Wal-Mart Wins Union Ban

The judge’s order prohibits the representatives of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) from soliciting inside Wal-Mart buildings in the United States, including Supercenters, Sam’s Clubs and Neighborhood Markets. Violators can be held in contempt of court.

A Wal-Mart spokesperson told the Associated Press said that since 1999 employees had repeatedly asked the company to stop members of the union from “harassing them”.

The spokesperson continued that the permanent injunction issued by Chancery Judge Jim D. Spears should help resolve the issue if union organizers complied with the order.

In September 1999, the UFCW went into nearly 300 Wal-Mart Supercenters across the country and accused the company of improperly trying to deny organizers access to workers.

The union then argued that charitable groups are allowed to solicit inside Wal-Mart and other stores and that union organizers should have equal access.

On the other hand, Wal-Mart claimed organizers were trespassing, harassing workers and violating meat safety procedures by going into meat departments.

Also, Wal-Mart denied UFCW’s claim that other groups were allowed to solicit inside the stores. The National Labor Relations Board ruled against the union last year.