Monday, March 23, 2009

Make every day “Associate Appreciation Day” to avoid unions

Wal-Mart has labeled today “Associate Celebration Day,” in honor of its announcement of $2 billion in financial bonuses and other awards to its hourly employees. USA Today has the details.

It should not come as a surprise that Wal-Mart, which fights union organizing as hard or harder than any other American employer, is against the Employee Free Choice Act. My cynical side cannot help but think that Associate Celebration Day is a subtle reminder to potential union members that Wal-Mart is a good place to work and takes care of its own.

Keeping a place of employment union-free is not a one-shot deal. I do not think that employees’ choice to unionize can be bought and sold with one-off bonuses and merchandise discounts. To stay union-free, employers should make every day Associate Celebration Day. To be prepared for the EFCA if it becomes law, companies should actively strive to be workplaces of choice for employees and not workplaces of opportunity for labor unions.


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