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Subscribe to RSSWal-Mart's chief marketing officer Duncan Mac Naughton tells TODAY's Savannah Guthrie that the retail company is "confident" that customers will not be affected by employees strikes.
Wal-Mart worker protests and walk-offs planned for Thursday night and Black Friday had the retailer taking them seriously enough to send a top executive to the TODAY show this morning to downplay the story.
Widespread picketing was not expected, Duncan Mac Naughton, Wal-Mart's chief merchandising and marketing officer, told TODAY's Savannah Guthrie. "We'll have 4,000 stores ready to go," said Naughton, staffed by "one million associates serving our customer."
The group behind the protest actions, OUR Walmart, told TODAY they are striking to protest what they say is manager retaliation against any employees who complain about working conditions.
"We have a really open culture of listening to our associates, it's based on integrity, respect for the individual," Mac Naughton told TODAY.
An OUR Walmart organizer, William Fletcher, 23, disputed this, telling TODAY that Walmart's "open door policy" where any associate can speak to a manager to bring up issues was instead used to "find out who's complaining so they can silence them with indirect threats. "They're very good at doing that while still staying within the law."
Wal-Mart said they were "really confident" that Black Friday will go off without a hitch. "What you're seeing in the media and in the news is a small group of Wal-Mart associates in a select number of stores," said Mac Naughton, "complimented by a number of of non-Wal-Mart associates that are paid by the union."
Still, the matter is large enough for Wal-Mart to have filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), arguing that the protests were an unlawful attempt to disrupt its business. The complaint alleged that the group running the protests, the Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart), was backed by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), and was more about building union membership than fighting for worker rights.
The UCFW filed its own complaint that day, alleging that Walmart had directed store managers to make workers fearful for their jobs if they participated in the actions.
The legal maneuvers may be too late to prevent the strikes from disrupting one of the biggest shopping days of the year for Wal-Mart. In a statement released Tuesday, the NLRB said that it was unlikely to come to a decision before Friday.
With stores opening at 8 p.m. on Thursday and walk-offs planned throughout the shopping event, consumer chaos is a threat, depending on how many workers end up participating.
"Workers will be walking off the job left and right over Thanksgiving," UCFW Janna Pea spokesperson told TODAY.
Pea couldn't give an estimate of how many walkoffs there would be, but said that there would be protest actions at over 1,000 Wal-Mart stores, ranging from employees not showing up for work, to workers walking off in the middle of their shift, to community allies passing out brochures outside the stores.
Protests are planned at Wal-Mart stores around the country as thousands of retail employees push back against early Black Friday hours and low wages. NBC's Mark Potter reports.
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I'd like to see the Walton family, the Board of Directors and Wal-Mart's biggest shareholders go to work on Thursday.
SHAME ON YOU ALL. And shame on those who think they're saving money. You're helping "our economy" by shopping for things "made in China."
This country .................
I hope they ALL walk off right as the stores fill with customers. AND that they don't return until after the thanksgiving weekend. THAT will finally send WALMART a strong enough message that their workers are no longer going to tolerate being abused by their policies anymore!
WALMART is probably the most EVIL company that has ever existed when it come to the way they treat their employees and the general public.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE LITERATURE IN THE BREAK ROOMS ABOUT HOW TO GET ON WELFARE!!!!
We as taxpayers are subsidizing their profits by allowing them to pay their workers such dismal pay and no health benefits. This equates to CORPORATE WELFARE!!
Wake up people! When are we as taxpayers going to stop subsidizing WALMART!
Instead of whining and complaining, these people should be thankful that they have jobs. Far too many people in this country are facing the holidays with no paycheck. Walmart is doing his because other retailers are doing the same. As a business they do not want to lose the customers who will be out shopping Thursday night to their competitors. I can not blame them for that. Any worker who walks off their job or fails to show up to work should be fired. There are plenty of unemployed people out there who would be more than willing to take their jobs, even if it does mean working on a holiday. When you have been out of work for a while, any paycheck is better than no paycheck at all. This whole thing is a union instigated action that is being driven by the union's inability to organize Walmart employees. OUR Walmart is not the independent organization they try and sell themselves as, they are organized and funded by the UCFW and this amount to an illegal interference in a businesses operations by the union. While it sounds like the NLRB will not rule in time to stop this action, I hope that the union gets hit with a huge fine afterwards to penalize them for their illegal actions. The union is doing this because they want to organize the workers at Walmart so that they can collect all of those dues. So far, they have been unable to get the certification vote by enough of the employees to make that happen so they are pissed off at Walmart.
If anyone doubts that this is being driven by the union, read the articles about what is going on at Best Buy. There employees are participating in extra strategy sessions to get ready for black Friday and deal with the expected rush of customers. They are actually working to help make the event a big success for the company because they know that their jobs depend on the company doing well, keeping stores open, and staying in business. They are not whining about working Thanksgiving night, they are putting extra effort into preparing for it.
The loca lstores and gas stations are open in my town. Its a big day for retailers.
