One of the strategies in trying to topple the Beast of Bentonville is setting up a non-union workers association as the first outreach vehicle to Wal-Mart workers; not a single Wal-Mart store in unionized. Today’s USA Today carries an AP story on the first big effort in central Florida (a bit of it is below).
So, here’s the question of the day: not a new strategy but one worth discussing in light of the Wal-Mart story is whether starting the path to unionization can begin with something that is something short of a union organizing committee focused on the traditional drive for a union election.
Personally, I think we have to try a whole lot of different ways to reach out to people. But, where do you draw the line–if there is a line to be drawn–that distinguishes an organization building power aimed at defending workers’ rights versus a run-of-the-mill association?
Wal-Mart workers organize without union
TAMPA (AP) — It’s not a union, but some Wal-Mart workers say it might be the next best thing. Searching for a voice in their work lives, employees of some central Florida Wal-Mart stores have formed a workers group to collectively air complaints about what they claim is shoddy treatment by the retail giant.
Claire Middleton, 70, left, and Rveva Barrett, 61, are members of the new Wal-mart worker’s group in Florida.
About 250 employees and former employees from 40 central Florida stores have joined the fledgling Wal-Mart Workers Association, spurred by what they say is a reduction of hours and schedule changes recently that may jeopardize health care benefits for some. Organizers say the word-of-mouth campaign is attracting 15 to 20 new members every week.
The members say they hope their efforts will persuade the company to listen to its people and make some changes.
“Management seems like they don’t really respect the associates,” said Carl Jones, acting chairman of the new group, who makes $9.40 an hour as the lead cart-pusher at a store outside Orlando. “We don’t have a voice. We don’t have any rights at all.”
