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The Wichita-Hutchinson Labor
Federation of Central Kansas
reports on a rather embarrassing episode in which Wal-Mart's
anti-union animus recently overcame their better sense:
"Public Outrage
Forces Walmart to Allow
Workers to Wear American Flag Stickers
Walmart Refuses to
Apologize to Workers
No Manager Disciplined
or Reprimanded
Walmart Senior VP Insults
Workers by Calling It 'Confusion'
Las Vegas -- Employees at
the Sam's Club in Las Vegas, Nevada are
claiming victory after Wal-Mart reversed a store policy banning
American flag stickers on name badges.
The company had ordered
employees to remove the stickers which were
provided to the workers by the United Food & Commercial Workers
Union.
A massive internet email
based campaign was launched on September
17 after Sam's Club store #6382 managers began forcing all of its
employees to remove small American flag stickers that were passed
out by a Union to whomever wanted one.
"I was outraged to
learn that Wal-Mart employees working at store
#6382 were forced to remove flags from their name badges!" said one
email letter to Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott from Andrea Goldberger in
Albany, NY. "Although your company markets itself as good for
America, I wonder where your allegiance truly lies."
The email campaign resulted
in massive amounts of emails being sent
to both H. Lee Scott CEO of Wal-Mart and the store manager Greg
Roberts from customers nationwide. Some of the letters are
displayed on the workers website located at
www.walmartworkerslv.com
The incident affected not
only the workers but also military
veterans and active duty personnel. "Please support me in my hour
of need by letting me come home to a country that is proud of me,"
said James M.P.Hansen, a U.S. Navy Petty Officer serving overseas
in his email to the Wal-Mart CEO "Just please sir, let me come home
to a proud country."
Jay Allen, Senior Vice
President of Wal-Mart corporate affairs
issued a statement today stating "In light of the terrible tragedy
that recently struck our country, we have communicated to our
associates that as long as their names are visible; they may wear
American Flags anywhere, including their badges, to display their
patriotism."
Any of the employees of the
store affected, and no managers at the
location have been disciplined.
This is the third victory
for the employees at the Sam's Club.
Previously they forced the company to reverse a policy that made
them unable to wear any pins besides company provided ones. Workers
in the store recently filed for a Government election for union
representation.
AP reports on a strike at
the East Texas Campbell Soup plant:
"Striking Campbell Soup
Co. workers picketed outside the company's
East Texas plant Friday after rejecting an offer they said would
have reduced their buying power.
A consultant for the United
Food and Commercial Workers Local 540
estimated that at least 85 percent of the union's 700 members
joined the strike, which began Thursday night.
At a delivery point, some
union truckers making deliveries turned
their rigs around after they saw the picket line. But some workers
reported to their jobs Friday.
The Paris plant has about
1,200 employees, including management,
temporary and part-time workers.
Officials with Camden,
N.J.-based Campbell say they don't expect
the strike to hurt production. Even if the Paris operation slows,
plants in other states can step up production to meet the
shortfall, said spokeswoman Elizabeth Douglass.
Campbell officials said the
offer rejected by workers this week was
fair and the only one the company will make. Workers said they
hoped the strike would force the company to make a new proposal.
"They're losing money
every day," union member Jason Johnson told
>the Paris News. "They're not going to be able to run anything."
The company proposed a
41/2-year contract that called for higher
insurance premiums and a pension plan based on interest rates
rather than wages and years of service. It also included a one-time
$1,500 lump-sum payment instead of a percentage raise, which union
members said was unacceptable.
Union officials said 96
percent of the workers voted against the
proposal. They said the offer wouldn't let workers' paychecks keep
up with inflation and would weaken the pension plan. The union's
last contract expired at the end of August.
The last strike at the plant
lasted a month in 1968.
Campbell still controls more
than 70 percent of the $3.1 billion
soup industry but faces tougher competition from other brands and
more-convenient foods.
Last month, Campbell
reported a 12 percent drop in earnings for the
quarter ended July 29 and said its earnings in the following three
months would also fall short of expectations. The company blamed
higher costs, changes in global manufacturing plants and interest
costs from buying a dry soup and sauce businesses in Europe.
In afternoon trading Friday,
Campbell shares rose 14 cents to
$27.71."
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