I used to work at a Canadian Tire store that would lock us all in as soon as the store had closed for the night. All the employees working the closing shift had to wait for everyone to be finished their closing duties before they'd let us out. At that point it wasn't such an issue of not being able to get out in emergencies as it was not getting paid for the time we were required to stand around waiting for the manager to get his ass in gear...

But being held captive at work is about the worst thing imaginable. (that's a bit of an exaggeration, maybe.)

It would be great if someone could pad lock the doors of the corporate boardroom when the parasites who run these firms meet.

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/

[ 20 January 2004: Message edited by: lagatta ]

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"You could be bleeding to death, and they'll have you locked in," Mr. Rodriguez said. "Being locked in in an emergency like that, that's not right."

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Does nobody remember the infamous TRIANGLE FIRE?

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According to official reports, twenty-five (25) people died and another fourty-nine (49) were injuried as the result of a
fire in the Imperial chicken processing plant in Hamlet, North Carolina yesterday. Witnesses, at the scene, described
panicked workers as screaming, "Let me out!....Let me out!", as they tried to kick open doors that were reportedly
padlocked by the plant management to prevent vandalism and theft. Footprint indentations were evident on the inside of at least one door, that was seen to be locked from the outside.

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Québec, le 22 décembre 2003 - La section locale 503 des Travailleurs et travailleuses unis de l_alimentation et du commerce (TUAC), affiliée à la FTQ, a déposé, le 21 décembre, une requête en accréditation syndicale auprès de la Commission des relations du travail du Québec pour représenter le personnel du magasin Wal-Mart de Jonquière (Saguenay). Ces quelque 200 salariés sont les premiers de cette multinationale américaine à décider de se syndiquer au Québec. Il n’existe actuellement aucun syndicat dans les magasins Wal-Mart en Amérique du Nord.

Le syndicat des TUAC 503 (FTQ), qui compte 9 000 membres, est le plus
important syndicat de l’alimentation et du commerce dans l’Est du Québec.
Dans l’ensemble du Québec, les TUAC-FTQ représentent près de 45 000 membres.

La FTQ, la plus grande centrale syndicale québécoise, représente plus d’un demi-million de membres.

– 30 –
Source : FTQ
Renseignements : Louis Fournier, FTQ (514) 862-0656

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The UCFW is watching the situation in the Saguenay with keen interest. It is seeking union certification for three Wal-Mart stores in London, Ont., and is in regular contact with workers in at least a dozen others across the country, national communications director Michael Forman said.

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Here's a more detailed story from the London Free Press - Union Scores Victory in Walmart Battle

"Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT - news) is tired of critics who say it is a behemoth bent on destroying small-town America, driving down wages and shipping jobs to foreign sweat shops.

Wal-Mart, Fortune magazine's "most admired company," is also among the most sued. Dozens of cases claiming sex discrimination and wage violations have stained its image. Editorials deplore how low-paid Wal-Mart workers must sign up for welfare to make ends meet.

Even men's magazine Playboy got in on the act, calling Wal-Mart's Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters the "epicenter of retailing's evil empire."

But after years of abiding unflattering views, the empire is striking back with a tough new public relations strategy.

"No one likes to hear someone say something negative about their family," said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sarah Clark. "There are some things out there that are totally inaccurate, and we're looking to set the record straight."

Officials at the world's largest company have started firing off letters to the editor responding to critical news articles and editorials. Once-reticent Wal-Mart executives are speaking out more in the hopes of cleaning up the world's largest retailer's stained image.

The company has also altered its advertising campaign to showcase women managers and others who have benefited from working there.

"We all want to defend our company," Clark said.

Besides top management, she said, store employees have taken it upon themselves to write letters, with no directive from headquarters.

"As we have become the most visible company in the U.S., we have increasingly become a target of criticism and even attacks," she said. "We are really in the position of protecting and enhancing an already good reputation, not trying to repair a bad one.""

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And this is yet another award-winning good corporate citizen that our corporate media raves about.
It would be great if someone could pad lock the doors of the corporate boardroom when the parasites who run these firms meet.

Useless trash.

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