Wal-Mart workers are striking on Black Friday?! This is great news! The more disruptions to that place on Black Friday the better.
Yes, I would like to support the US when I buy my new flat screen LCD TV this Christmas. Can you please direct me to a US made TV so I can show my support? Cost is not an option.
Wal-Mart said they were "really confident" that Black Friday will go off without a hitch.
Without a hitch meaning only a few people will be trampled to death by obese Middle-American slobs that are deal crazed for tasteless Chines crap. — I'd call that just another day in the good ol' USA...
@JS in SD - I understand what you're saying but until you've actually worked at walmart and understood just how terrible they treat their own employees then you can't really say anything. I don't blame these people for going on strike. That sucks for the customers but there are other places to shop
Shame on Soros. Shame on MoveOn. Shame on Unions.
If you don't like capitalism, move to EUROPE. I as so sure the U.K. would like to have you as a citizen.
@thegrammerpolice Zenith?
I don't like this company and don't shop at this company. They make it seem like you can't survive without them and they are here to help your family! What a load of BS!
Why does everyone use a hyphen in the name Walmart? ust curious...
It is obvious to those of us that have the time and money and inclination to sit around posting anonymously on websites... it is obvious to us from the tone of these posts that the Walmart employees haven't the same time, money or inclination.
Our yakity-yaking is cheap. Unlike us, those employees are striving to improve their lot in life with action.
Bully for them.
@js in sd. So we shoud continue our race to the bottom, Or third world status cause that is where wal-mart would like us to be
I want my mommy home with me on Thanks Giving Day! You can shop on Friday.
Why would any real American shop at Walmart ? It is nothing but a Communist supporting sweatshop.
js in sd says
Indeed, there are lots of unemployed people ... people unemployed by Walmart's unrelenting drive to insure that nothing sold in Walmart will ever be made in America.
I'm gratified to see Walmart standing their ground. As for the employees that don't want to work whatever hours they're required, quit and find another job that will cater to your availability. See how that works for you.
I also see posts complaining that Walmart is profit driven. You bet they are because if they weren't, how long does anyone think they would be in business?
Sheeple, sheeple, sheeple! Please, don't let yourselves be herded.
A retailer's dream: Counting profits before they are earned because customers buy what they're told at the price you set on the day and time you specify.
Oh, wait. It's not a dream. Walfart is there.
Don't know about y'all, but Walfart doesn't seem like a warm, cozy shepherd to me...
Shut them down...why? because of all the crap made in china and you don't need it anyway...If you do shop, please do not charge it..
I'm going to Walmart Thursday night..not to buy..just to see the action that will happen..bringing my best camera to take pictures in case police think they can do what they want with Walmart employees.
Just warning anyone..if they don't cause a riot..leave them alone..its AMERICA! Walmart doesn't own the entrance road to their parking lots..its a public road.
Wally world,
just another reason why i don't shop at your store. I hate to see the way you treat your workers. I guess it also started with the early promises of buy American at Wal-Mart which has turned into buy everything Chinese at Wal-Mart. ( Or from the cheapest place possible!) Greed , Greed and more Greed at Wal-Mart!
Ido, During the election you were telling people that they should move out and now again you do it so well comes more move it if you don't like Wal-Marts capitalism. Well, I don't say "move out", but "shut up" and get a new right wing extremist voice that doesn't sound so shallow and repetitive over and over again!
JS-
I usually agree with the things you post, but I'm afraid I cannot this time, I always thought Walmart was evil and then I watched "Walmart: The high cost of low price" (I found it on netflix and highly recommend everyone watch it) The way the employees (not to mention the people in china and bangladesh who make their crap) are treated is appalling! I was literally in tears by the end of the program.
I've shopped at Walmart exactly 3 times in my life, it will never happen again even if I have to drive 70 miles to buy something.
I hope the employees DO walk out, they'd be better off.
Why do you pesky American 99% keep asking for fair pay and benefits? Just do as they tell you and you will go to heaven!
Grammar Police there is a company called element that started production this yr on big screen tvs. Made right here in America.
clwyd-2621393....."Well, I don't say "move out", but "shut up" and get a new
right wing extremistvoice that doesn't sound so shallow and repetitive over and over again!"Nice post which should be re-directed to the Progressive gang. Such EXTREME comments.
So......a UNION rally against the 97% Walmart employees and not against the MoveOn suporters of Wall Street "Fat Cats". Figures.
Vizio Is made in U.S.A., But I think that's the only u.s.made one left. :(
It should be unlawful for this union to pay a nonunion Wal Mart worker to participate.
This comes on the heels of Twinkie's forced to close their business due to unions who couldn't care less about employee's. The "front" they always use is for better working conditions when in fact, IT IS TO LINE THEIR OWN POCKETS.
They have wasted no time, since they got Obama reelected, and he will do nothing to stop their actions to unionize any company that is vulnerable like Wal Mart.
Another cancer on America.
