Aug 01, 2008 07:30PM GMTAugust 01, 2008 19:30:07
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Walmart Uses Scare Tactics to Warn Employees of a Democratic Win. Is this right?

Wal-Mart Inc. is telling its employees to vote against the Democratic party and their own self-interest in November, using fear and scare tactics. This from a company that took out life insurance policies on its workers, so it could benefit if they died.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/01/wal-mart-warns-worke...
UPDATE: Wal-Mart has issued a statement regarding The Wall Street Journal article outlining how it's warning employees to beware of voting for Democrats. AP has the details. The Wall Street Journal article is excerpted below this excerpt from AP:
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, denied a report Friday that it had pressured employees to vote against Democrats in November because of worries that a bill the party supports would make it easier for workers to unionize.

The measure, called the Employee Free Choice Act, would allow labor organizations to unionize workplaces without secret ballot elections. It was co-sponsored by Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic presidential candidate, and opposed by John McCain, the presumed Republican nominee.

The original report from The Wall Street Journal:
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.
In recent weeks, thousands of Wal-Mart store managers and department heads have been summoned to mandatory meetings at which the retailer stresses the downside for workers if stores were to be unionized.
According to about a dozen Wal-Mart employees who attended such meetings in seven states, Wal-Mart executives claim that employees at unionized stores would have to pay hefty union dues while getting nothing in return, and may have to go on strike without compensation. Also, unionization could mean fewer jobs as labor costs rise ...
The Wal-Mart human-resources managers who run the meetings don't specifically tell attendees how to vote in November's election, but make it clear that voting for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama would be tantamount to inviting unions in, according to Wal-Mart employees who attended gatherings in Maryland, Missouri and other states.
"The meeting leader said, 'I am not telling you how to vote, but if the Democrats win, this bill will pass and you won't have a vote on whether you want a union,'" said a Wal-Mart customer-service supervisor from Missouri. "I am not a stupid person. They were telling me how to vote," she said.
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Top Comment
raves +8   by Jen**GPAC**

Answered Unions endorse and recommend candidates. Why can't Walmart?

That's b/c Wal Mart uses scare tactics to prevent it's employees from forming unions as well.. watch the documentary The High Cost of Low Prices.. it explains many troubling things about Wal Mart..
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  • raves     [-] Brove replied to Patriotic American
    Patriotic American! Well said. Kudos to you!
  • raves +2   [-] by Mike

    Answered None of the above

    As soon as I saw the the AP had the "facts of the case", I didn't give the story any more credence. The AP is a leftist organization and anything it says is suspect in terms of its aims. I am sure most of the story is yellow journalism and deserves no real respect.
  • raves +4   [-] Patriotic American replied to Mike

    Mike's preferred "news" source! Geeze! A republican't could choke a baby right in front of your eyes and you would swear they were only "helping" the baby!
  • raves +2 -1 [-] Mike replied to Patriotic American
    Now that is intelligent! I give my opinion and you insult me. You really represent the left well. I think you are an idiot as well as a moron. My apologies to most idiots and morons out there for including this dick weed in with you all. Yes, I am a Republican and have been for over 40 years and I have seen the shit you leftists have shoved down the throats of true Americans for long enough. I tried to be civil but since you choose not to be, you may just kiss my ass.
  • raves +1 -1 [-] pepsi replied to Mike
    mike...I am so sorry I cannot give you a DOWN! rave, I EXCEEDED!
    omg. mike rave exceeded omg
  • raves +4   [-] Patriotic American replied to Mike
    And the republican'ts have done an absolutely fabulous job! They tell you how bad government is, they get elected then proceed to set out to prove it!
  • raves     [-] the dead redcoat replied to Mike
    Mike
    Nicely and elegantly put without too much coarseness i must say.
  • raves +1   [-] by Account Closed

    Answered Employers have no right telling their employees how to vote.

    moderated...
  • raves +1   [-] by ralph

    Answered Employers have no right telling their employees how to vote.

