Wal-Mart - Retail Political Lobbyist

Well, I'd say this is a good sign for believing in Democrats. Thanks Wal-Mart for that inside tidbit!

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mobilizing its store managers and department supervisors around the country to warn that if Democrats win power in November, they'll likely change federal law to make it easier for workers to unionize companies -- including Wal-Mart

Oops, on the other hand, maybe they want Obama to win. There is no doubt that news will have their employees flocking to the Democratic party.

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Isn't employer voting influence illegal?

That was my first thought Robert that it could backlash against walmart management, but OTH, the folks that work at Walmart are often desperate for their jobs, as well as in many small towns these are the only jobs and folks under these kinds of economic and oppressive managment conditions will go along with the flow out of fear.

On second thought this may be the kind of mobilization call labor has needed in this election year - big enough hopefully that labor will finally wake up and re-exert its long languished influence on the democratic party.

It would seem that anything Walmart is against is something working people should be for - since walmart has been the great accelerator of job offshoring, shoddy imported goods, stagnant wages, low and no benefits, urban sprawl, undue political influence and so forth

Retail unionization

I worked in a union supermarket thru much of the 80's while I was going to school. These were good jobs that paid in the 8-9 buck an hour range in 1980's dollars and we had full medical, dental and optical benefits - I have not since had as good of benefits post grocery store. we got paid and extra 50 cent/hr night bonus for third shift work, time and half for overtime and Sundays, double time on holidays. Today's retail workers are lucky to make 8 bucks and hour in todays dollarswith minimal benefits if at all.

granted this is hard demanding work with sucky hours - retail's best business times are weekends and holidays so you pretty much have to work them. These jobs are also physically demanding with long hours on your feet and heavy lifting. This is precisely why retail workers would benefit from union representation.

I didn't get rich working in the store - but in the 80's I could afford to put myself thru college, drive a decent car and even buy my first modest house in a decent neighborhood. Couldn't do that on today's retail pay - no way

exactly

Now most jobs like this won't even pay rent, never mind allow one to go to college. Unions are a good thing in my view for they do get better wages for their workers.

You're right most Wal-Mart workers are there because the other good jobs were wiped out, so they are stuck. But, Wal-Mart has lawsuits against it from employees, so seemingly they are willing to fight.