[Radix]

Interesting.

Wal-Mart is going to save $$$ for Coke with this the way I see it.

A lot of union drivers are going to be upset about it. Coke probably doesn't want that headache.

[ritewingwarrior]

Actually by caving in , Coke is shafting their smaller franchises and bottlers from distribution rights. I have a friend that works as a driver. While Walmart is not in his territory, he would be upset if that was taken off of his route.

[Yo-Yo]

Drivers get paid by the case delivered. If the bottling plant ships directly to a Wal-Mart warehouse, bypassing the local distributer, the driver gets hurt.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

A lot of union drivers are going to be upset about it. Coke probably doesn't want that headache.

Wrong. The only people getting the shaft are the smaller stores that Coke delivery drivers stock up en route to delivering at Wal-Mart.

These drivers aren't union, by the way.

Coke should have stood its ground here and dared Wal-Mart to force them to switch to direct delivery.

[deport]

Wal-Mart is going to save $$$ for Coke with this the way I see it.

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Walmart looks at delivery/distribution as another cost cutting process. They will sometimes get the supplier to remove the shipping fees and have their Walmart trucks back up to the supplier's loading dock and take ownership there.