From the NY Times:In the world of big-box discounters, Target enjoys a reputation as a model corporate citizen that sells the latest in cheap chic. That’s a sharp contrast to the image of Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, which labor unions have pilloried for years, accusing it of providing skimpy wages and benefits and skirting various labor laws.
Some 5,000 workers at 27 Target stores in the New York area are being urged to join a union.
But the arrows are about to come flying at Target’s famous bull’s-eye logo. The nation’s largest union for retail workers has embarked on its first broad campaign to unionize Target workers.
The union, the United Food and Commercial Workers, is trying to organize 5,000 workers at 27 Target stores in the New York City area. A majority of workers at the Target store in Valley Stream, N.Y., have already signed cards supporting unionization, and a government-supervised election there on June 17 will be the first time in more than two decades that Target workers will vote on whether to join a union.
The union decided to focus on Target after employees in Valley Stream, on Long Island, asked for help in unionizing. Echoing longstanding complaints by some Wal-Mart workers, the store’s employees complained that many of them earned too little to support a family or afford health insurance, forcing some to rely on food stamps and Medicaid for their children.
That's interesting. No one protested when Target came to town. But Wal-Mart is a different story? Hmmm...
22 comments:
Freakin' scary photo.
That's interesting. No one protested when Target came to town. But Wal-Mart is a different story? Hmmm...
Do you actually know anything about Walmart's business practices? Doesn't sound like you do. Do some research into what they think of community infrastructure when they move into town. It also sounds like Target's pro-union employees are just regurgitating what the union reps have told them to complain about.
The unions don't give a shit what a box store thinks of community infrastructure. Just whether or not the workers are union. And yeah, they were silent when Target, Home Depot, etc. moved into our neighborhoods.
wow, who are those mutants in the photo??? YIKES!!!
When I saw that picture I thought the title said "Crack Ho's Want To Unionize"!
Talk about flaunting an attitude.
Do you actually know anything about Walmart's business practices? Doesn't sound like you do. Do some research into what they think of community infrastructure when they move into town.
Target's practices are no different than Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe's and any other big box retailers. Their sole function is to make as much money as possible and undercutting other business if they have to.
Fantastic picture. Reminds me of why i do all my shopping online.
Oooh, girrl, immma gonna go to red lobster and get me some skrimps with my union check!
"That's interesting. No one protested when Target came to town. But Wal-Mart is a different story? Hmmm..."
"Target's practices are no different than Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe's and any other big box retailers. Their sole function is to make as much money as possible and undercutting other business if they have to."
Well Actually Wal-Mart is a lot worse that these other big box stores. Normal big box stores just buy in bulk to get a lower price. If you take a product from Target and that same product from Stop and Shop it will be identical.
Wal-Mart is hugely different. They contact manufacturers to make a product for them for the the price they want to pay. A box of cereal gotten at wal-mart may look the same as what you get at Stop and Shop but I can tell you from experience its not. I never read the label and ended up having an allergic reaction to something I through was the same but just cheaper.
I find it interesting that some of you guys feel the need to insult the appearance of the people in the photo, rather than refuting the issues that they are raising.
Whatever happened to free enterprise? The government should mind its own business.
"Anonymous said...
I find it interesting that some of you guys...."
You raise a valid point.
Am curious what, if anything, you see in the body language of those pictured ?
I think that is what the "guys" are picking up on. And since we own our own body language, I think that it's valid to bring it up. They could have managed to get a more appealing face on for the cameras, rather then trying to alienate people. (Or is this their normal body language?)
Target doesn't have a "People of Walmart" blog of its own.
Whatever happened to free enterprise?
Do some investigating into the history of labor unions in this country and why and how they came to be and you might find your answer.
Let's see what Target does if the unionization effort succeeds. Wal-Mart would likely close the store down as they have done in previous cases. If they unionize then we will see if there is a difference or not.
"Welcome to Target!"
3 scowling visages.
If I had to face these ladies at the check-out, I'd run out of the store.
Anonymous said...
wow, who are those mutants in the photo??? YIKES!!!
Sarah said...
When I saw that picture I thought the title said "Crack Ho's Want To Unionize"!
Anonymous said...
Oooh, girrl, immma gonna go to red lobster and get me some skrimps with my union check!
---------------------------------------
Pipe down, Imus.
Target probably would try to shut down the store if the unionization is successful. Shitty low-wage, unskilled work is exactly the kind where the workers need to be unionized the most, because these workers are the most likely to be abused.
There is a culture of under-reporting workplace injuries, not giving breaks, etc. in the American service industries. Any person working in a skilled field would not put up with a fraction of such nonsense before putting their skills back on the open market. But most people working jobs such as retail have no plausible alternative.
I find it interesting that some of you guys feel the need to insult the appearance of the people in the photo, rather than refuting the issues that they are raising.
Must be some limp-wristed Beta Male who's married to a 300 lb. whale of a wife.
Go get your "wife" some more pork rinds, Beta Boy!
In your dreams, Deke.
Nice of you to weigh in with something of substance.
The employees in stores like this have only two functions: take stuff off trucks and put it on shelves, and security. This is close the bottom (if not the bottom) of adding value in the global economy.
If people want to shop elsewhere, find somewhere else to shop.
If people want to make more money, find somewhere else to work.
Post a Comment