That's B.S. and you know it! The union workers at Hostess took a pay cut the last bankruptcy the management drove the company to. The management was supposed to take a cut too, but that never happened and their take went way up!
Bad management drove Hostess out of business. The market is still there and they have several offers on the table.
It is laughable that you somehow tie this to the president! Hostess didn't go out of business because Obama is president and walmart workers aren't striking because Obama is president. Unions do not have support because Obama is president.
Sammy Sezso
Obama is directly responsible for the Union activity because they voted for him and are now expecting his support for their actions.
There will be consequences for electing a failed president and this is only the beginning. Get prepared.
So, those people at Walmart want a raise? Why? I had two bad experiences with Walmart employees today where they both didn't know what the hell was going on. I say give them a pay decrease until they become competent. Most there are dumber than a bucket of crap. They certainly don't deserve $13 per hour.
Those disgruntled employees are the exception, not the rule. I've known several Walmart employees, with the exception of just a couple, the vast majority were chomping at the bits to go to work. Most enjoyed working there, and in a couple cases were disappointed when they had to retire. They all knew what they were getting into, when they walked thru those doors, hat in hand, asking if they could have a job there. It depends on what you want to do, nobody is putting a gun to your head and forcing you. If you want to work there, go to work, and do what earns the company it's income, if not, just quit. If you don't want to shop in that business, don't, nobody is forcing you to spend your money there. If you do want to shop there, then go shop there, I doubt they would turn your business down. Nothing difficult, no rocket science involved.
That's the dumbest comment on this thread! How do you know that the boards of directors at Hostess didn't vote for Obama too? ...and even though the union managers back the democrats, that doesn't mean that every member of that union is voting democrat!
Corporate greed and bad management is responsible for the fall of the Hostess corporation. Corporate greed is the reason that walmart employees are not getting paid a living wage.
The demise of Hostess is described very well in the comment #12.5 , I'll copy it to here so you can see it:
gramapoetmn-4177227 Hits the nail directly on the head with that comment!
Forbes also ran a story on this that can be read at:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2012/11/18/hostess-twinkie-defense-is-a-management-failure/
...and another story about it here:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/11/21/why-hostess-had-to-die/
...Bad management!
Ironically, what happened to Hostess is exactly how Romney's Bain Capital made all of their money. Take obscene profits and run the company into the ground, then declare bancruptcy and get labor and costs dropped, leverage and borrow against anything and everything they can and get as much money out of the company as possible again, then go out of business, blame the workers, take all the money and run!
YES! We learned that with BUSH!
These are PRIVATE corporate matters though, the president has nothing to do with how they run walmart or hostess.
"There will be consequences for electing a failed president and this is only the beginning. Get prepared."
If the consequences are more people getting a living wage, basic rights and healthcare, I'm fully prepared! Bring it on!
Sounds like a publican....
Moms don't you know that the HATERS are the true innovators for why the Prez will stay on top????
Apparently this lesson wasn't learned in the last election.
That old school mentality ran like heck when the real began to come with the truth.
You may want to catch up because it sure is leaving you in the dust.
I always tell those who misconstrue reality to close their eyes so they can see or else they are going to need some glasses like DMC.
Without the Rose Colors....
That is....
PLAYA.....
On a more serious note.
I've been saying all along that this country needs a new model for corporations and businesses in this country.
Too often one company or a few large companies make all of the money in a single industry.
A new measure needs to be implemented to place a ceiling on how large business can grow before they have to do like AT & T did back in the day.
The corporations of today are beginning to take all of the profits from small companies as well as moms and pops shops throughout America.
So much so that the small companies can't even stay in business.
Let me provide you guys with some some solutions to helping the American people get back on their feet.
1. After an organization hits the ceiling in its industry as far as growth, force them to outsource a great deal of the business to small business owners.
Note: There should be no reason in the world why Wal Mart or Apple should not be providing opportunities to Americans to share in their wealth.
2. Create a new profession where analysts look at various organizations for opportunities to provide businesses to those who can take advantage of options that will allow for them to align with these large organizations to generate income and create a business from these organizations.
3. The government should force the inclusion of policies and procedures that help America benefit from these organizations unlike what APPLE is currently doing.
PLAYA.....
Do we need to give up a holiday for more cheap made in China Junk that does nothing for the US worker or the economy to help Walmarts bottom line...I'm boycott any retailer that opens on Thanksgiving this year.
I agree. When Sam Walton was alive and running the show walmart was closed on Thanksgiving, his reason being that it was the last holiday before Christmas and the family should be together, now walmart is run totally on greed as well as many other businesses.
its such a shame that they changed SUPER FRIDAY name to black friday. its so sad its like death and mourning. black makes me feel sad and blue. i feel so unhappy and depressed because black makes me think of unhappy things.
"Manager retaliation against any employees who complain about working conditions." Your kidding me right? 20 years ago a forklift driver made 12 dollars an hour with full benifits...Today..lucky to get nine..forget about benifits.
