Suzy on Union Meetings
“Our H.R. Manager sent e-mails stating: ‘all department-managers must attend. No exceptions.’ The meeting was around the 25th of July. Less than one week later, I was discharged for: ‘inability to perform job’. I have never been coached, but last year I was given a D-Day for not turning my Family Leave packet in on time. My job performance has never been an issue. I have emails from Bentonville, that indicate my department was in the top 98% for in-stock, and countless other documents stating that my performance was commendable. I have received ‘exceeds’ on every evaluation but the last, which was ‘meets’. This was mainly because of the Family Leave I chose to take.
“During the meeting, the H.R. Manager asked questions with regards to why unions were developed and what makes a company vulnerable. It was the exact same meeting everyone else was subjected to. Apparently, these captive audience meetings are NOT interactive, and audience participation is forbidden. In fact; Associates are subjected devastating retaliation, directed at your livelihood, if the Associate is pro-union. My answers were: ‘Unions were developed to ensure employees worked in a safe environment with pay that is reasonable, hours that were not excessive. Unions eliminated child labor.” My answer to the question: ‘Why do employees seek out unionization?’ was, ‘Management fails to follow up on legitimate issues, poor pay, poor health care, and overall dissatisfaction with management.’
“The H.R. Manager had openly displayed her anger and annoyance with my participation, by stopping the meeting, after each accurate answer I provided and glaring at me for close to a minute. However, when she asked if anyone knew what a ‘salt’ was, again, I found it necessary to provide the correct answer because no other person in the room knew. That was the proverbial ‘straw’. Before we had returned from the mandatory meeting, [name retracted] had already contacted the store manager to ‘complain’ of my participation. Less than a week later, Wal-Mart decided I could not do my job, and discharged me. The store manager stated I: ‘...had not done a pick list that week.’
“The reason I know the H.R. Manager called was for the simple fact that the store manager asked a fellow captive, ‘so what went on in the meeting?’ when we returned. This same H.R. Manager called the previous week, complaining that another department manager had participated. She (department Manager.) was called into the office by the store manager and reprimanded for her interaction in the mandatory EFCA meeting, which was questions and answers. Subsequently, two days later she was coached, after never having been coached before.
“I have never hidden the fact I had been in the Union since I was 18, as well as a shop steward for four years, and on the executive board for three. I have been through a quite publicized strike with a previous employer. I am absolutely positive I was fired for my pro-union views. Any other “pretext” is unreasonable. And of course, I am one of Wal-Marts perceived disposable employees (SINGLE MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN). So at this point, I am very angry that my First Amendment Rights have been maliciously and intentionally violated by Wal-Mart, who engages in coercion and intimidation as standard procedure, with absolute disregard for State and Federal regulations. We all know Wal-Mart Corporate is fully aware each and every time they engage in the abundantly documented unlawful acts of retaliation. Thank you for your time.”
