US National Labor Relations Board accuses Wal-Mart of illegally disciplining workers in 13 states for protesting pay, working conditions last year; board to seek settlement that could include rehiring workers with back pay
Cindy Allen
November 19, 2013
(Bloomberg LP)
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The U.S. labor board said Wal-Mart Stores Inc. illegally disciplined workers for protesting pay and working conditions a year ago as labor groups signaled new actions against the retailer before the holiday shopping season.
Wal-Mart “unlawfully threatened, disciplined and/or terminated employees” at stores in 13 states for protesting working conditions, according to a statement yesterday from the National Labor Relations Board. The board will seek a settlement with Wal-Mart that may include rehiring employees with back pay for actions taken against about 117 people, according to Dan Schlademan, director of Making Change at Walmart, a campaign to pressure the company to improve wages and working conditions. “Wal-Mart will be given a chance to settle this,” Schlademan said on a conference call with reporters. “If Wal- Mart does not agree then, the board will make an official charge in the case.” David Tovar, a spokesman for Wal-Mart, did not return phone calls seeking comment. The board rejected complaints that Wal-Mart interfered with some employees’ right to strike at stores in Illinois and Texas or retaliated against employees at stores in California and Washington. The NLRB case stems from charges filed against the retailer one year ago, when Wal-Mart managers tried to discourage employees from taking part in protests ahead of “Black Friday” after Thanksgiving, one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The case also covers 100 striking workers who took their complaints to the company’s shareholder meeting in Bentonville, Arkansas in June, according to a statement from Our Walmart, an association of Wal-Mart employees. At least 43 workers were disciplined and another 23 worker- leaders were fired, the statement says. Both Our Walmart and Making Change at Walmart are supported by the United Food and Commercial Workers union. More protests are being planned in the run up to “Black Friday” later this month, according to Derrick Plummer, a spokesman for the UFCW. Specific actions would be announced soon, he said. --Editors: Jon Morgan, Michael Shepard To contact the reporter on this story: Jim Efstathiou Jr. in New York at jefstathiou@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net
Workers Disciplined
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