@texastornado
As a retail employee working at a large electronic chain my coworkers and I actually flip a coin to decide who will open the door....sad, but it's actually become deadly to open a damn door once a year.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to be at work in 6 hours....hopefully it won't be my last voyage into that store. :)
IF I were Target and Walmart, just schedule those who are suppose to work, if they don't show up, their terminated. This protest is union driven, otherwise why aren't other retailers facing the same problem and they plan on opening at midnight on Friday. I'm thinking of all the Americans that will be working on Thanksgiving, our military, police, fire, emergency crews, hotel workers, restaurants, cab drivers, theme parks, air traffic controllers, airport workers, pilots, flight attendants, ground crews. If you look at the employees that Walmart and Target hire, you will see why many work there and why they can be easily influenced.
Probably because other companies treat their workers fairly. Probably because other companies don't expect the US taxpayer to subsidize their profits.
Hate on the union all you want. They were the ones that got you 40 hour work weeks and weekends off. If you don't like them so much, why don't you volunteer to work for slave wages and 16 hour days 7 days a week?
Funny you should list those jobs as people you are sympathetic to, considering almost all of them are union jobs. It's a little easier to give up your holiday knowing that you get good pay and benefits, rather than getting minimum wage and no benefits.
You are incorrect Christian. The first company to institute 40 hour work weeks with weekends off was Ford Motor Company when it first opened. A NON union shop at the time! Look it up.
Popo, why you gotta team up with the evil corporation? You're on the wrong side of the battle my friend.
darryl - that is not true. warehouse unions during the industrial revolution created the child labor laws and 40 hour work week. there wasn't a ford motors at all when it was established.
Military, fire, police, hospitals and a few others are all necessary. Being able to buy cheaply made stuff from China while supporting a communist regime is not.
Real Americans don't support communist countries.
dirp stuff made in sweatshops in foreign communist countries. they are brought to america. and if you need these commidities you cant help where they came from. only the government can change that.
what a pessimistic attitude texas! if you don't like something, make arrangements to buy an alternative product that IS made in america. it's not that hard to do. shop around on the internet before you go to the mall and you'll find better alternatives than essentially writing china a check out of the us' bank account.
Mind - Please let me know where I can get some reliable Made in America electronics, with no parts or components made in another country.
mixedpie - what kind of electronics are you looking for?
Most (not all) electronics are by American owned companies..they are engineered and designed by American owned companies...most (not all) parts are made by American owned companies..they also are engineered and designed by American owned companies.
But most electronics are not assemble in the USA! Same as some vehicles.
You don't need a brain to assemble somethings..so the labor rates are cheaper in other countries.
Foxconn in China is not just a factory that assembles electronics galore..its a city within a city..employees live there ( hundreds of thousands of them) each has a job with just one part to assemble..then down the line it goes to next part assembler.
That at a low labor rate will never happen in the USA ( as of now).
Think of that fruit..APPLE!
You feel the employees are people who are substandard in some way. You are saying that. Is that because you are superior or better? That is what you just said. You are a nice person or a mean person. Since you could not have talked to the thousand of people working at Wallys ....it makes no sense for you to decide about these people. Yet you have anyway.
The only Walmart's that have unions are the ones overseas in Germany and such.
@Mike - You can make that excuse about anything, but that's still not Made in America. There are still tons of manufacturing jobs (skilled or no) that Americans aren't getting.
Again, show me an electronic that is made entirely in America.
Ford also made sure that he paid his workers not only a living wage, but enough for every employee to buy a brand new Ford!
walmart pays it workers just enough to allow them to buy food with their food stamps!
Any Wally World worker that walks of the job should be fired. Any protester that blocks access to a customer entering a store should be arrested.
Anybody that shops on Black Friday must be a sadomasochist.
Have fun dealing with the long lines at Walmart this Thanksgiving!
Walmart has 4500 stores in the U.S. 1000 of which are participating in the protest.
Nearly 25 percent of their stores. Don't be one of those people who shops on Thanksgiving. In fact, try not to shop there at all. Save your money for small business Saturday.
yep! i'd rather my money went to local business owners than chinese warehouses who mistreat their employees.
yes mitt romney has a small appliance store in shanghi china employing 20,000 workers. with barbed wire fences 3 girls to a dorm i bathroom for 30 people. no air conditioning in workplace or dorm.and you wanted to elect this male chauvinist pico commie p$^%g for president of the united states.$2.00 dollars a day 16 hours a day. no day off.
Nice ad for Walmart, Savannah. Where's the representative from the other side of the issue?
There is no other side to the issue. You either support the USA or you shop at Walmart and support the communist government is China.
how's this for the other side: walmart is willing to take any shortcut they can in their business model to make sure they get a profit. this includes shipping manufacturing jobs overseas, paying their american workers low wages and denying them of benefits. what other side of the story are we missing?
Eveything electronic is Made in China....try buying a TV, Computer, etc Clothes are made in China, along with just about every other asain country. We are NOT communist for buying the items we need BUT our "leaders" sure are....because they can change that if they wish!
