Quebec Wal-Mart begins offensive following union drive

[Screaming Lord Byron]

http://www.canada.com/national/story.html?id=580d463e-a7ca-44dc-a6c4-162c598307c9
SAGUENAY, Que. (CP) -- A Wal-Mart store facing a union drive has warned employees not to sign union cards unless they're clear on the implications of their decision.
Chicoutimi Le Quotidien reported Friday that the local Wal-Mart outlet issued a memo to its employees in which it also expressed disappointment that 145 workers were accredited by the Quebec Labour Board without a secret-ballot vote.

The retail giant is deciding whether to contest the board's decision on Monday to grant union status to workers at the store in the Jonquiere district of this city 220 kilometres north of Quebec City.

"You are never to sign union cards if you have not had the opportunity to consider the stakes in detail," Le Quotidien quoted Wal-Mart's memo as saying.

"You (must) be convinced that you really want to be represented by a union."

The memo went on to say the company "is very disappointed that employees at the Jonquiere store did not have the opportunity to express their point of view in a secret-ballot vote."

Some employees at the store have suggested Wal-Mart might shut down the outlet to thwart the union drive, a charge Wal-Mart denies.

[tlcandie]

1. Well, McDonald's in Canada DID shut the doors due to a

union drive by the teenagers at the store! Is Wal-Mart any better? Doubtful.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

2. I think you already know the answer to that, eh?

There's no way Wal-Mart can allow a unionized store. Absolutely no way.

[BiggJawn]

3. "You are never to sign union cards..."

If you want to keep working here.

"is very disappointed that employees at the Jonquiere store did not have the opportunity to express their point of view in a secret-ballot vote."

After all we've DONE for you people! don't you realize that If we hadn't come to your town that you'd all still be working for those tiny mom and pop stores we buried when we came to town?

I wish they'd build a COSTCO in my town! 140 miles round trip is too much for "Social Conscience" (and I challenge anyone to bust my chops on that statement)

[TO Kid]

8. Heaven forbid they should get a chance to vote

I mean come on, if they get to vote on whether they hand over their pay to a union boss, that could lead to workplace democracy!

[BiggJawn]

9. And that's how Wally-World presents it...

"...hand over their pay to a union boss.."

They tell the new-hires tht Union exist only to make money for their Mafia-controlled bosses off of poor, stupid innocents, who just wanna be left in peace to be a happy Wally-World "Associate"..

I dislike shopping there, but it's 70 miles to my nearest Costco, and I don't make enough money myself to patronize the stores the 100 kilobuck professors around here do...

[VaLabor]

4. "You (must) be convinced that you really want to be represented by a union

"You (must) be convinced that you really want to be represented by a union."

Heh. Imagine your employer saying that to you about any other organization you want to join. "You must be convinced that you really want to be a Catholic before you go off and attend mass." We wouldn't stand for that. So why is it somehow okay for an employer to attempt to threaten and intimidate people when they want to join a union? In fact, why is it okay for an employer to have any say whatsoever in your decision to form or join a union? It's none of the employer's business. This choice belongs to the employees.

They are, after all, choosing whether they want someone to represent them in negotiations with their employer. Imagine your husband having a say over whether you'll have a divorce attorney or not.

[Coventina]

5. Everything Wal*Mart does is offensive!

:mad:

[mitchtv]

6. They will close it and blame the Union

made it cost ineffective.

[Hoping4Change]

7. But there is union in Manitoba as well. How many stores are

they willing to shut?

[SemperEadem]

10. go ahead and shut the store down

perhaps the smaller stores which WalFart put out of business will be able to regroup and reclaim their customer base before this welfare-cheating fat-ass small minded American conglomerate decided to invade their province and destroy the economic stability of the businesses which were already established there.

People think they save at WalFart, but that's a lie... while they don't pay for employees medical and health benefits in their prices, they pay for it through their taxes for when these very employees have to turn to the state for medical needs. If you don't pay going in, you pay going out, but you're gonna pay.