Free Republic

Articles - Publication Date 9.1.2003 Bye-Bye To 'Buy American'? --------------------------------------------------------Today's U.S. consumer marketplace is a melting pot of people, products and paychecks. Manufacturers need to ask: Does 'Made in America' matter to their customers anymore? By David Drickhamer Editor's Note: This is the fourth installment of a seven-part series that details the strategic and often gut-wrenching shifts taking place in manufacturing. It appears in the September 2003 issue of IndustryWeek. IW will introduce a new installment each month throughout the remainder of 2003. Wal-Mart's story is as all-American as they come. It grew from a regional chain in the 1960s...

Wal-Mart has long battled to keep unions out of its stores in the US. Now, the world's largest retailer has picked the same fight in China. The All-China Federation of Trade Unions, which oversees all workers' organisations in the country, says its efforts to establish unions in Wal-Mart outlets have been repeatedly rebuffed. The federation says all companies, foreign and local, are required to establish a union, using funds from a 2 per cent levy on wages. "Many times we have tried to talk to Wal-Mart about this, but they knock us back with excuses, like the boss is not...