Walmart was founded in 1962 by the legendary Sam Walton. Although Sam started slow, little by little, it has grown to be the biggest company in the world. At least by revenue. They have more than 10,500 stores globally, in 24 different countries. However, its most impressive figure is the number of employees they have, with more than 2,300,000 people working for them. It is the biggest private employer in the world.This article is about, is walmart unionized?
Is walmart unionized?
Do walmart have unionized?
Do they unionize? No, they don’t. Thanks to Walmart management, at least as of today. There have been many efforts, but they just haven’t managed to do it because high control closes the stores and fire the people; they do whatever they have to do to stop the people from creating a union.
Which, if you think about it, is quite impressive: They have many workers and to be able to always be one step ahead of them to stop them. That’s quite the feat.
The thread of Unions in walmart ionizaion
Now, are unions good or bad? That’s the question. Modern unions come from the guilds of the past. Like artisan guilds. It was a way of protecting themselves from wrongdoing.
The creation of unions comes hand in hand with industrial society. Yes, that means that unions came before Karl Marx and Marxism. The first recorded labor strike was held in Philadelphia, the United States.
Today, the United States has 10 percent of its labor force unionized. There are places like Iceland that have 90 percent of their labor force unionized.
What do they do?
Unions help workers get paid more. Get better deals, more protection, and stuff like that. More effectively because they negotiate massively. It’s all workers asking for the same thing, not just one or a few. That means the company needs to really hear the workers’ demands because if no agreement is reached, they can go on strike. Therefore, unions are good for the worker but bad for the company because they earn less and have less power. However, you could say that unions make less productive workers and lower the competitivity, which is true too.
A little history
Actually, the decline of unions since World War II has brought a drop in income in the middle class and with more inequality. That means the war classes that Marx talked about are going one way and one way only. The way of the owners. You can also see this with statistics. In the United States, about 30 percent of the unions come from the public sector. And 6 percent comes from the private one.
Back to Walmart
And to see this, you don’t have to look far; look at what Walmart has achieved. No unions with more than two million workers. Two million! They are accused of using surveillance and many more tactics to avoid this. Hence, workers can’t get their way. As soon as they hear the slightest rumor of the possibility of people coming together to create a union, they close all stores around that area for a while. And start over.
Although Walmart does pay their workers extra when they work on holidays and stuff, it’s not all wrong about the company, but where will the world go if the trend continues against unions? To a better place, or a more unequal one?
Other companies that don’t have unions
Apple, Whole Foods, Hewlett Packard, Quik Trip. These big companies have also managed the near impossible.
Conclusion for Is walmart unionized?
One wonders where this battle will end. Will the workers get their union? Or does management will continue to get their way for eternity. Because money really can do a lot of things. Gives you a lot of power. Walmart has lots of it.
Unions do bring a counter-power to all this power the money brings. But, of course, you must have one to have the benefits of it, which is the whole point.
Unions have bad fame at the moment, but they shouldn’t. Everything that smells like Marxism or socialism looks terrible to rich people.
FAQ
- How can I apply for a Walmart credit card?
You can apply online here: Walmart.com/credit
Or, you can apply in the store with your Driver’s License or state-issued ID in the following ways:
With your smartphone
Text to apply
At a register
At self-checkout
Or at the customer service desk.
- Where can I use my Walmart gift card?
Physical cards with PIN maybe be used in all stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, including Sam’s Club. However, online gift cards can only be used online.
- Can I bring a service animal inside a Walmart store?
Yes. You can. Walmart has adapted to this, and now you can do it. If you have a disability and need an animal to guide you, Walmart has the doors open for you.
