News

The United States federal agency for labour law enforcement ,the National Labor Relations Board, is to charge Walmart with threatening and punishing workers who planned to go on strike last year. 

The NLRB found evidence that Walmart workers had been “unlawfully threatened” for their part in walkouts surrounding last year’s Black Friday strike action. They were alleged to have intimidated, surveilled or disciplined workers in 14 different states, constituting a violation of U.S. labour law. The NLRB also stated that news broadcasts by Walmart spokesperson David Tovar contained illegal threats to striking workers.

Head of UNI Global Union Commerce, Alke Boessiger said “NLRB is right to take this action against Walmart. These allegations are extremely serious and point to a culture of intimidation which is disgraceful.

Walmart must change its behaviour and start to act responsibly by providing their employees with fair wages in a work environment free from fear. Their profits have been built on the backs of the workers and they should treat them with respect and dignity."

An estimated 400 workers took part in the Black Friday strikes, designed to bring attention to Walmart's history of worker mistreatment, including below federal poverty level wages, intimidation and poor health and safety standards.

An image from a store in Canton, Ohio provided a further illustration of Walmart’s poor treatment of workers, with a sign encouraging people to “donate food items so that Associates in need can enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner”. The company maintains that this food drive is evidence that employees look out for one another, rather than yet another indication that Walmart are systematically underpaying and undervaluing their employees.

The accusations of the NLRB come after the largest civil disobedience in Walmart history in September 2013 when striking workers called for better working conditions and better pay. After Walmart ignored a Labour Day ultimatum, thousands of workers followed through on their promise to intensify actions on a national level on 5 September.  The rallies involved the largest number of participants of any Walmart mobilization since the November 23 strike in 2012 and led to arrests across the country.

The UNI Walmart Global Union Alliance is holding a week of action this week all around the world to demand Walmart changes its anti-worker practices.

Link to full Huffington Post and New York Times articles:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/18/walmart-nlrb_n_4298387.html?utm...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/business/labor-panel-finds-illegal-pun...