I know there are a couple of rfcers who will be interested in reading
this.

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...6-7397a1f933ea

16 August 2008
Union wins contract at Wal-Mart in Gatineau

First in North America Company 'reviewing decision, implications'

JEAN-FRANCOIS BERTRAND, Canwest News Service; Ottawa Citizen

A Gatineau Wal-Mart became the first in North America with a union
contract in effect yesterday when a collective agreement was put into
place between the retailer and eight employees of an auto shop.
After a three-year process that ended with a ruling by an arbitrator,
workers of Local 486 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada
should see their wages rise to a minimum of $11.54 an hour from the
current $8.50 an hour.
The 50-page agreement represents 98 per cent of what the union asked
for, said union local president Guy Chenier. Workers who install
tires, change oil and fill propane tanks made gains on their salary
for statutory holidays worked, have more generous vacations and will
see their wages increase periodically.
The three-year agreement replaces a system where technicians were paid
minimum wage and where increases of 30 cents an hour were granted
"randomly" after a year or six months, Chenier said.
He said that while Wal-Mart might want to close the Gatineau location,
it would be difficult because "we have a collective agreement in our
hands." Only the eights employees at the Tire & Lube Express centre
are affected by the decision, while the 200 staff inside the store are
not unionized.
Wal-Mart Canada spokesman Andrew Pelletier said that the company is
"carefully reviewing the decision and its implications."
There is a new, larger Wal-Mart four kilometres to the west. When
asked if closing older Gatineau location was in the realm of
possibilities, Pelletier said he would not speculate and "we're still
looking at the decision."
In 2005, Wal-Mart shut down its Jonquière store, days before an
arbitrator was to impose a contract. The Supreme Court of Canada has
agreed to hear the union's case that Wal-Mart violated Quebec's labour
laws, as well as the Charter of Rights, when it closed the Jonquière
store.
The Gatineau Wal-Mart's unionization was recognized by Quebec's Labour
Board in June 2005, but a month later, the employer requested a
judicial review. In February 2006, Justice Diane Marcelin of Quebec's
Superior Court rejected Wal-Mart's request, and in July 2006, the
minister of labour referred the dispute to an arbitrator. Hearings
ended in early June.

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2008

John Kane wrote:
> I know there are a couple of rfcers who will be interested in reading
> this.
>
> http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...ry.html?id=677...

I read the article but didn't find it interesting or informative...
what's the point of this article... a weather report is more
interesting/informative.

On Aug 16, 1:50*pm, Sheldon > wrote:
> John Kane wrote:
> > I know there are a couple of rfcers who will be interested in reading
> > this.
>
> >http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...ry.html?id=677....
>
> I read the article but didn't find it interesting or informative...
> what's the point of this article... a weather report is more
> interesting/informative.


Wal-mart is the largest corporation in the world ( not sure exactly
what metric, $$ or employees or both) and virulently anti-union. This
is the first time that Wal-mart in North America has had a union
sucessfully organize and actually get a contract.

The last time something close to this happened (Jonquière, QC in 2005)
Wal-mart simply closed the store the day the contract arbitration was
decided. It's a tactic Wal-Mart has used before
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2005Apr13.html
"The world's largest retail chain has fiercely and successfully
resisted unionization attempts at its 3,600 stores in the United
States. Its closest call ended in Texas in 2000 when the store
eliminated its meat department after 11 meat cutters voted to join a
union."

This is currently before the Supreme Court though I am not sure of
what the case is about. I suspect it's a breach of the contract.

CBC has reported that the Saint Hyacinthe store has unionized and gone
to arbitration but a contract has not been set yet.

John Kane Kingston ON Canada.

On Aug 16, 2:34�pm, John Kane > wrote:
> On Aug 16, 1:50�pm, Sheldon > wrote:
>
> > John Kane wrote:
> > > I know there are a couple of rfcers who will be interested in reading
> > > this.
>
> > >http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...ry.html?id=677...
>
> > I read the article but didn't find it interesting or informative...
> > what's the point of this article... a weather report is more
> > interesting/informative.
>
> Wal-mart is the largest corporation in the world ( not sure exactly
> what metric, $$ or employees or both) and virulently anti-union. �This
> is the first time that Wal-mart in North America has had a union
> sucessfully organize and actually get a contract.
>
> The last time something close to this happened (Jonqui�re, QC in 2005)
> Wal-mart simply closed the store the day the contract arbitration was
> decided. �It's a tactic Wal-Mart has used beforehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51521-2005Apr13.html
> "The world's largest retail chain has fiercely and successfully
> resisted unionization attempts at its 3,600 stores in the United
> States. Its closest call ended in Texas in 2000 when the store
> eliminated its meat department after 11 meat cutters voted to join a
> union."
>
> This is currently before the Supreme Court though I am not sure of
> what the case is about. I suspect it's a breach of the contract.
>
> CBC has reported that the Saint Hyacinthe store has unionized and gone
> to arbitration but a contract has not been set yet.
>
> John Kane Kingston ON Canada.

