Thread: Wal-Mart denies that it told employees how to vote

By CHUCK BARTELS AND ANNE D'INNOCENZIO, AP Business Writers 1 hour, 39 minutes ago

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, denied a report Friday that it had pressured employees to vote against Democrats in November because of worries that a bill the party supports would make it easier for workers to unionize.
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The measure, called the Employee Free Choice Act, would allow labor organizations to unionize workplaces without secret ballot elections. It was co-sponsored by Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic presidential candidate, and opposed by John McCain, the presumed Republican nominee.

A report in The Wall Street Journal said the Bentonville, Ark.-based discounter — which has rigorously resisted being unionized — had held mandatory meetings with store managers and department supervisors in recent weeks to warn that if Democrats take power in November, they would likely push through the bill, which the company says would hurt workers.

Wal-Mart spokesman Dave Tovar told The Associated Press that the company did discuss the bill with its employees, including what it sees as the negative impact, and noted that the company's stand on the legislation is no secret.

"We believe the Employee Free Choice Act is a bad bill and we have been on the record as opposed to it," he said.

But he said the company wasn't advocating that its employees vote against backers of the legislation.

"If anyone representing Wal-Mart gave the impression... they are wrong and acting without approval," said Tovar. In fact, he said that Wal-Mart has been working with both Republicans and Democrats.

"Half of our (political action committee) contributions are to members of each party," Tovar said. "We regularly educate our associates on issues which impact our company, and this is an example of that."

The Wall Street Journal cited about a dozen unidentified Wal-Mart employees who had attended such meetings in seven states as saying they were told that employees at unionized shops would have to pay big union dues while not receiving any benefits in return.

Furthermore, workers said they were told that unionization would mean job losses as costs rise, according to the report. The report said the Wal-Mart human resource managers who held the meetings didn't specifically tell the employees how to vote, but made it clear that a Obama victory would mean unionization.

Wal-Mart Watch, a union-backed group that has criticized the company for what it calls skimpy pay and benefits and poor treatment of its workers, said in a statement that the article "demonstrates once again that Wal-Mart intimidates its workers." The group, which supplied some of the sources to The Wall Street Journal, said the stories cited in the article are "consistent" with numerous reports it has received in the past week.

The development deals a blow to Wal-Mart's reputation just as the company has started seeing its image improve and criticism diminish as it works to improve benefits and push through its "Save money, live better" campaign.

In a session with reporters after the company's annual shareholders meeting in June, Wal-Mart President and CEO Lee Scott said Wal-Mart was comfortable working with either presidential candidate. In the past, Wal-Mart had lined up with the Republicans. But the company's message of environmental sustainability, its program to offer $4 prescription drugs and improved benefits for workers helped move the company to the political center.

"We stand ready to work with the new Congress and whoever is elected (president)," Tovar said Friday.

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Anne D'Innocenzio reported from New York.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080801/ap_ ... t_politics

My mom works at a Walmart. She has chosen repeatedly to not attend any of our protests because if she is seen in the paper or on the news at one of our events, she can be fired. She said they've done it to other workers and she's can't afford to lose her job because no one else will hire her now with her COPD (terminal breathing illness).

I think a union for Walmart employees would be about the only thing that would save this disastrous corporation.

I am not a Wal-Mart defender but how can any company "force" you to vote ? Do they get access to voters rolls to see which employees voted and whether they are registered Damocrat or Republican ?
This is stupid. Once you get into a voting booth, no one is supposed to know how you voted.

Originally Posted by Texan123

I am not a Wal-Mart defender but how can any company "force" you to vote ? Do they get access to voters rolls to see which employees voted and whether they are registered Damocrat or Republican ?
This is stupid. Once you get into a voting booth, no one is supposed to know how you voted.

Well....I know a lady who retired from the DMV (license tag division) who had to change her party affiliation when a new governor was elected (if of a different party than the incumbent) in order to keep her job.

A different scenario, I know, but big business rules this country. Thank goodness I'm self employed!

I don't know about this exact event but WalMart DOES instruct their employees about things. I don't exactly know what they would do, but you might just be discussing something and someone overhears you and bye-bye. If not for that, they will find another reason to dismiss you. They were big in Florida about no-unions and God forbid you were seen talking to one, even if the topic was paint and you didn't even know it was a union person......bye-bye. They don't even like to hear an employee say....hey, they can't make you work through your lunch hour without pay .....or anything concerning employee rights. Usually it's done one on one verbally...or sometimes with supervisors verbally and it amounts to your word vs theirs if it's challenged, or you're a "disgruntled" employee. It wouldn't be every last employee.....so you wouldn't get a consistant response across the board, and most will play "ugh, news to me" if there's even a slight rumor of risk of loosing your job.

I have a number of relatives that work for them and close friends who do or did. Best way to function there, is go in, do your job, don't get close to anyone, and stay neural and un-involved on everything. Works like that in alot of places. People say....oh....they can't do that! It's illegal......they can and they do on alot of different things.

I had a friend who worked at a grocery chain and she was instructed not to shop at any other grocery.....it wouldn't look good if customers saw you shopping at another store.

Then try and fight it.....LOL.....GOOD LUCK! The only people who have a shot is people who don't need the job......anyone that does learns very quickly, you don't rock the boat.