Walmart, Unions, Obama & Reality

How are employees protected under a bill that takes away their right to a secret ballot? Has the union movement progressed to the point where the union goons no longer use pressure tactics against dissenters? Unions have served their purpose and it is to their credit that we have legislation that protects workers from dangerous working conditions but today unions protect the rights of marginal workers.....

Wal-Mart denies that it told workers how to vote

Updated Fri. Aug. 1 2008 11:29 PM ET

The Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- 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 labour 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.

A report in The Wall Street Journal said the Bentonville, Ark.-based discounter -- which has rigorously resisted being unionized -- had held mandatory meetings with store managers and department supervisors in recent weeks to warn that if Democrats take power in November, they would likely push through the bill, which the company says would hurt workers.

Wal-Mart spokesman Dave Tovar told The Associated Press that the company did discuss the bill with its employees, including what it sees as the negative impact, and noted that the company's stand on the legislation is no secret.

"We believe the Employee Free Choice Act is a bad bill and we have been on the record as opposed to it," he said.

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