Unionization of Walmart employees is not necessarilly a good thing,
certainly not for the patrons... I for one do not want my automobile
serviced by the least capable/motivated people simply because they
have more senority. Unions guarantee that the least able will
prevail.

On 2008-08-17, Sheldon > wrote:

> have more senority. Unions guarantee that the least able will
> prevail.

Unions guarantee almost nothing, except maybe you won't get fired, fired
upon, or coerced into working off the clock (which WM has been repeatedly
accused of). I wish unions weren't necessary, but sometimes they are. You
know it's bad when the illegal aliens start organizing.


nb

notbob wrote:
> On 2008-08-17, Sheldon > wrote:
>
>> have more senority. Unions guarantee that the least able will
>> prevail.
>
> Unions guarantee almost nothing, except maybe you won't get fired, fired
> upon, or coerced into working off the clock (which WM has been repeatedly
> accused of). I wish unions weren't necessary, but sometimes they are. You
> know it's bad when the illegal aliens start organizing.
>
>
> nb

Same here but human nature seems to work differently. Its one giant
cycle where one group gets too much power and the other group responds.

Wally could head all of this off if they loaded a little less money on
the truck to haul back to Arkansas.

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
...
On Aug 16, 2:34?pm, John Kane > wrote:
> On Aug 16, 1:50?pm, Sheldon > wrote:
>
> > John Kane wrote:
> > > I know there are a couple of rfcers who will be interested in reading
> > > this.
>
> > >http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...ry.html?id=677...
>
> > I read the article but didn't find it interesting or informative...
> > what's the point of this article... a weather report is more
> > interesting/informative.
>
> Wal-mart is the largest corporation in the world ( not sure exactly
> what metric, $$ or employees or both) and virulently anti-union. ?This
> is the first time that Wal-mart in North America has had a union
> sucessfully organize and actually get a contract.
>
> The last time something close to this happened (Jonqui?re, QC in 2005)
> Wal-mart simply closed the store the day the contract arbitration was
> decided. ?It's a tactic Wal-Mart has used
> beforehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51521-2005Apr13.html
> "The world's largest retail chain has fiercely and successfully
> resisted unionization attempts at its 3,600 stores in the United
> States. Its closest call ended in Texas in 2000 when the store
> eliminated its meat department after 11 meat cutters voted to join a
> union."
>
> This is currently before the Supreme Court though I am not sure of
> what the case is about. I suspect it's a breach of the contract.
>
> CBC has reported that the Saint Hyacinthe store has unionized and gone
> to arbitration but a contract has not been set yet.
>
> John Kane Kingston ON Canada.

Unionization of Walmart employees is not necessarilly a good thing,
certainly not for the patrons... I for one do not want my automobile
serviced by the least capable/motivated people simply because they
have more senority. Unions guarantee that the least able will
prevail.


Typical example of Unions:
Teamsters Union. A 'sweeper'-the guy who sweeps the floor in a bus depot.
Through seniority, he becomes junior mechanic, then full mechanic, then head
mechanic-w/o ever going to school to work on Detroit Deisels. He now pulls
in around $100k/yr. He gets regular raises, 6 weeks vacation, penion to die
for and full healthcare benefits (at not cost to him).
Who gets screwed? The public who gets to pay him by getting their bus fare
raised every few years.

I once worked for a bus company. A new driver had 78 accidents in his bus in
one year, one of which involved planting his bus 8 feet into a bridge
abuttment. Fire him? No Way-he's a Union Employee!!!! He went out on full
Workers Comp for 9 months with medical injuries and 2 years for
'psychological trauma'.

