Fla. Wal-Mart Workers Start to Organize

[deadparrot]

TAMPA, Fla. - 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.

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.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050930/ap_on_bi_ge/wal_mart_workers

[CatholicEdHead]

1. Countdown to store shutdown in 3...2...1....

[Selteri]

7. Of course, the stores are shutting down for 'poor sales' or something else

[ret5hd]

2. GET A UNION...

It's worth it! I promise!

[primavera]

13. No doubt they'd like to...

... but doesn't MalWart hold their employees' families hostage and kill them if the workers unionize?

[sandnsea]

3. Florida, the irony

They vote in a raise in minimum wage, and vote in the President who refuses to increase it nationally. Now they're complaining about losing their benefits, but keep voting in Republicans who don't give a shit about them having any benefits in the first place. I hope some Democrats down there are paying attention and start telling their constituents the truth.

[Gman]

4. They're as good as fired right now

Laid off, weren't doing their job, and any other reason BUT exercising their legal and God-given right to organize.

[shavedape]

5. first walmat, next THE WORLD!

freedom is on the march

[SoCalDem]

6. Those folks will be training their own replacements soon

Walmart will never allow any "organizing" to take hold.. They make their money from the toil of underpaid workers ...here and where the goods are made.

[Maddy McCall]

8. This is the first step. A full-fledged union is the next!

:yourock: Walmart proto-union folks!

[merwin]

9. This is how unions started in the first place

[madville]

10. Florida is a right-to-work state

Florida is a right-to-work state which means they can fire anybody at anytime without reason. The South is anti-union so I really feel sorry for these people because they aren't going to accomplish much except maybe finding new jobs.

[Synnical]

11. I, for one, salute their actions

I rarely walk into a Wal-Mart. In fact, only when I visit my mother, who shops there due to the low prices due I wander in - and I cannot convince her to stop shopping there even though financially, she's fine. I refuse to spend a dime there.

However, what I see is 60-70 year old "greeters" and really young or elderly cashiers, 70+ year old men who want to help carry-out purchases, and 30ish managers - who seem annoyed at cashiers who can't figure out the computer when it hits a glitch.

I see ageism and abuse of employees. Wal-Mart's policies of abuse of employees is well documented.

And, if all you feel is "sorry", well, I'm sorry for you.

Best regards,
Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[struggle4progress]

12. kick

[Bozita]

14. Remember what happened to meatcutters at a Texas Walmart?

They voted for a union and won the election.

Walmart countered by eliminating their jobs.

All meats were cut and packaged elsewhere.