Wal-Mart Watch Responds to “Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win”

For Immediate Release
Friday, August 01, 2008

In response to today’s Wall Street Journal story, “Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win” regarding the company’s attempt to intimidate workers and discourage support of a labor-friendly administration, Wal-Mart Watch Executive Director David Nassar released the following statement:

“Today’s Wall Street Journal story demonstrates once again that Wal-Mart intimidates its workers. Whether it is locking them in the company’s stores, pressuring them to keep working even after they have clocked out, or giving them “instruction” about their vote, Wal-Mart has consistently exhibited unique examples of unethical behavior that often raise legal questions.

“We have been receiving the reports described in the Journal for the past week.  Some of the reports we received were even more egregious than what was described in today’s story.  In one case, a worker said they were shown a slide that said “Obama = union” and then were told why unions were bad.

“The stories cited in the Journal are consistent with the numerous stories we hear from employees across the nation every day about Wal-Mart’s intimidation tactics.  All of these tactics seem to be designed to keep workers from demanding better wages, decent benefits or fairer working conditions. Wal-Mart seems willing to do anything to maintain a status quo in which the company pays poorly, refuses to compensate workers for time worked, discriminates against workers and offers poor benefits.

“Wal-Mart wants its workers to believe it has their best interests at heart, but as workers told us this week when coming to us with these stories, they know better.  The current Wal-Mart culture is good for Wal-Mart executives, good for the Walton family, but very bad for Wal-Mart’s hourly employees.”

Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win [Wall Street Journal]