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Las Vegas, NV--The extent to which Wal-Mart will break U.S. labor laws to prevent its employees from voting on union representation was made shockingly clear within days of the filing of a Union petition for a store-wide election in a Sam's Club store here when the National Labor Relations Board issued two massive complaints against the nation's largest retailer for violating workers' rights.

"The courage of Las Vegas workers in standing up for their rights in the face of such a massive assault on those rights by the world's largest retailer speaks volumes," said Mike Leonard, a vice president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. "The workers know the UFCW is on their side, and now they should know the U.S. government will stand with them whenever Bentonville tramples on their rights."

Sam's Club workers want UFCW

On Wednesday, September 19, the employees of Sam's Club's W. Spring Mountain store filed a petition with the NLRB for an election on whether to have UFCW Local 711 represent them. On Thursday and Friday, the NLRB issued two separate complaints detailing scores of illegal acts by Wal-Mart and Sam's Club managers in Las Vegas.

"These complaints lay out a concerted, illegal campaign by Wal-Mart to deny its employees' right to vote," added Leonard, who is directing the organizing effort. "That's the company's anti-union strategy, as it appears in three of its anti-union manuals for supervisors which are available on the web site set up by the in-store employee organizing committee, www.walmartworkerslv.com."

"For a company that insists its employees don't need or want a union, these type of rampant illegal efforts to keep them from having a fair vote shows Wal-Mart doesn't believe its own hype and is actually afraid of a free election," Leonard continued.

The complaints were issued after the NLRB exhaustively investigated and found sufficient merit to charges filed by the union on behalf of individual employees.

Probably orchestrated by Wal-Mart headquarters

In an unusual twist, one complaint names Dr. John Payne, a worker's compensation physician, as an agent of the company. Also named is Kirk Williams, a member of Wal- Mart's "Labor Team", which is sent into stores to prevent employee elections. The anti- union manuals state that store managers must consult with the Labor Team before taking any actions, so it is likely the unlawful activities detailed in the complaints were directed by corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.

The first complaint covers the S. Rainbow Blvd., E. Tropicana Ave., and W. Craig Rd. Wal-Mart stores. Among other things It alleges district manager, Charles Salby, disparaged workers who support the union and invited them to quit. "This company claims a foundation of respect for its 'associates', so when a district manager acts this way, even the pretense of following the tenets of Mr. Sam Walton is gone," Leonard commented.

Workers not allowed to discuss union

Other allegations include Wal-Mart issued an illegal policy unlawfully restricting employee rights to talk about the union with their coworkers, spied on employee union activities, illegally interrogated employees about the union, tried to prevent employees from meeting about the union in private homes, and told workers it was futile to support a union. Wal-Mart is also accused of:

*denying Diana Griego her right to be represented by a co-worker during an interview that could lead to discipline, which is similar to a criminal suspect's right to representation by an attorney during questioning;

*illegally disciplining Avis "The Greeter" Hammond, a colorful former "associate" who authored his own book on Wal-Mart's problems;

*unlawfully putting Norine Sorenson on a mandatory leave of absence and not allowing her to work without a full medical release; and

*discriminating against employees/applicants in hiring and promotions based on their union sympathies.

The other complaint deals with allegations involving the W. Spring Mountain Rd., S. Pecos and E. Serene Sam's Clubs. Among other things, Sam's Club is accused of:

*threatening not to hire applicants and to fire employees based on their support for the union;

*not allowing employees to have co-workers witness investigatory interviews and illegally suspending them for insisting on their legal rights;

*illegally spying on union activity and not allowing employees to solicit support for the union;

*threatening to reduce their wages if the union was selected, and promising to increase wages if they refrained from organizing;

*confiscating pens bearing the union's logo and banning union insignia and lanyards for employee badges; and

*unlawfully interrogating workers and issuing unwarranted disciplinary warnings to union supporters.

Trials will begin early next year before administrative law judges.