That Union Thing
Wal-Mart Workers Begin to Organize in Florida
Some 250 Wal-Mart employees in central Florida have formed the Wal-Mart Workers Association. They hope the new organization will give them a voice at work and a way to collectively air complaints on issues such as reductions in hours, schedule changes, and loss of health care benefits.
Public pressure on Wal-Mart has forced the retailer to reconsider how it does business. CEO Lee Scott recently announced that Wal-Mart will be holding its suppliers more accountable for environmental and social standards, and that overseas factories will be held to the same standards as factories in the United States. And in an effort to reduce pesticides in the environment, the retailer will begin selling clothing made from organic cotton next year. Proof that the voices of the many can force even a Goliath such as Wal-Mart to listen!
From AFL-CIO Work In Progress
SHOWTIME FOR IATSE—After a 23-year effort, IATSE signed a contract with the Showtime Network’s division of Viacom Inc. for exclusive use of union crews on original programming produced in the United States and Canada. The agreement mirrors IATSE’s agreement with HBO and creates a level playing field for both pay-cable companies, said IATSE President Thomas Short. The union estimates one successful Showtime series would employ an average of 75 IATSE members.
WORKERS WIN IATSE AT SPORTSNET—Employees of the Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic network voted almost unanimously Sept. 20–21 to join the Theatrical Stage Employees. The 44 new union members include such free-lance technicians as technical directors, camera operators, video operators, audio technicians and others.
UNION SÍ FOR JOURNALISTS—With the aid of Spanish union members, the 40 U.S. journalists at the Spanish news agency EFE voted Sept. 29 for The Newspaper Guild-Communications Workers of America. Based in Miami, EFE covers news for a Spanish audience from bureaus in Miami, its U.S. home base, as well as Washington, D.C., and New York City. Spanish unions interceded with top EFE executives at the company’s headquarters in Madrid to win assurances of a free and fair vote.
VOTING FOR A UNION—A group of 31 miners employed by Feldspar Corp.’s Edgar, Fla., mine—the state’s oldest continually operated mine—voted recently to join IAM Local Lodge 1098.
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