Workers unite against Walmart

[kompili]

I guess this, kind of wraps it up, in a nice present with a bow on top. Beware of language content

[Captain Awesome]

I guess this, kind of wraps it up, in a nice present with a bow on top. Beware of language content

Isn't it ironic to see a youtube video called "Banned from youtube"?

[hobbyguy]

GF - as I said, I'm not familiar with Walmart's or retail cost structures, so I took a SWAG based on 30 yrs of doing business budgets - but in diferent segments of the economy.

Don't forget that working in retail USED to be decent job. My wife worked for Safeway for a short time - she was making 8.75 and working alonside folks making 23.50, but they had grandfathered wages. What changed? Union busters like Walmart came in and used predatory business practices to attack companies like Safeway, Woodwards (now there was great store!) and force them to either adopt the same "all for me - none for you" practices. Walmart is well documented as using their buying power to overpower suppliers and cut costs - their approach, as I said, is "all for me - none for you".

Unions have their issues, but without them nobody gets a decent wage. If I were to guess, 40% + of non-union workers who do get decent wages only get them because another part the company is unionized.

If you want to see the dark side of union busting, have a look at what's going on the cell tower industry in the US. AT&T et al didn't like hazard liability of having cell tower workers that also got paid top union wages. So they busted the unions through contracting out, and now you have young folks dying because they are working 400 ft in the air without proper training and equipment. Oh, they get $12/hr. Yup, $12. Would you go hang 400 ft in the air and fix cell towers for $12/hr?

On the flip side, managing and supervising can be challenging in a unionized environment. But if done properly, not a big issue. It does however, require that management be well educated in proper practices and conduct themselves professionally and fairly ( as opposed the archytypal "boss" who fires someone because he doesn't like their the color of their nail polish).