Archived one step closer to unionizing?

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Would this mean Walmart is one step closet to losing its influence against employees' unions?

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-nlrb-walmart-20131119,0,1499317.story

It may be some companies’ worst nightmare: the National Labor Relations Board, which is fully functioning with all its members for the first time since August 2003, is beginning to investigate labor practices and big companies, and so far, has sided with labor.

The NLRB’s general counsel said Monday that it had investigated charges against Wal-Mart regarding employee protests last year in 13 states including California. It found that the retailer unlawfully threatened employees with reprisal if they engaged in Ss on Black Friday, unlawfully disciplined workers who did in engage in those Ss and unlawfully treated employees in other stores in anticipation of them participating in Ss or other labor activities.

The Black Friday protests last year spread to 100 cities, with 600 people turning out to a Wal-Mart in Paramount, Calif., to support workers.

The NLRB found in favor of Wal-Mart in two instances, saying that Wal-Mart did lawfully tell non-employees to move from Wal-Mart property, and that it did not unlawfully change work schedules.

But the findings, which will become complaints if Wal-Mart does not settle with workers, were considered a victory for labor across the board. Wal-Mart could be forced to award workers back pay and reinstate certain workers.

“The Board’s decision confirms what Walmart workers have long known: the company is illegally trying to silence employees who speak out for better jobs,†said Sarita Gupta, executive director of Jobs With Justice and American Rights at Work, in a release.

The NLRB has long been a victim of political battles on Capitol Hill, with Republicans and President Obama sparring over appointees. Obama went so far as to appoint two board members during recess, though an appeals court later blocked those appointments, saying the Senate was not technically in recess.

In a deal in July, the Senate confirmed all five members of the NLRB. In exchange, Obama had to withdraw the nomination of his two recess appointees. One of those appointees, Richard Griffin, was appointed the next month to the position of NLRB general counsel. Griffin’s office investigated the complaints against Wal-Mart. The investigation was announced in a news release by the United Food and Commercial Workers before it appeared on the NLRB’s website. This enraged union watchdogs.

“It should not be lost upon anyone, that this is one of the first official actions by the new general counsel Richard Griffin, who was previously an official within a union that had serial management problems, including connections to organized crime,†said Fred Wszolek, spokesman for the Workforce Fairness Institute, in a statement. “Next, the fact this issue came to light in an announcement made by the United Food and Commercial Workers, even before the new general counsel made public any information related to the matter, certainly confirms the worst fears of American workers and businesses, which are union bosses are completely unchecked, pulling the strings in government and have declared war on our nation’s job creators.â€

The NLRB is not the only labor watchdog that some companies are fearing these days. Thomas Perez was confirmed as the new head of the Labor Department in August, replacing Hilda Solis, a former California congresswoman. Many observers expect him to be more active than Solis, potentially pushing regulations that would require contractors to employ more disabled workers, and requiring companies to disclose their actions and expenditures in efforts to prevent union organizing drives.

Unions are planning more protests in front of Wal-Mart on Black Friday, typically one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
 
Considering that Walmart still hasn't paid the piddling $7000 OSHA fine they got when the poor guy was killed on Black Friday 7 years ago, I'm afraid this isn't going to make much difference.
They will just throw a wall of lawyers at it and logjam things for the foreseeable future the same way they do environmental fines.
Walmart is a monster that fights everything.
 
I highly doubt it. One of my coworkers just got promoted to support manager (flow TL) and he was in the training room last night taking a computer training about how bad it would be for Walmart to unionize. I was on my lunch break and I had to leave so I wouldn't crack up laughing. Trust me, they are as bad as Target with their anti-union propaganda.
 
More Wally World anti-union propaganda was spewed at the pre-shift meeting last night. Three managers read from a script about Our Walmart and UFCW and how we're not to sign any petition from them while we are on the clock. It really was an Oscar worthy performance.
I can't imagine any of my coworkers walking out on Black Friday since I live in one of the most conservative states in America. I suppose anything is possible though.
 
I have talked about it at work and we have a lot of people who'd be in on it if it weren't for the fact that ours is a "Right To Work" state...
 
There is going to be a tipping point.
I'm not sure when it's going to be but the rich and powerful are going to lose their grip and when it happens it isn't going to be pretty.
If they were smart they would have an FDR in the White House who could co-opt everything the progressives talked about and still keep them in power but it doesn't seem like they're that smart this time around.
 
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