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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2000

WAL-MART CHARGED WITH MASSIVE VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL LAW
Giant Retailer Systematically Trampled Rights of Workers in Order to Corrupt Election Vote

The world's largest retailer is facing federal charges for violating workers' rights in the second union election at a Texas Supercenter this year. Wal-Mart's union-busting brigade descended on workers at the Palestine, Texas Supercenter with threats of job loss, demotions, and loss of profit sharing and retirement.

Workers have filed charges that the giant retailer violated federal labor law during the union campaign, claiming Wal-Mart carried out an illegal campaign of threats, coercion, intimidation and harassment against the meat and seafood department employees.

Charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) outline a wide-spread and systematic campaign to taint the outcome of the election by violating the workers' right to organize including:

  • Threatening employees with specially-trained union-busters from its Arkansas headquarters.
  • Retaliating against employees who supported the union effort.
  • Forcing management indoctrination sessions.
  • Threatening loss of wages and benefits.
  • Threatening workers with possible surveillance of non-work activities.
The workers' union, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), filed objections to the election with the NLRB charging the widespread violation of workers' rights made a fair election impossible.

"Workers have the right to a fair and free election. It may be the world's largest retailer, but Wal-Mart has no right to break the law with impunity. The UFCW is going to be there fighting Wal-Mart every time the company tries to bully workers and run rough-shod over their rights on the job," said Mike Leonard, Director of the UFCW Strategic Programs Department. The UFCW dropped its challenge to four ballots cast in order to demand that the Board set aside the corrupted election so the Palestine meat and seafood department workers get the chance to vote in a fair election.

"Wal-Mart has misled workers and the public by claiming the union campaign is over in Palestine. The Board hasn't yet ruled on the charges against Wal-Mart. In the end, Wal- Mart will lose, and the workers will finally have the chance to vote in a free and fair election," continued Leonard.

In February, meat department workers at Wal-Mart's Jacksonville, Texas store voted for union representation with UFCW Local 540, and are demanding that the company obey the law, respect their choice, and begin immediate good-faith bargaining.

The UFCW is the largest organization of retail workers in North America, with 1.4 million members. Workers at retail food industry leaders such as Kroger and Safeway are members of the UFCW.

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