Wal-Mart said they were "really confident" that Black Friday will go off without a hitch. "What you're seeing in the media and in the news is a small group of Wal-Mart associates in a select number of stores,"
If Walmart has 4,000 stores and there are going to be disruptions at 1,000 that means there will be disruption at one quarter of it's stores. How does Mr Mac Naughton equate one quarter of it's stores to "select number of stores"?
Perhaps he needs a math course!
Nothing like turning "Black Friday" into "Greedy Thursday"......I wonder if WalMart is planning on paying double for Holiday??? I didn't think so!
....working on Thanksgiving or being forced by your union to protest on Thanksgiving.....what's the difference, none of you are home with your family....
a union can't force people to protest lol
Walmart can'dt force people to work.
I'll be working Friday, but I wouldn't shop on "Black Friday" anyway. On the other hand, if it is your choice to work retail, you know you are going to have to work "Black Friday".
Obama is succeeding with his plans to increase the amount of UNEMPLOYED by creating even MORE entitlement-minded drones..............
Go to work for yourself, be your own boss & feel what REAL pressure can be like.....
The pressure to write off useless vehicles & expences as "business costs". How can that be stressful? You as well as Wal mart had better un-fudge yourselves before the customers take a dump down both of your throats!
Steve-44603. So you work for yourself and are your own boss. That's great and I commend you. If you have no employees and make all that great money yourself by all means keep it all. If you have employees the picture changes. Without your employees you are nothing. Your employees earn you your big bucks. Business owners long ago forgot about this and got greedy. Employees are starting to realize who actual earns the money for the business owner. You didn't build it, your employees did. All employees deserve a living wage with health and retirement benefits. With the advent of social media it is getting much easier to organize workers without the evils of a union. That and the instant bad publicity a company can receive. It was reported tonight that Papa John's Pizza and Dennys have changed their minds on the affordable health care act due to the negative publicity. Maybe Walmart will be next.
Willis -
Yes, that is all business owners do. They don't have to worry about anything else. BTW you spell it this way... Expenses. I won't even bother with the rest of your dumb*** comment!
If you work retail, it goes with the territory. Work in a restaurant or as a nurse, chances are you have to work weekends and holidays, etc.
It's as simple as this: If you support the workers, don't shop there on Thanksgiving or ever. If the stores don't do any business on Thanksgiving, they won't open the stores next year.
JohnKaye, you have no idea of the real world, low skilled workers will get low pay. You are no different than the trailer trash tea party think you can shove your agenda down every ones throat. Trash both of you. Employers take care of employees only if they are valuable to them and they can't be replaced. Keep your skills current and be educated you are ok, if you don't forget it. As far as "you didn't build it alone", I agree it was my taxes that pay for infrastructure, schools etc. Losers like you John Kaye, you don't build anything just one more parasite. Oh, I have voted for Obama twice because I don't like the christian taliban and the tea party/Klan the only way the democrats can screw up is hook up with the unions, public employees, teachers etc. and losers like you
Organized labor has been slowly destroying this country for over 50 years. If they strike, can them.
Hate on the union all you want. They were the ones that got you 40 hour work weeks and weekends off. If you don't like them so much, why don't you volunteer to work for slave wages and 16 hour days 7 days a week?
Truth is, it's people like you that have been destroying our country. Go get a job at WALMART and then tell me all about the evils of organized labor. You fricken tool!
I cannot agree. You are picking on the wrong bunch. Did you miss the housing issues with Wall Street and the Banks doing what ever they want to us all? Did you completely blow-by 'The Ponzi schemers.' Unions are now a tiny segment of the USA workforce. A few grains of sand on an immense waterfront...practically an after-thought these days. How could you possibly say they are are ruining the country? You must know why you have this 'strange opinion.'... because only you have your own biases...like the rest of us. You are VERY correct that some entities are ruining the USA's workforce landscape. It's not Bush, Romney, or Obama...It is not the little tiny Unions...the smallest minority workforce in our USA. We can do better than that! Some one else is pulling the wool over OUR eyes. Perhaps it is too much for us to understand how this works...or it takes too much time and research...or the News Media can't get close enough to weed it out and deliver it to us.
Christian,
Unfortunately, Personal responsibility is correct. Those days are gone. The unions served a purpose in the 1930's and 40's. That was over 80 years ago. There are no more sweatshops. Laws have been put into effect to prohibit that.
Unfortunately, the unions have gone so far the other way, it is forcing companies to shut down! Look at Hostess. There were other factors that contributed, but 18,000 out of work. Very sad.
I for one will not get a job at Walmart because I have an education and am able to find better work. The employees at Walmart get paid minimum wage, as per the hourly wage set forth by the government. They are free to find another job and leave if they are not happy.
