| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 22, 2000 |
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A CRACK IN THE WAL-MART: WORKERS VOTE UNION AT TEXAS WAL-MART SUPERCENTER The management-mandated employee cheer at Wal-Mart, a daily forced ritual where workers spell out Wal-Mart?fell a little flat at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Jacksonville, Texas. Workers had their own cheer, U-F-C-W for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. On February 17, 2000, a group of Wal-Mart meat department employees made history with their vote for union representation in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election. It was the first union victory for U.S. workers in Wal-Mart's history. The giant retailer is the nation's largest employer with almost one million employees, and has a well-earned reputation as a low-road employer that pays little, provides scant benefits and brow beats employees with heavy handed management. Wal-Mart's so-called "open door" policy of employee relations is viewed by many workers as an "out-the-door" policy for any employee who raises any serious issues. In a 7 to 3 vote, meat department employees decided to open the door to a new method of employee relations. They voted to have an independent voice, and to exercise their legal right to bring Wal-Mart to the bargaining table for good faith negotiations over wages, schedules, benefits and treatment. Despite its smiling face commercials, Wal-Mart has shown the scowling face that hides beneath the smile and has issued statements pledging to fight the election results. The UFCW has already filed charges against the company for threats, coercion and intimidation during the election campaign. Workers at the Palestine, Texas Supercenter, however, are not frightened or fooled. They filed for a NLRB-monitored election last week. The Jacksonville workers have warned their colleagues down the road that Wal-Mart will try everything to delay the election like the company did in Jacksonville, but the Palestine workers are ready to make their voices heard. Wal-Mart workers across the country who are abused and fed-up are standing up and sticking together in a powerful cyber-network to make a change in their workplaces through a union. At www.UFCW.org, www.walmartyrs.com and a number of independent Wal-Mart worker websites, workers are sharing their experiences of unfair treatment at Wal-Mart and learning how to make it better. 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. -30- |
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