Wal-Mart has become the largest retail store in America thanks to its inexpensive merchandise (Featherstone, 2004). However, there have been accusations that the company mistreats its employees, resulting in a contentious discussion regarding whether or not Wal-Mart workers should unionize.
Establishing a union would be beneficial for Wal-Mart employees, as suggested by reports and findings regarding their working conditions. The right to organize and influence labor conditions belongs to employees.
The collaboration between the company and the union through collective bargaining tackles significant matters, primarily related to human resource management policies. Therefore, in protecting and upholding the rights of workers, the union plays a crucial part (RLUO, 2008). Creating a union would provide Wal-Mart staff with several advantages.
The way Wal-Mart treats its employees has led to accusa
...tions of labor rights abuses, such as substandard working conditions, bias, and inequitable compensation. The organization has been the subject of censure for its mistreatment of staff.
In 2003, Wal-Mart cashiers earned $7.92 per hour for a weekly work schedule of 29 hours, according to “Statistical Analysis of Gender Patterns in Wal-Mart’s Workforce,” a study conducted by Dr. Richard Drogin.
Lawsuits in California, Indiana, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington are currently active.
The current legal proceedings against Wal-Mart assert that the company has exhibited bias towards female employees with regards to job advancement, work tasks, education opportunities and payment. A possible solution proposed is for workers of Wal-Mart to band together in a union to guarantee their rights are protected and all laborers are held responsible by the federal government regardless of economic stability (taken from "Class Action Sex Discrimination Lawsuit
against Wal-Mart," n.d.).
Meister (2003) suggests that if a union were established at Wal-Mart, the biggest retail chain in the United States, it would be a crucial step for workers. This action could encourage employees of other organizations to follow suit and result in unions playing a more significant role across the country.
References
- Featherstone, L. (2004). Will labor take the Wal-Mart challenge? The Nation.
- Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www. thenation. com/doc/20040628/featherstone/3. Meister, D. (2003). Organizing Wal-Mart.
- Anderson Valley Advertiser. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www.theava. com/03/0903-walmart. html.
- Resources for Union Organizing. (n. d. ).
- Advantages of Labor Union Membership. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www. union-organizing. com/advantages. html.
- United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. (2005). The Real Facts About Wal-Mart. WakeUpWalMart.
- com. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://wakeupwalmart. com/facts/. Class action sex discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart. (n.
- d. ). Wal-Mart Class Website. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://walmartclass. com/walmartclass_tolearnmore. html.
- Career Choice essays
- Career Goals essays
- Career Plan essays
- Community Service essays
- Dream Job essays
- Duty essays
- Employee essays
- Internship essays
- Interview essays
- Job essays
- Job Interview essays
- Performance Appraisal essays
- Portfolio essays
- Service essays
- Skills essays
- Vocation essays
- Work Experience essays
- Work-Life Balance essays
- American Dream essays
- Barriers To Entry essays
- Capitalism essays
- Central Bank essays
- Compensation essays
- Consumerism essays
- Economic Development essays
- Economic Growth essays
- Economic Inequality essays
- Economic System essays
- Economy essays
- Employment essays
- Export essays
- Finance essays
- Free Trade essays
- Gross Domestic Product essays
- Human Development essays
- Income Inequality essays
- Industry essays
- Inflation essays
- International Business essays
- International Trade essays
- Macroeconomics essays
- Materialism essays
- Max Weber essays
- Microeconomics essays
- Minimum Wage essays
- Monetary Policy essays
- Monopoly essays
- Pricing essays
- Profit essays
- Recession essays