Organized Labor: Despite gaining a stranglehold over the public sector, unions are losing ground in the private sector. This was seen again in the failed union walkouts against retail giant Wal-Mart.
The idea was simple: Take a day of little news, create a big stink, and watch a gullible media swallow it hook, line and sinker. That’s what the United Food & Commercial Workers union did, in asking non-unionized Wal-Mart workers to leave their jobs on the busiest day of the year in protest.
Unfortunately for the union, the tactic appears to have been an epic bust. The tone was set early at the St. Cloud, Fla., Wal-Mart where one — yes, just one — employee walked off the job.
The union had a bit more luck elsewhere, but it appears to have been a massive failure at creating anything like a problem for Wal-Mart — which was the union’s real goal, not “organizing” workers, as claimed.
Indeed, as of early afternoon on Black Friday, Wal-Mart said it had sold 1.8 million towels, 1.3 million TVs, 1.3 million dolls and 250,000 bicycles.
“We estimate that less than 50 associates participated in the (union) protest nationwide,” said Wal-Mart CEO Bill Simon. “In fact, this year, roughly the same number of associates missed their scheduled shift as last year.”
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