Trapper John at Daily Kos is congratulating Wal-Mart on their timing. The retailer has bowed to pressure from the Chinese government to allow the employees in the Wal-Marts in that country to unionize. Given the way unions in China operate, that doesn't mean what it would here in North America.
Wal-Mart didn't really want to deal with the Chinese unions, toothless as they are, because doing so could increase the chance of unionization in other countries with real unions. But the Chinese government, which gets along with Wal-Mart just fine, wanted the company to work with their house unions -- the more workers in official unions, the less chance of a real free trade union movement developing in China. So Wal-Mart waited to cave until the holidays, allowing them to get good press in the US for "working with unions" at a time of year when good PR is critical for a retail operation, while conceding nothing in the US and losing no advantages in China.
But that's OK, Trapper. The real action right now is in Canada, specifically in Saquenay, Quebec.
Wal-Mart workers in Saguenay, about 250 kilometres north of Quebec City, begin Monday to try to negotiate a first contract with the retail giant. Last summer, the union scored a major success when the store became North America's only unionized Wal-Mart.
As the story notes, there will be a lot of people watching this. It's one thing to simply declare that the store is unionized. It's quite another to actually negotiate a collective bargaining agreement and make it stick.
Analysts say as much as certifications are important, securing a collective agreement is the ultimate goal."The success or failure of the bargaining there will have an impact on the rest of the country," Robert Hebdon, a McGill University labour market relations professor, said of the Saguenay talks.
He suspects the company will resist even the most modest union proposals, to forestall a bandwagon effect from employees watching across the country.
"Workers are taking a chance right now for what at this stage is just a trickle (of unionization efforts)," said Hebdon.
"It's not going to be a flood until the unions can deliver."
Wal-Mart racheted up employee fears when it suggested the Saguenay store could close because it was losing money. Observers have said this statement was designed as a warning to employees elsewhere.
And as an indication of what "elsewhere" might mean, the article provides a summary of union efforts involving Wal-Mart across Canada.
Quebec:
- Saguenay: Negotiations resume Nov. 29 on first collective agreement at only certified Wal-Mart in North America.
- St-Hyacinthe: Quebec labour board expected to decide on Dec. 13 whether store to become second certified union store in Quebec.
- Longueuil: Application for certification under review by labour board. The Quebec Labour Relations Commission issued an order in September compelling Wal-Mart to stop interfering with unionization efforts at the store.
- Others: Unionization efforts proceeding at about nine other unidentified locations.
Saskatchewan:
- Weyburn: Saskatchewan Court of Appeal overturns lower court ruling, upholds labour board's decision forcing Wal-Mart to turn over documents to union. Company may appeal to Supreme Court.
- North Battleford: Awaiting resumption of hearings regarding certification application.
- Moose Jaw: Union applies for successor rights for a Wal-Mart in Moose Jaw. Hearing pending.
British Columbia:
- Surrey, Terrace, Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Quesnel, Kamloops, Langford: Wal-Mart challenges union application and vote of vehicle service workers at seven locations. Votes sealed pending hearings in December.
- Quesnel: Labour board in May 2003 permits union to address Wal-Mart employees.
- Terrace: Union appeal pending on dismissal of union application after labour board determines not enough workers signed cards.
There's been talk in the U.S. about allocating $25 million of AFL-CIO funds towards a drive to organize Wal-Mart stores. I would imagine the American labour movement will be watching events in Saquenay very closely over the next little while.
