[Marxism] Look for the union label

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

(A print version of this appeared in the October 2004 Harpers, the
finest magazine in the USA.)

Exerpts from:
LABOR RELATIONS AND YOU AT THE WAL-MART DISTRIBUTION CENTER #6022
Prepared By: Orson Mason
September, 1991

Wal-Mart is opposed to unionization of its associates. Any suggestion
that the Company is neutral on the subject or that it encourages
associates to join labor organizations is not true. The Company believes
its associates in the stores, in offices and warehouses are better off
without a labor organization because the Company pays wages and fringe
benefits which equal or exceed those prevailing for similar work in the
communities where the facilities are located.

Staying union free is a full-time commitment. Unless union prevention is
a goal equal to other objectives within an organization, the goal will
usually not be attained. The commitment to stay union free must exist at
all levels of management - from the Chairperson of the "Board" down to
the front-line manager. Therefore, no one in management is immune from
carrying his or her "own weight" in the union prevention effort. The
entire management staff should fully comprehend and appreciate exactly
what is expected of their individual efforts to meet the union free
objective. The union organizer is a "potential opponent" for our center.

Unions have learned to identify certain types of individuals who are
more susceptible to union exploitation that others. Here are seven types
of associates who "fit" that mold.

1. THE INEFFICIENT, LOW PRODUCTIVE ASSOCIATE. This type of associate
realizes that he will not be able to measure up to the facility's
standards and will be terminated because of his lack of qualitative and
/or quantitative efficiency. The union organizer seeks out such an
associate and this type of associate is mutually attracted to the union
because they convince the associate that it will 'save' the associate's
job and clothe. him with the so-called shield of "union protection' and
'job security".

2. THE INDEPENDENT, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY ASSOCIATE. This type of associate has
no great financial obligations or commitments. He typically lives with
his parents or is basically supported by someone else. He has nothing to
lose by joining up with the union forces. He can survive through the
longest of strikes and responds to the union propaganda of "everything
to gain, nothing to lose. If he, in fact, loses his job in a
union-caused strike by being permanently replaced or because the
facility closes down, he suffers no real consequences because he did not
depend on the job in the first instance.

3. THE REBELLIOUS, ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT ASSOCIATE. This type of associate
is attracted to the union cause and is subject to union exploitation
simply because he opposes everything associated with the establishment.
Since most businesses and structural organizations are associated with
the 'establishment', he is opposed to all management or bosses. He
consequently becomes an antagonist to the employer and a respondent to
the union propaganda. (Ironically, he will later turn against the union
also because he will eventually come to resent the authority of the
union. Unfortunately, this phenomenon will not occur until after he has
exhausted all efforts to unionize his employer.)

4. THE SOMETHING-FOR-NOTHING ASSOCIATE. This type of associate is the
typical injury-faker who has collected worker's compensation from most
of his former employers. He is the type of individual who is always
looking for a deal. He takes every imaginable shortcut available in his
job and sincerely feels that the world owes him a living. He is the type
of associate who "fudges" on his sick pay or funeral leave and bends
every rule to "squeeze" a little more out of his employer. He will
obviously be attracted to the union propaganda that he has "everything
to gain and nothing to lose." He will completely be sold on the union's
typical promises of more money, more fringe benefits, and more of
everything. He will not inquire as to how the union plans to deliver nor
will the employer's comments on the disadvantages of unionization touch
a responsive cord in him.

5. THE CHRONICALLY DISSATISFIED ASSOCIATE. The associate might yell be
one of the most efficient and productive associates at any
establishment. But this associate will find fault about everything
associated with his employer. He is a hopeless griper and complainer as
distinguished from a constructive critic. He is never convinced that his
employer is looking out for his interests or the interests of his fellow
associates.

He is truly an unhappy individual. He probably was born unhappy, is
going to die unhappy, and is going to be unhappy for the duration
between. This type of associate is a morale destroyer. He keeps
everybody. around him continually upset and agitated. It is a fulltime
job to dispel his negative rumors and ill-founded remarks concerning the
management team.

This associate will be attracted to the union campaign because the union
will listen to his gripes and complaints. The union will convince the
associate that it will "straighten out" the employer to his
satisfaction. The damage is compounded, however, because this individual
will reveal every skeleton in the employer's closet out of which the
union will further propagandize its cause.

6. THE CAUSE-ORIENTED ASSOCIATE. This associate will "jump' on any
bandwagon that passes through his area. He was the same individual who
joined all of the 'off-beat' organizations in high school or college. He
typically led demonstrations against everything from "red dye" to "ban
the bomb". He once took a trip to India to visit his personal "guru".

One can bet his last UNION FREE dollar that the "cause-oriented"
associate will be equally attracted to the union effort if and when the
union knocks on the employer's door. He is a frustrated leader. He views
himself as a self-appointed "spokesman for all" and the union is able to
capitalize on his-frustrations.

7. THE OVERLY-QUALIFIED ASSOCIATE. This type of associate is out of his
element. He will attempt to exert influence over his fellow associates
in an effort to bolster his-deflated ego. He might well be a Ph. D.
operating a grinding machine or a former accountant sweeping the floor,
but his station in life has deteriorated to the point that his vanity
appreciable suffers. This type of associate includes the associate who
has formerly made substantially more money with previous employers. Both
will be attracted to the union simply because the union will offer these
individuals the recognition that they seek and will seem to offer hopes
of returning them to their previous higher stations in life.

If a union organizer contacts you, demanding recognition or seeking to
show authorization cards to you, refer him/her to you Operations
Manager, Personnel Manager or General Manager.

(1) DO NOT acknowledge that the union represents a majority of your
associates. Once recognition is granted, your company cannot reverse its
position and decline recognition. The union is "in" and there will be no
election.

(2) DO NOT agree to look at any proof of majority support which the
union offers, such as authorization cards or membership applications.
Examination of cards or membership applications may be viewed as tacit
approval and may preclude the associates and the company from having an
election.

(3) DO NOT ask to be shown any proof of majority support.

(4) DO NOT agree to have a "neutral" party (such as a priest, minister
or rabbi) examine the offered proof of majority status. Once a third
party informs you that the union has a majority, you may be precluded
from getting an election.

(5) DO NOT poll your associates to see if they signed authorization
cards for the union.

(6) DO NOT decline recognition, ask for an election, and then commit
unfair labor practices in an effort to destroy the union's strength.
Firings and layoffs of known union activists and threats of economic
retaliation against supporters of union may result in a Labor Board
order setting aside

full: http://www.supersphere.com/Content/Radio/antiunion.pdf


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