Calling people "fricken tools" only shows doesn't get your point across any better and only shows your ignorance.
and what have they done for me today not 100 years ago, destroyed public education, broke city, county and state govt. what the unions used to protect we now have laws and lawyers. come into the 21st centruy
I think some of you should really read up on what went on at Hostess before the latest layoff or firing.
They were in bankruptcy in 2008. They got their unions to agree to a cut in pay, loaning the company 3% of their pension funds to keep the company going. At that time, the company was $450,000,000 in debt.
They subquently stopped paying pensions, increased their debt to $900,000,000, and asked the unions not only to take another 20% cut in pay, but in addition to pick up another $79 of their insurance premiums and give up their pensions totally. This would have reduced their pay to $179/week. The management then gave themselves massive bonuses just before filing bankruptcy again, to the tune of millions of dollars.
Any idea that the small bakers union that denied the demands is the cause of Hostess' financial problems is ludicrous. Those who try to spread the untruths are just trying to get the greedy and criminally mismanaging executives off the hook so they can damn the union.
Pretty sad.
gramapoetmn-4177227
Thank you for spreading the TRUTH!
It is like a breath of fresh air to see people like you that actually know the truth about what happened to Hostess and aren't afraid to share it.
I agree with your comment 100% and couldn't have said it any better myself!
Let them strike if they want. Their jobs can be replaced. The problem isn't Walmart but rather Societal Greed!!! Walmart wouldn't open if the business wasn't there. I'm not in favor of it, but business is business. If people are against it, boycott the store. That is the only way a change is going to be made. In this economic time, working in retail nonetheless, these workers should be grateful they have a job. When you work retail, everyone knows of the holiday season and increased work requirements. Like i said, Walmart is only competing against other retailers who are opening earlier. Blame social greed of needing the newest and greatest. People and society need to recognize the true meaning of the holidays and spend time with family thus allowing these workers to do the same.
Very good point pttony. If people don't shop on Thanksgiving, the stores won't stay open next year because the would lose money having the costs without the sales.
It is the people who shop on Thanksgiving that are encouraging this!
If they don't want to work, fire them.
Walmart should let those who don't want to work stay home without pay, and pay double wages to those who want to work Thanksgiving and other holidays. Happy workers are better workers. And anyone who interferes with shoppers should be arrested.
Whine some more about working on Thanksgiving while we have soldiers overseas who haven't seen their family in a year or more. Be thankful you have a job and shut up.
i was an ambulance technician. but for police officers and firefighters to compare themselves to our soldiers and military personel. how dare them.hey CHARLIE what FOX HOLE did YOU SLEEP in last night???????
You are so angry? Are you military? I was....it isssssss healthy to whine and complain...those soldiers ARE whining too. Don't you agree it is only a positive thing to be with your Mom, Dad, little kids on these holidays. Come on.... have a heart here. I do see some of your point but these are 'a few' special days...expressly for family...and....the 'shut up' comment ....well cheeeeeeeez. What is possibly bothering you...that 'shut up' is coming up??? How does that get any 'understanding.' for you?????? Have a 'twinky' before they are made in South of the Border....or....China.
People like this have ruined the american family. Shut up and work, lazy bitches. So what if you're forced to abandon your family on THE national holiday of thanks. Walmart stockholders are more important than your family memories. Pray no one dies this year, so maybe if the gods of greed allow you the day off next year... you can all be together then. Life is too short to go back to "picking cotton or starve" mentality.
Walmart will pay their people time and a half for working the holiday. One store I know has put many people on 15-hour shifts to accommodate the shoppers. That's just nuts. (It's not like they were caught unawares of the holiday crush.) They are perpetually understaffed. Why doesn't Wal-Mart hire people to fill the gaps in scheduling? That way, people could work normal shifts.
From all the news about stores being open on Thanksgiving, I think Thanksgiving is quickly becoming a non-holiday. There's nothing special about it anymore. It's just another shopping day. Sad, really, isn't it?
I wonder how long it will take before Wal-Mart and Target and other retailers will be open Christmas Day as well?
greed!!! corporation have ruined the family as a unified whole. everyone goes in different directions. they is no family unity left. no loyalty to family either.make money. make money. and for what? pay more billls. a mansion,a mercedes and a yacht in the kema basin. what have you really got even then. more taxes....turn on the boob tube your lonely and blue. your children turn to drugs and alcohol. what happened. where did i/we go wrong? no time..no time... no time..........the cats in the cradle. i dont know when. but we'll get together then.
Not your fault. It is the environment of the society. Go out and smile at anyone you see and shed that inner beauty.
Why is Wal Mart open on Thanksgiving? Because customers will be lined up to buy stuff. If customers didn't show up in droves, there would be no reason to be open on Thanksgiving. I don't blame Wal Mart or any other business that is open. Consumers drive their operating hours, not the other way around.
And BTW, there a lots of people who WANT to work on a holiday...... more pay, no plans, don't celebrate certain holidays, etc. Just because you want to "spend time with your family" doesn't mean everyone does. I worked EVERY holiday for several years to earn the extra income until I got a job that didn't require holiday work. That's how it works, people.
