Posted on 02/15/2005 10:19:32 PM PST by quidnunc
Last week, Wal-Mart's Canadian division said it would close its first unionized store in North America, making Quebec the latest battleground in the retailer's struggle against unions.
Wal-Mart's decision triggered vicious rebukes from leftist Canadian politicians. David Christopherson, a Canadian Member of Parliament, even called Wal-Mart's decision to close the store "economic terrorism."
It is difficult to understand how workers are exercising their free choice by banding together to negotiate with their employer, but Wal-Mart is the corporate equivalent of Bin Laden because it is choosing not to stay in business under the union's terms.
Putting that aside, there is a greater irony here. The United Food and Commercial Workers union has spent years blasting Wal-Mart for violating human rights, putting local stores out of business, exploiting workers and being an all around evil corporate citizen. The union has a large presence in Canada, but it is based in Washington, D.C. and has campaigned to unionize Wal-Mart in both countries.
"Quite simply the benefits of having a Wal-Mart in your neighborhood are outweighed by the cost in store closures, lost jobs and other adverse effects Wal-Mart has on a community," the union's Website reads.
Based on these statements, one would expect the union to be celebrating the closing of a Wal-Mart in the parking lot like a conquering army. The union has liberated one town from the clutches of the Wal-Mart empire. It should be declared VWM day!
But the union is singing a different tune.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
I certainly hope all the Wal-Mart employees in the U.S. pay attention to this. This is a lesson in not unionizing their store or they will find themselves out of a job and then what will the union do for them.
having read 20 responses here, it'd be interesting if anyone every took an economics class, or has ever run a business.
I run my business where I want to run my business. If no one likes that attitude, too freakin' bad. Too many bleeding hearts haven't a clue of even how to spell capitalism.
Huh? What do you do? Are you a school teacher?
I work for myself doing custom applications development, system admin related work and I also sell things on ebay.
Why do you ask? *Do a FR search for FIAT first*
Amen to that. Those kids get fed, my kids get junk they don't need.
I can afford the junk my kids don't need. That other kids get fed from that seems like a donation to the hungry children to me.
Btw, if you don't like Wal Mart, don't shop there, right? Go pay higher prices and feel good about it.
What is it about economics that people don't understand???
People have a right to unionize to bargain for better wages and benefits.
And Walmart has a right to shut down their stores.
I hope the unions are successful.
The poor souls that work for Walmart deserve better.
And if Walmart wants to shut down all their stores, so be it.
The poor souls will find other work, probably for better pay.
Denny Crane: "There are two places to find the truth. First God and then Fox News."
A FIAT is an under powered dopey Italian car that no intelligent American would ever buy. LOL.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1342357/posts
GM just paid 1.99 Billion to get out of buying them.
The union won. Those employees are now free to work 40 hours for someone else. Or open their own mom and pop store and give themselves huge wage and benefit packages. It's win-win.
Do you have any idea how many hours Wal-Mart considers "full time" employment?
Because I pay considerably less than you do, for the same items, stretching my dollars further.
The unions have been successful in Detroit and Flint for years, and just look ant the wonderful jop thay have done there! Unemployment is way down (NOT!) The unions have done a wonderful job of shutting down the auto plants and have made Toyota, Nissan, Honda ect very sucessful in this country. Unions have outlived their usefulness by 30 years....
If Wal-Mart could ever solve their parking problem, their sales would double. A lot of time I shop at Target instead of Wal-Mart just because I don't want to fight the traffic in the Wal-Mart parking lot.
I can't say that I love Walmart or am happy having to buy and support communist China just that right now it is our best option but not for long, we will be retiring and moving home where we will still have to travel great distances but will also have many other stores to chose from.
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