grocery industry.
“The managers say that if we stuck by them, they would stick by us” - Cynthia Zavala