I admire everyone who works on holidays, especially those who protect us. I also am thankful that the airlines don't shut down and that some gas stations will be open as I make my way down the road. And I can't wait to hit Harrah's casino on Thanksgiving Day for a little break from my drive........... and I am sure it will be PACKED with people gambling, eating, and buying....... with workers who are happy to serve them on a holiday.
walmart the endless shopping spree......
Once upon a time when many business owners respected their employees much was done because it was morally right and not necessarily to boost the bottom line. Business owners believed that it was morally correct to close on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Many businesses such as Staples still do. It is morally reprehensible that Walmart, Target and Sears etc. choose to open on these three days.
Johnny,
only people with lack of morals talk about morals all the time.
HAHAHA walmart workers want to strike. LOLOLOL maybe they should have dreams and aspirations that ascend higher then working at walmart.
Fire every single one of them that walks off the job. b/c while they are whining that they are too poor, the owners will still be sitting on piles of cash. dont want to work on the holidays, get a better job. stop demanding that people give you stuff and go earn it.
PS. what do you think is gonna happen in a few weeks when they have to start offering health insurance to so many people? b/c i bet dollars to pesos that they fire some and cut the hours of ALOT OF PEOPLE.
lol walmart workers are trying to strike, that just makes me laugh everytime
walmart has made a lot of effort to hire mentally disabled individuals to give them a chance in life. are you honestly laughing and calling them uninspired too? should they just "get a better job" and stop whining too? you're a classist, ableist piece of trash.
wallymart as well as many other businesses hire the mentally disabled, firms that hire any disabled person also receive taxpayer funded bonus from uncle sam as an incentive along with tax breaks, thinking business does this to play mister nice guy is total bs, any hiring decision is carefully caculated in the corporate world.
who cares why walmart hired them or what incentives they received? laughing at poor people, disabled or anybody unfortunate enough to work at walmart is rude and classist.
i dont mind the mentally challenged people being hired so long as it does not involve serving or preparing FOOD. like the mental guy in hobbs,new mexico at the kettle restaurant who put weed eater in peoples food.
i saw a video of a white kid peeing in someone's food. should we not allow white males to serve or handle food either?
Businesses are subsidized by the government to hire mentally handicap. Call Easter Seals and verify it. While you're at it, look up Walmart hires the elderly and life insurance policies with Walmart as beneficiary. Naive much?
I worked for Wal Mart when I was a HS senior and the year after. I don't understand the hate. Minimum wage had just moved up to $5.15 and I was making $7.25. I did work a Thanksgiving. I ate with my family, then went to Wal-Mart and made double pay for working it + regular time for it being a holiday. That was $21.75 an hour that day, when minimum wage was only $5.15. Of course there were dillweed middle managers, but they are everywhere. Of course, they didnt want anyone to make OT, but nearly all retailers are that way. Wal-Mart was just like any other retailer, except they paid me more than minimum wage.
How they treated employees years ago and now has changed. Those running it are different people than before. Greed has overtaken any humanity.
I think this is all so funny. In the end Walmart will be fine, the workers who don't show up won't be paid for that day - at best. I hope they're fired. I know I'd be fired if I hung outside my office with a sign. Like I always say - buy some stock - they pay a nice dividend. I will go to WMT on Friday. I love Chik Fil A, too. You people really don't get it. If you have a 401K, I'm sure one of your mutual funds is a shareholder in WMT. This is all part of the WAR ON BUSINESS and YOU DIDN'T BUILD THAT!!
Wrong Mikki! The employees built it. Without employees the Walton's would have to live off their trust funds and offshore accounts. See my post above. Without their employees the business owner is nothing. And deserves nothing. How much money would a Walmart store make if all the employees walked out? Not much! Now who really has the ultimate power, the employees or the owner? The employees are beginning to realize that it is them.
Mikki, You fail to realize that the owners of Chik Fil A are morally responsible enough to close on Sunday even though they lose business-every Sunday. How come the major retailers can't do the right thing and close on Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas, just three days a year? Greed
man you are one whiny little bitch. these are not rocket scientists working there.
I'm on my way to Walmart tonight hoping that my store is one of the ones being picketed.the first thing I am going to do is ask one of those outside, "where is the employment office?"
I need a job, have a family to feed, and think I can serve the public much better than a bunch of sign carrying fools, who really don't want to work, but would rather be entitled to welfare nd unemployment, SNAP, and shelters.
They're protesting because workers want to be paid a living wage - something that is a much bigger issue than working on Thanksgiving or Black Friday.
Also, a lot of folks here are saying "well they get holiday pay" - that might be true in some cases, but for example - if you have to go to work at 10PM on Thanksgiving because your retail store opens at Midnight, and stay there until 8AM, then come back and work from 2PM - 11PM on Friday (essentially spending almost the entire day at work), you only get holiday pay for the 2 hours you've worked on the ACTUAL holiday. This is the case with someone I know, and although he isn't complaining to his superiors at work, I can tell you that he certainly isn't looking forward to working a 10 hour shift followed by a 9 hour shift all within a 25 hour period. This is really taking advantage of good-natured employees, and it can really take the fun & enjoyment out of the holiday for those who do work retail, and their families.