    While unions endorse canidates/issues the members pay dues to be in the union, they are not paid BY the union. An employer, who pays a person for a job, has no right to try and tell t heir employes how to vote. In todays economical downfall this could be extremly dangerous if an employee feels that his paycheck/job could be in jeporady.
  • raves +2   [-] Mike replied to ralph
    Many years ago I was a rank and file member of the International Chemical Workers Union and they had a business manager come to one of our meetings and told us we "had" to vote democratic. I stood up and told the SOB that he could shove his leftist union up his ass without benefit of lubrication. I told him he had better leave or we were going to have a real problem. I didn't have to worry about the sargeant at arms because that was me. LOL He left and did not try that shit again. By the way, I voted GOP and have since then.
  • raves     [-] Patriotic American replied to Mike
    you aren't too bright. Are you mike?
  • raves +1   [-] aace replied to Patriotic American
    looks pretty damn bright to me..you must be one of t hose useless union slugs
  • raves     [-] Mike replied to aace
    Thanks, aace, I needed that. LOL
  • raves +4   [-] by TripMarz555

    Answered Employers have no right telling their employees how to vote.

    It reassures wal-mart employees that they are in fact working for an evil controlling menace that will stop at nothing to dominate their workers.

    I forsee this as a very big positive for the Obama campaign... since Obama is pro-union and McCain is not endorsed by any unions.
  • raves +4   [-] by DrTim

    Answered None of the above

    Typical right wing scare tactics!
    I've had it done to me by employers!
  • raves +1   [-] Mike replied to DrTim
    Ask 10 different labor unions who they endorse and I bet all 10 are democrats. They will strong arm their members to vote that way so don't think it is only right wing. That is just simplistic thinking.
  • raves +2   [-] Patriotic American replied to Mike
    no mike, labor unions endorse the candidates that will best represent the rank and file, not the executives and CEOs! You really aren't too bright!
  • raves +3   [-] by Saoirse~CHANGE HAS COME!

    Answered Employers have no right telling their employees how to vote.

    I do hope the employees are smart enough to realize that the company is only doing this to server their own self-interest and noit that of the employees. Any employee of Wal-Mart would be very unwise to vote for McCain....or any other Republican.
  • raves +1   [-] by concerned

    Answered None of the above

    neither can tell you how to vote because ...you go by yourself and vote ...no one has to be there to know ...so that is crazy anyway ....when you cast your vote ...who will know how you voted unless you tell them ....
  • raves +1   [-] pepsi replied to concerned
    concerned: I am concerned-----we gonna barack the vote!!!!!!!
  • raves +5   [-] by Brove

    Answered None of the above

    WalMart and Republicans are shameless. Republicans are the inventors of scare tactics.
  • raves +3   [-] by momrules316

    Answered Employers have no right telling their employees how to vote.

    I hope their employees do the opposite. I would if I worked there. There employees know they are being exploited.
  • raves +1   [-] by aace

    Answered None of the above

    Labor Unions have caused a lot of jobs to be outsourced...Im no supporter of unions..
  • raves +3   [-] Patriotic American replied to aace
    No aace, CORPORATE GREED has cause ALL outsourced jobs to be outsourced!
  • raves +1   [-] aace replied to Patriotic American
    no...the unions and their "demands"..labor unions are outdated now..no need for them
  • raves +1   [-] mary replied to aace
    I work at a hospital with no Union and its a great place to work. I have worked for union hospitals and they suck! The employes are lazy and dont do there job. They know they cant get fired. Unions were good for a time now that time is over.
  • raves +3   [-] Patriotic American replied to mary
    mary that is complete BS! Come spend a day in the UNIONIZED forging plant where I am a UNION electrician! I will show you people busting a hump working with 2200 degree hot steel, in filthy hot conditions in AUGUST! Just as bad in January! You have taken an anecdotal snap shot of your single experience and dissed a whole group of people! 93% of non-governmental workers are non-union, therefore 7% are unionized. Do the math, there are lazy people everywhere...who is protecting them in non-union workplaces? Would it be the boss where they have their head so far up his or her rear end that their ears pop every time the boss farts? As for your assertion that uinions are no longer needed, I would submit to you that the exact opposite is true! The decline of unions can be directly linked to the decline of the American standard of living! You work in the health industry? Then you have UNIONS to thank as NEGOTIATED HEALTH INSURANCE IS A CORNERSTONE OF MANY UNION CONTRACTS! I suggest you do a little reading on the subject or better yet..open your eyes! I'm sure you have lazy people where you work! I know that where I work lazy people are disciplined for "sub-standard" work!
  • raves +1   [-] mary replied to Patriotic American
    I know what kind of person you are. Liberal is all I have to say. person liberal
  • raves +1   [-] Patriotic American replied to mary
    I suspect mary's ears pop when the boss farts! suspect marys ears pop boss farts