On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 08:55:47 -0400, Kswck wrote:
>
> Typical example of Unions:
> Teamsters Union. A 'sweeper'-the guy who sweeps the floor in a bus depot.
> Through seniority, he becomes junior mechanic, then full mechanic, then head
> mechanic-w/o ever going to school to work on Detroit Deisels. He now pulls
> in around $100k/yr. He gets regular raises, 6 weeks vacation, penion to die
> for and full healthcare benefits (at not cost to him).
> Who gets screwed? The public who gets to pay him by getting their bus fare
> raised every few years.
>

sorry, but this sounds like complete and utter bullshit. a friend of a
friend of yours, no doubt? your brother-in-law's cousin's aunt? or is
this from some radio ranter?

your pal,
blake

"Kswck" > wrote in message
> Typical example of Unions:
> Teamsters Union. A 'sweeper'-the guy who sweeps the floor in a bus depot.
> Through seniority, he becomes junior mechanic, then full mechanic, then
> head mechanic-w/o ever going to school to work on Detroit Deisels. He now
> pulls in around $100k/yr. He gets regular raises, 6 weeks vacation, penion
> to die for and full healthcare benefits (at not cost to him).
> Who gets screwed? The public who gets to pay him by getting their bus fare
> raised every few years.
>
> I once worked for a bus company. A new driver had 78 accidents in his bus
> in one year, one of which involved planting his bus 8 feet into a bridge
> abuttment. Fire him? No Way-he's a Union Employee!!!! He went out on full
> Workers Comp for 9 months with medical injuries and 2 years for
> 'psychological trauma'.

Second example is the really bad part of unions. You'd think they want to
keep some ethics and that other members would not want to be tainted. .

In the first example, I'm not so sure. OK, he never went to school, but is
he qualified to do the work? Is the 100k a base salary or does it include
many hours of OT? Good mechanics deserve good pay, but that seems a bit
high.

On Aug 17, 8:55*am, "Kswck" > wrote:

>
> I once worked for a bus company. A new driver had 78 accidents in his bus in
> one year, one of which involved planting his bus 8 feet into a bridge
> abuttment. Fire him? No Way-he's a Union Employee!!!! He went out on full
> Workers Comp for 9 months with medical injuries and 2 years for
> 'psychological trauma'.-

How do you have 78 accidents in a year and still have a driver's
licence?

Or does management not care if they have drivers without a driver's
licence.

Next story please!

John Kane Kingston ON Canada

John Kane > wrote in news:5a0cba7c-a1f5-42f2-9329-
:

> Wal-mart is the largest corporation in the world ( not sure exactly
> what metric, $$ or employees or both) and virulently anti-union. This
> is the first time that Wal-mart in North America has had a union
> sucessfully organize and actually get a contract.

Québec, for all that it is now governed by a liberal government, is
strongly pro-union as union membership and the rights that go with it are
in line with the Québec charter of rights.

As for the Supreme Court case, John, all it takes is a moment to inform
oneself:

Gaétan Plourde v. Wal-Mart Canada Corp. - and - Commission des relations
du travail (Que.) (Civil) (By Leave)

Labour relations - Human rights - Freedom of association - Closure of
business - Complaint alleging dismissal because of union activities -
Whether Wal-Mart’s exercise of right to permanently close establishment
precluded application of provisions of Charter of human rights and
freedoms, R.S.Q., c. C-12, and Labour Code, R.S.Q., c. C-27, protecting
fundamental freedoms, including freedom of association - Scope of
presumption resulting from s. 17 of Labour Code where activities giving
rise to presumption protected by freedom of association - Scope of
employer’s burden of proving “good and sufficient reason” where employer
deemed to have imposed measure in violation of freedom of association.

In September 2004, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local
503, was certified to represent employees of Wal-Mart’s establishment in
Jonquière. After several bargaining sessions, the parties could not
reach an agreement, and the union filed an application under the Labour
Code to refer the dispute to arbitration in order to establish the
provisions of a first collective agreement. On February 9, 2005, the
Minister of Labour referred the dispute to arbitration and notified the
parties of the referral. That same day, Wal-Mart informed the employees
of its decision to close the store. On April 29, 2005, the Applicant’s
employment, along with that of approximately 190 other employees, was
terminated.

The Applicant contested the loss of his employment by filing a complaint
under ss. 15 et seq. of the Labour Code. He contended that he had lost
his employment because of his union activities. Wal-Mart objected to the
claim, relying on the closure of the store. Several other employees
filed the same complaint, but the parties agreed that a certain number of
the complaints would be heard by the Commission des relations du travail
first, without prejudice to the other complainants’ rights. Relying on
City Buick Pontiac (Mtl) Inc. v. Roy, (1981) T.T. 22, and I.A.T.S.E.,
Stage Local 56 v. Société de la Place des Arts de Montréal, [2004] 1
S.C.R. 43, the Commission dismissed Mr. Plourde’s complaint on the basis
that the permanent nature of the closure of the Jonquière Wal-Mart
constituted a “good and sufficient reason” for the loss of employment
within the meaning of s. 17 of the Labour Code. The Commission rejected
the Applicant’s argument that a loss of employment in violation of
freedom of association cannot constitute a loss of employment for another
reason that is good and sufficient.

http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/new...8-01.2a/08-08-
01.2a.html