I get that Black Friday is a tradition for many, but I really think that it's getting pushed to far nowadays, by consumers & retailers alike.
The Federal Government has set a minimum wage which many companies choose to pay. Wal Mart paid me more than minimum wage when I was in HS.
Well, I assume in High School you weren't supporting a family. I understand that WalMart has to by law pay minimum wage - I am simply explaining the fact that the reason for protests isn't solely because of the store being opened on Thanksgiving.
Cait - If people want a living wage don't apply at walmart unless you can live on what they are offering.......Simple!
ozzieyo - so you want people to stay unemployed until they can find a job that supports their lifestyle? lol talk about a privileged attitude.
No, get a better skill set but if your having trouble making a living be thankful that they are giving you an extra day to work because i'm pretty sure they weren't going to get vacation pay.
so you want them to take out a loan for 4-5 years to get a better education and THEN wait for a better opportunity so they don't have to work at walmart? got it. well how do you expect them to pay their bills during that time when they're being educated? what if they get sick? what if they have kids or parents they need to look after? life happens and it is not always that easy to just go get an education and make more money.
some people are legitimately trying to do better for themselves and they deserve better from their employers for trying. there may be a percentage of the population that is lazy and doesn't deserve better but do you throw the baby out with the bath water and assume no one deserves better because a few are screwing up?
The UFCW is a chump union and could not organize monkey's. I wonder how much the Union Organizer's/Exec's make versus the average WalMart employee? Since they have been unable to gain ground organizing, they turn to trying to shut the company down/hurt sales through a BS protest. So typical. Go ahead,,,walk out $8 hr. employee,,there are hundreds waiting to take your place. Most of the people that work at WalMart were unemployed or unemployable, so at least they are gaining some ground.
Exactly. "Pay us $200,000 a year to fight for your $10 an hour job."
who the h__— gets $10 an hour at Walmart. Everyone starts at minimum wage, not many last long nough to make $10
I work for one of the big retial stores that are opening for black thursday. I agree it sucks we have a Thanksgiving lunch instead of Thanksgiving dinner but thats retial... I think what has alot of us workers really put out is the fact that its not just a come into work day and do what you where trianed for. In my store they take workers who have never cashiered in there life and stick them up front and center on black friday to cashier.
I can tell you people comeing in our store at this time its VERY daunting to see a hoard of people running in people are Irate impatient and here you are hopeing to god you dont have something happen on the register. These retialers need to be upfront to there employees hell put it in the applications they are required to work on certian days... But in the same breath it should be a MUST to have employees trained for these type situations and not throwing them into shark infested waters.
Perhaps Walmart is forgetting a lot of us actually read the news and are DISGUSTED these retailers are moving black friday (If that wasn't bad enough) into Thanksgiving. A lot of us back them up and simply won't be showing up to the store! These retailers won't get it until we as consumers and Americans say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and hit them where it hurts!
#OCCUPY all of Walmart's PARKING LOTS on Black Friday and take the parking spaces of people who actually WANT to shop there.
Good for you OHH but they are not opening for you, they are opening for the millions of shoppers who want them to open early.
If Walmart said, we'll take 1/2 off our cheaply made chinese tv's on Saturday, people would NOT show up on Thursday to get them.
Warren, really?
Why would you do that? Who are you to allow or not allow people to shop on Thanksgiving. What gives you the right? A far right liberal, I see! Very mature!
Just because you don't like it, you want to disrupt other people! Not everything in life goes your way, deal with it!
If you don't support it, don't go shopping on Thanksgiving. If enough people feel the way you do, then the stores won't stay open next Thanksgiving because it doesn't pay.
Very very smart, if you don't like them opening then just don't go. Same as all you whiners about made in China, DONT BUY, it is profit driven and they will do what you want them to do. Look what happened to the car companies when they thought they would build and we would come. I dont' go to walmart, last time I went there I stood for 30 minutes to buy a tv and nobody helped so I went to best buy. Every time I go there I swear to God I never will again because if the above bad service and I don't like the typ of people who are the average Walmart customer. As for their employees, they are low skill employees and they are paid that way, if you have no skills anymore, your career is walmart . I worked at Target 20 years ago when I went back to school in my 30s, went in at 4 in the morning to unload trucks, retail sucks, which is the point of me returning back to school. I make 6 figures now, retail was bad then and it has just gotten worse. We do need to have insurance for these low skilled workers but that is only so that my insurance doesn't have to pay for them. Minimum skills is going to be minimum wage.
you scum of the earth liberals aren't going to want to hear this but there isn't any difference that the hard tea party right wing. Think you have the right to tell people what they can or cannot do. Just losers is all you both are and ever will be losers.