Thirty years ago,
GM was the largest employer in the US. Today, Wal-Mart is the
largest private sector employer in the U.S., employing over 1-million
workers. A leader in lousy wages and benefits, Wal-Mart is leading
the race to the bottom for workers.
More stories: Wal-Mart
Nation, The Race To The Bottom l Bargain
Basement Wages
 Wal-Mart
wages are 22% LESS than the industry average.- Retirement: company contributions are limited to
a 401-K.
- Holidays: 7-days, no premium for working holidays.
- Wal-Mart warehouse workers are paid an average
of $10-12 an hour, while average industry wages average over
$14 an hour.
- Wal-Mart workers also receive substandard healthcare
benefits. Only 33% of Wal-Mart workers are covered by
the company's health plan compared to the national average,
which is 61%. Union Plans have over 90% coverage.
Wal-Mart workers pay premium costs for their Medical
Plans, a policy which "encourages" employees to seek
other options. Wal-Mart spokesperson Jay Allen says, "Those
who choose not to participate usually get their healthcare benefits
from a spouse or the state or federal government."
Wal-Mart's agenda does NOT include
creating good jobs in our communities. To read a great story
on this issue, click
here.
Now Teamster-represented companies such as
Kroger, Safeway, Costco, Albertson's, SuperValue, Schnuck's
and Stop & Shop (who have had employer-paid medical insurance
and DO supply
good jobs in our communities) are facing intense competition
from Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart has more stores, more warehouses and
more employees than any other company. Wal-Mart Supercenters
alone have increased from just 10 in 1992 to over 1300 in 2002.
Here are some facts:
- 4,717 stores world-wide (3,422 in the US)
- 105 warehouses (30 food)
- 1,300,000 employees (1,000,000 in the US) And
not a single one is union!
To support its store and Supercenter base, Wal-Mart
is adding warehouse capacity at a high rate. Here are the figures:
- 2002: 2 Regional GM DC's; 3 Food DC's and 2 fresh
food DC's; 7-million square feet of distribution space
- 2003: 3 Regional GM DC's; 6 Food DC's; 8.7-million
square feet of distribution space
Wal-Mart's distribution capacity is keeping pace with
their store expansion. This will have an ever-growing impact
on Teamster jobs in the grocery industry.
 To
put some perspective on Wal-Mart's size and influence, Wal-Mart's
annual sales are already four times that of Teamster grocery
employers including Kroger, Safeway and Fleming.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is working
jointly with the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW)
to educate our members about Wal-Mart and to help Wal-Mart workers
organize. Teamsters and other union members need to protect
and promote good jobs in their own communities. Every member
can promote shopping at Union companies. Every member can remember
that Union members are at risk if our families, Union Brothers & Sisters,
and communities are not supporting our employers.
Again, Wal-Mart has over 1-million employees, none
of whom are union. Union members need to tell Wal-Mart workers
that a Union is the answer. You can do this by explaining the
kind of benefits your union contract provides in terms of health
coverage, retirement security and grievance procedure. You can
point out that Unions make places like Wal-Mart a better place
to work, which helps make the community a better place to live.
Some Wal-Mart workers are actively fighting for a
union. Read their stories at the following sites:
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