(The AFL-CIO issued the following on October 14.)
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Local 408, will be holding a rally at the Wal-Mart, at I-45 South and El Dorado Blvd. on Wednesday, October 15, 2003, from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. UFCW, Local 408, is engaged in an organizing drive at this Wal-Mart and the Harris County AFL-CIO Council will be asking Wal-Mart’s management to sign an Appeal for Fairness Agreement. The lead employee organizer for the Union will be available for comment on the organizing drive at this store and the federal charges filed by him against Wal-Mart.
UFCW’s Wal-Mart Day of Action will feature a series of events beginning with a product buy, an attempt to secure the Fairness Agreement, a news conference at 4:00 p.m. and a prayer vigil beginning at 7:00 p.m. Information about Wal-Mart’s war on wages, benefits, safety, unions, women and fair working conditions will also be available.
According to Business Week (October 2003) Wal-Mart is the world’s largest company yet its employees are earning poverty-level wages. Wal-Mart is facing 40 lawsuits alleging overtime pay violations and a sex discrimination case alleging that Wal-Mart systemically denies women equal pay and opportunities for promotion. Wal-Mart spends 40% less than all U.S. corporations on health benefits for its covered employees (UFCW.org).
“If there ever was a company that needed a Union, Wal-Mart is it,” say Richard Shaw, Secretary-Treasurer of the Harris County AFL-CIO Council. “Wal-Mart lowers community standards and hurts other legitimate businesses that are doing right by their employees. Wal-Mart has an opportunity here to stop the war on employees who want a union and show the Houston community that it can be a good neighbor. If the employees had a Union, they could bargain for better wages and benefits like health insurance coverage and a pension. America’s largest retailer ought to be able to afford this,” concluded Shaw.
Wal-Mart is known for its tough anti-union stand and has been the subject of many Unfair Labor Practice charges by the National Labor Relations Board. The Appeal for Fairness Agreement will insure neutrality by Wal-Mart’s management during the course of the organizing drive.