Feb. 11—The United Food and Commercial Workers and the Canadian union movement are launching a broad grassroots action against Wal-Mart in response to the retailer’s announcement it will close its first North American unionized store rather than accept binding arbitration in contract bargaining.
Nearly 200 workers at a Wal-Mart in Jonquière, Quebec, chose a voice at work with UFCW Local 503 last fall. After Wal-Mart refused to bargain in good faith over issues, including work schedules, seniority clauses and employee status, the union asked the Quebec Ministry of Labor to impose binding arbitration on contract negotiations, as Canadian law provides.
On Feb. 9, just hours after the Ministry of Labor announced its approval for the arbitration request, Wal-Mart Canada declared the store was unprofitable and planned to close it this spring.
“This latest action by Wal-Mart demonstrates, once again, the company’s systematic abuse of working families,” said UFCW President Joseph Hansen. “This is a company that prefers to spend millions and millions to dress up its image on TV, rather than treat workers with respect.”
Not the First Time Wal-Mart Shut Down Operations After Workers Join a Union
The announced closure of the Jonquière store follows a similar Wal-Mart action in 2000 when 11 Wal-Mart workers in Jacksonville, Texas, chose a voice at work with the UFCW. Wal-Mart eliminated the meat cutter positions and switched to selling pre-packaged meat. In June 2003, a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) judge ruled the company had broken labor law and ordered it to restore the meat cutting duties and bargain with the union over the effects of the change.
“Unfortunately, workers in Canada are finding out the hard way what many Wal-Mart workers in the United States already know—that Wal-Mart won’t negotiate to provide a basic, fair employment package for its workers,” says AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney.
Wal-Mart Workers Continue Their Fight for Justice
Across the United States and Canada, Wal-Mart workers continue their struggle for a voice at work. In late January, the Denver director of the NLRB ruled that nearly 20 Wal-Mart auto service workers in Loveland, Colo., have the right to vote for representation by UFCW Local 7. Wal-Mart had argued that the union had to organize all 480 workers at the store, but the board said auto service employees work independently.
In St.-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Wal-Mart workers chose a voice with UFCW Canada Local 501 in January. An application for a bargaining unit has been submitted by one-third of the Quebec store, and the UFCW has applications in process in some dozen locations through Canada.
More
Sign a petition asking Wal-Mart to reverse plans to close its store and negotiate in good faith with Wal-Mart workers.
Sign a petition telling Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott to keep the Jonquière store open.
