KipWellsFan Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 http://www.cbc.ca/story/business/national/...art-050209.html Wal-Mart to close unionized Quebec store Last Updated Wed, 09 Feb 2005 18:06:40 EST CBC News MISSISSAUGA, ONT. - Wal-Mart Canada is closing its store in Jonquiere, Que., the company announced Wednesday – six months after the store became the first Wal-Mart to be unionized in North America. Wal-Mart said it was unable to reach a tentative agreement with the union that would "permit it to operate the store in an efficient and profitable matter." In a news release, Wal-Mart said it had told the United Food and Commercial Workers union during negotiations for a first contract that the store's financial situation was "precarious." The company said the union's demands would have required more hiring and added hours. But the union disputed Wal-Mart's contention that the closing was for financial reasons. UFCW Canada spokesman Michael Forman told CBC Business News the closing was "a gross infraction of labour practice" and "an assault on all Canadians" and said the union would continue the fight. But he acknowledged that it would make other Wal-Mart employees think twice before voting for union accreditation. Canadian Press quoted one employee at the store, which is 250 kilometres north of Quebec City, as saying many workers burst into tears when managers told them about the closing. The store, which has about 190 employees, will close in May. Last week, the union asked the Quebec minister of labour for binding arbitration to reach a contract in Jonquiere. The union said no progress had been made. Another Quebec Wal-Mart, in Saint-Hyacinthe, won union certification in January. Wal-Mart, which the UFCW calls "staunchly anti-union," is facing certification applications at about a dozen other locations in Quebec, Saskatchewan and British Columbia – including applications representing workers at seven Wal-Mart Tire & Lube Express departments in B.C. Wal-Mart has 235 stores in Canada, employing more than 60,000 people. I seriously doubt that because people got better wages that the store couldn't afford to stay open any longer. f*** Walmart! :finger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I'd be interested to see what the Unfair demands of the workers were keeping this Gargantuan company from "operating in an efficient and profitable matter" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KipWellsFan Posted February 10, 2005 Author Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Feb 9, 2005 -> 09:49 PM) I'd be interested to see what the Unfair demands of the workers were keeping this Gargantuan company from "operating in an efficient and profitable matter" If I hear more about this story I'll post it but I bet this is 100% about scaring others not to unionize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 WalMart survives and thrives by low prices. They negotiate hard with their suppliers as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(Texsox @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 07:54 AM) WalMart survives and thrives by low prices. They negotiate hard with their suppliers as well. It would be interesting to see what their margins look like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Glad to see this Union is looking out for the best interest of it's members. :rolly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 07:55 AM) It would be interesting to see what their margins look like. I don't think it really matters. Their strategy is the absolute lowest cost of goods and services. What that translates to as a retail prices is market driven. As long as they are acting legally, paying min wage, offering proper benefits, etc. they shouldn't be legally required to do more because they are more profitible than company X down the street. Paying lower wages, in theory, means they will have lesser skilled employees. When someone builds a model where their superior employees outsell WalMarts lesser employees then the market works. Currently that hasn't happened. I side with the Republicans on this one. I'm not a big fan of labor unions. I know here in McAllen we have a K-Mart and a Wal-Mart side by side. If you go to K-Mart you can park closer to the door, get through the isles quicker, and there is rarely a line at the chechouts. Why? Because most of the world is across the street at Wal-Mart. Nothing is forcing the employees to work at Wal-Mart. Customers I'm certain probably know about the labor issues and maybe they stopped shopping at that store forcing the closing?? Who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 If more people shopped with their conscience before their pocketbook, Wal*Mart probably wouldn't do as well as it does. This is a situation just like a McDonald's. People who work there, possibly for lack of a better opportunity, seek to get their working conditions and salary bettered. By organizing, their barganing power increases. By turning their back on unions, large corporations show that they don't care about the asset that is the cause of their profits to begin with. People. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(winodj @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 08:50 AM) If more people shopped with their conscience before their pocketbook, Wal*Mart probably wouldn't do as well as it does. This is a situation just like a McDonald's. People who work there, possibly for lack of a better opportunity, seek to get their working conditions and salary bettered. By organizing, their barganing power increases. By turning their back on unions, large corporations show that they don't care about the asset that is the cause of their profits to begin with. People. The problens with unions is they want to treat all employees the same, the shining stars and the lazy, just getting bys. Just because a corporation doesn't want a union doesn't mean they automatically treat their employees bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(mreye @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 08:08 AM) Glad to see this Union is looking out for the best interest of it's members. :rolly Unions have no control with keeping a company open - Brain found that one out the hard way. And when the "union" got a settlement from the owners he still go screwed out of his share because he and 2 other guys stayed on as a help to the owner to close things up. I hate his union with a passion. My dad's union isn't great, but they do a hell of a lot more for their members (janitors and cleaning people) than Brian's does (press operators and people associated with the printing industry). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(Queen Prawn @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 12:56 PM) Unions have no control with keeping a company open - Brain found that one out the hard way. And when the "union" got a settlement from the owners he still go screwed out of his share because he and 2 other guys stayed on as a help to the owner to close things up. I hate his union with a passion. My dad's union isn't great, but they do a hell of a lot more for their members (janitors and cleaning people) than Brian's does (press operators and people associated with the printing industry). I mean fighting so hard that they close the company, whether it's a BS excuse or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(mreye @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 12:33 PM) I mean fighting so hard that they close the company, whether it's a BS excuse or not. I agree it is BS. That's pretty much what Brian's company claimed - the union contract with the press operators put them under which was total BS - more like ineptitude in the accounting office and management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(Queen Prawn @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 12:46 PM) I agree it is BS. That's pretty much what Brian's company claimed - the union contract with the press operators put them under which was total BS - more like ineptitude in the accounting office and management. Blame the accountants!!!! Right Kap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 12:51 PM) Blame the accountants!!!! Right Kap? Damn straight! Something was going on behind the scenes as they had two shifts of 12hrs each for the last year it was running (doing jobs for the government, Kraft, NASCAR and other big names - they also did some trading cards as well - had security guards for that one) and still managed to go under due to not paying bills (the bank foreclosed on a 70 yr old business). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(Queen Prawn @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 02:05 PM) Damn straight! Something was going on behind the scenes as they had two shifts of 12hrs each for the last year it was running (doing jobs for the government, Kraft, NASCAR and other big names - they also did some trading cards as well - had security guards for that one) and still managed to go under due to not paying bills (the bank foreclosed on a 70 yr old business). NASCAR? Now I know why you're so pissed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(mreye @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 01:08 PM) NASCAR? Now I know why you're so pissed. Some of the scrap on that one fell out of the dumpster when Brian left that day lol (and yeah, it was scrap - stuff that did line up correctly, etc - not the good stuff). My favorite thing he has from his current job is a Kraft ad on linticular (sp?) - hologram type material. It had Jeff Burton in his new suit as well as a few other guys (Jon Wood was one I think). They let him take a few sheets and I gave one to my boss - got a bunch of brownie points for that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(Queen Prawn @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 02:10 PM) Some of the scrap on that one fell out of the dumpster when Brian left that day lol (and yeah, it was scrap - stuff that did line up correctly, etc - not the good stuff). My favorite thing he has from his current job is a Kraft ad on linticular (sp?) - hologram type material. It had Jeff Burton in his new suit as well as a few other guys (Jon Wood was one I think). They let him take a few sheets and I gave one to my boss - got a bunch of brownie points for that one. Bud Shootout this weekend. Excited? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(mreye @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 01:26 PM) Bud Shootout this weekend. Excited? Not as much if Burton was in it, but since Ricky is I do have someone to cheer for so YES! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldmember Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 QUOTE(mreye @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 01:26 PM) Bud Shootout this weekend. Excited? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KipWellsFan Posted February 11, 2005 Author Share Posted February 11, 2005 (edited) Union fights to keep Wal-Mart store open http://ottawa.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View...rtfight20050211 Edited February 11, 2005 by KipWellsFan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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