Corporate Watch

Union membership is the best protection against corporate power. For this reason many companies will use tactics that are dishonest at best, and sometimes criminal, to keep unions out. Where unions are present, many employers shamefully attempt to break the will of workers before granting even nominal concessions through collective bargaining.

This page is meant to be a resource for you to become aware of some of the struggles that are going on for some of our brothers and sisters and to become involved in the fight. Please visit often to stay aware of updates on contract negotiations, strikes, organizing drives and other actions for local, national and international campaigns.

Here is just a glimpse at some of the more egregious corporate citizens:

q	Coca-Cola - The world’s largest distributor of soda had piled up a long list of workers’ rights violations around the world. The intimidation and murder of union supporters at Columbian Coca-Cola plants makes the low wages around the world almost pale in comparison.

FedEx - FedEx considers its home delivery drivers “independent contractors,’ which means that the company does not have to pay benefits and taxes. The NLRB has ruled against this classification several times, recently in Massachusetts and Connecticut, but the company continues to fight it tooth and nail.

q	Walmart - The largest employer in the United States has over 3,900 stores and 1.4 million workers, and not one is represented by a union. Low wages, poor healthcare, and general mistreatment is what you can expect as a Walmart employee.

If you are currently involved in a struggle with a company, or know of a bad corporate citizen, please submit your story to lyndafpd@aol.com.