How Will Wal-Mart Spin This?

A 34 year old Wal-Mart worker was reportedly trampled-to-death by shoppers at the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream. At least 4 other people were hospitalized and others refused to be treated at the scene. This day after Thanksgiving sale was truly a Black Friday for Wal-Mart.

Lines began to form as early as 10pm on Thanksgiving night. Lured by cheap prices for flat screen televisions and other consumer electronics witnesses say the crowd grew to over 2,000 people by morning. With secret in-store bargains enough for only the most desperate shoppers, WalMart associates found themselves the victims of the mega-corporations advertising hype. At 5am doors opened marking the beginning of the holiday shopping rush.

Surveillance cameras will undoubtedly reveal what happened when the crowd surged forward at the start of the aptly named Door-Buster Sale. As a result, at least one family will not be celebrating this Christmas. Video of the scene shows paramedics performing CPR on the man. He died minutes after Wal-Mart opened for their Black Friday Door Buster Sale.

No doubt the Wal-Mart War Room is filled with executives discussing how to spin this story. Instead of admitting they cut corners and hired too few security guards look for Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott to lay blame on the employee, local police or the struggling economy. Scott is set to retire on January 31st, 2009 to the relief of stockholders. He has a reputation for deflecting any criticism onto lower level associates. Reps are probably already in the field planting stories and pressuring local politicians like Wal-Mart has been known to do when community groups appose the opening of a mega-store in their neighborhood.

One thing is for sure, Wal-Mart won’t be calling it a “Black Friday Door Buster Sale” next year.” Look for them to have a much more peaceful name like “Early Bird Customer Appreciation Holiday Sale.” What do you bet they have a moment of silence for the fallen employee and lots and lots of security guards on hand? They might also finally close the store to the delight of many in the community. After all, out of sight out of mind right?

Author Offers Rebate for Destroying Competitor’s Books

For Immediate Release                                        

Contact: Bob Oedy

Union Organizer Press

(818) 882-4364

Author Offers Rebate for Destroying Competitor’s Books

 Torn Covers to Provide Proof

Winnetka, CA, October 4, 2008 – Bob Oedy is an author on a mission to rid the world of

organizing books that provide no real world solutions.  He offers a $10 rebate for the destruction of any competitor’s book to be used toward the purchase of his own book Bigger Labor; A Crash Course for Construction Union Organizers. All buyers need to do to receive the rebate is tear the cover off of any union organizing book and mail it in.  The rebate offer is limited to one cover per copy purchased and represents a 50% discount off the retail price.

Oedy decided to write his own book on the subject of construction organizing after an extensive search yielded disappointing results. “Nearly all of the books on organizing are not written by organizers” says Oedy. “This has always bothered me.” “Why should any organizer listen to an author with no practical experience signing contractors or attracting members?” Either you have experience or you don’t. It’s just that simple.

Oedy plans to display the torn covers he receives on a wall in his home office. “I’ve saved this place for them”, he says, pointing to blank area of a wall covered in Labor posters collected through years of activism. “If necessary I’ll take down photos to make room.”

For more information go to www.biggerlabor.com  .

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New Hampshire to Dilute Diploma

New Hampshire is considering giving High School diplomas to students when they finish the 10^th grade. Supporters claim eliminating the 11^th and 12^th grade will save the state millions of dollars in education costs. 

My feeling is that it sells students short by depriving them of the education they need and deserve. Lowering the standards is not the answer to high drop-out rates and increasing education costs. Such a plan will only dilute the value of a New Hampshire High School diploma. 

Here is what needs to be done instead........ 

Reinstitute shop classes and skilled trade related training. Reform the education system by investing in entrepreneurial and life skills. Give students choices in their own curriculum and then get out of their way.

Another Grim Holiday for Workers at Circuit City

Circuit City is filing for bankruptcy. This should surprise no one. The beleaguered electronics retailer recently announced they are closing more than 150 stores and laying off thousands of workers just before the Holidays. How many? Over 7,000 workers will find themselves without a job by Christmas. More cuts are expected to be announced as the reality of the situation unfolds. 

You may recall that last year around this same time I participated in a boycott against Circuit City in protest of management firing 3,400 top salespeople. They would allow them to return after 10 weeks (The holidays) to reapply for their former position at lower pay. The decision by management was an incredible insult to the workers and one that will go down in history as a mean spirited dismal failure. 

Circuit City was never able to recover from managements blunder instead their sales plummeted, customer satisfaction suffered and their reputation for not caring about employees persists. 

In the last 12 months customers have complained about returns not being accepted and  store warrantees not being honored. Store warranties are a lucrative part of any electronics retailer business model. With experienced salespeople replaced with less experienced sales staff, sales of the warranties collapsed. 

The stock market and slowing economy dealt a final blow leaving management no choice but to capitulate. Sales this holiday season are expected to be the lowest they’ve been in decades. The problems are likely to spread to other companies like Hewlett Packard which is owed more than a 100 million dollars by the retailer. The value of commercial properties owned by Circuit City has also dropped.  

Project Labor Agreement Adopted

A project labor agreement covering construction work through the Community Redevelopment Agency has been unanimously approved by the Los Angeles City Council. They know that PLA’s promote quality construction, cost savings and labor harmony on job sites. Congratulations to union members from the Building Trades for taking a leading role to see this through.

Union Workers Support Obama

Union volunteers in San Fernando made good use of their free cell phone minutes. Members from several unions gladly gave up their weekend and logged over 6,000 calls to voters in key swing states for Obama. With just two days to go until Super Tuesday, the wind seems to be at our backs. You can feel the momentum with every call. This is by far the best ran campaign ever. We will not rest until the last union vote is cast.