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UFCW president Dority calls for movement-wide campaign to support justice for Wal-Mart workers
UFCW International President Doug Dority called on the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) to join the People's Campaign for Justice at Wal-Mart. Dority addressed the NALC's 63rd Biennial Convention in Philadelphia on August 21, 2002 and told the 8,250 delegates, "We are building a campaign that brings together women's organizations, civil rights groups, consumer organizations, religious leaders, workers and neighborhood organizations to challenge Wal-Mart to live up to its responsibility as the largest retailer, employer and corporation in America." - I know that our two great unions will continue to work together for our common cause - an America with good jobs, living wages, affordable benefits and secure pensions, Dority said. - That America, however the America that most of us grew up with; the America that most of us took for granted; the America where working families could look forward to a better future. That America is quickly disappearing. - Everyday you face the threat when the anti-worker politicians cry: privatize. - We face a threat that brings the same results:
- But the word for the threat we face isn't privatize--it's Wal-Mart-ize. Two different words--but the same result. Less for working families. - Those politicians who would privatize your jobs are the same politicians that Wal-Mart backs and bankrolls. Armey, Northrup, Hutchinson--all get their funding from Wal-Mart. - As Wal-Mart's power grows, our shared vision of an America with dignity, respect and a decent standard of living for workers just fades away. - Everyday Wal-Mart grows stronger, more powerful and more arrogant. - Wal-Mart will define the future for Working America — for letter carriers as well as store clerks. - Right now, Wal-Mart is:
- Wal-Mart dictates the price and conditions from every supplier. If Wal-Mart cannot drive U. S. wages and benefits down, Wal-Mart shifts to overseas suppliers and, thousands of U.S. jobs can be immediately lost. Our tax base shrinks and support for public services dries up. - It is always Wal-Mart's way. And Wal-Mart's way for workers is always-- less...lower...and, fewer. - Less pay, fewer benefits and lower working and living standards. - As the largest employer, Wal-Mart's pay and benefit practices will ripple and, then eventually roar across the entire economy in the public as well as the private sector. - Right now:
- Look at Wal-Mart today and, see the future. - As Wal-Mart drives wages down in the private sector, there is increased pressure on the Postal Service to reduce your wages, your benefits and, your jobs. As Wal-Mart grows, it's put more politicians in office and Wal-Mart's puppets are the same politicians who are going to privatize your jobs. - The UFCW and Wal-Mart workers across the country are standing up and organizing. It is a fight for the future—in fact, it is a war. And, right now Wal-Mart is waging war on workers.
- Wal-Mart uses a tracking system to identify and eliminate union supporters. This system is called the UPI--Unresolved People Issues--and, its union busters are called People Managers. It is like something out of George Orwell's Animal Farm. - We are committed to giving Wal-Mart workers the opportunity to organize. - We are committed to giving those workers a choice for a voice at work. - We have no delusions about how difficult the job will be but, I have no doubt that we will win. - Now, when I say we, I don't just mean the UFCW. I mean you and me--the UFCW and the Letter Carriers and the entire labor movement. - It is going to take all of us to win. Let's face facts. - Wal-Mart is where America shops and it certainly is where Working America shops. - As the union movement, we cannot stand outside stores demanding that they go away when union members are shopping there and, the largest source of new union members is working there. - We must connect withe Wal-Mart workers. We must deliver a positive message about unions. We must give them hope and support and, rank-and-file union members are the critical link. - The union busters can stop our staff organizers from talking to workers in the stores but, they can't stop rank-and-file union members from talking union to Wal-Mart workers. The union busters can throw our staff organizers out of the stores and, they can't kick 13 million rank-and- file union members out of the stores. - Across America Wal-Mart Supercenters have become the new town square with library branches, banks, fitness centers and the whole range of services that use to make up town centers. - It is time working people took back the town square. It is time that we made Wal-Mart respect our values of decency, justice and dignity on the job. - I am asking your help, Dority told the delegates: - First, always buy groceries at a union supermarket, you're helping to save good jobs with decent pay and health benefits. - Second, if you or your family shops at Wal-Mart, wear union t-shirts or jackets. Let Wal- Mart workers know you're union and proud of it. Offer to tell them the truth about unions. - Third, participate Wal-Mart organizing activities. Show your support for Wal-Mart workers. - This fall, there will be a national action day to launch the People's Campaign for Justice at Wal-Mart. We will have events in all 50 states that bring together women's organizations, civil rights groups, consumer organizations, religious leaders, workers and neighborhood organizations to challenge Wal-Mart to live up to its responsibility as the largest retailer, employer and corporation. - To demand that Wal-Mart:
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