Walmart to close only union store in North America

Yipee! They've done it again. The world's #1 retailer never lets me down. They never give me a chance to positively alter my opinion of them. For those who know me, it comes as no surprise that I chose to post this news item in my brand new blog. As I sifted through the news today this caught my eyes and I couldn't help but write about it. Apparently, the only unionized store in North America, the store in Jonquière, Quebec, would close in May because it had failed to meet financial goals. The Walmart Canada spokesman had said that the situation had deteriorated since the union. Well, I guess that is true, for Walmart that is. The Retail giant has this policy of low cost, low wage, no union that has catapulted it to the top of the pile.

I had never been a Walmart shopper. The city I lived in had a huge Meijer superstore which catered to my needs 24/7. A gradual awakening to the corporate exploitation around me made me realize that every time I shopped at the likes of Walmart, I was directly supporting their labor practices. The supply chain of this giant extends to all corners of the globe. The suppliers are constantly under pressure to lower their costs by the company. This directly affects the wages of workers of these suppliers.

Collective bargaining would bring up wages for these workers that could cut into the huge profits that the company makes. That probably might cut into the Walton family's fortune which was estimated at 100 Billion last year by Forbes. It would be too bad if the fortune fell to say, 80 Billion, because the company suddenly started to pay enough. Enough, so that the Bangaladeshi woman who works 12 hours a day in squalid conditions for a Walmart supplier would have enough to feed her children.

Union shop closure:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/10/business/worldbusiness/10cmart.html

Sweatshops in Bangaladesh - Account by Anita Roddick
http://www.anitaroddick.com/readmore.php?sid=201