Its on, ASDA/Walmart GMB strike, Can it succeed?

[KeyboardJockey]

I think that dennisr is right. It would be great to see the workers at ASDA win a battle with Walmart..And they just might,if enough people support them and it starts to hit Walmarts pockets and share price etc.
Private companies are vulnerable to boycotts,bad publicity and competition and they know it.

If the workers at Walmart / ASDA can get support from the public which comes from outside the union/activist/left bubbles then they might just have a slim chance. Where I think tht you are wrong is Walmart being worried about a short term dip in share price. They have so much money tht they could ride this one out and don't forget they have scum like Blair/Brown on thier side as well.

 

[dennisr]

Back down back down? Don't make me laugh. The unions may have gained some concessions on the pensions issue but on the issue of savage cuts in essential services and personell the managment won big time. I've had to take some time off this week as my workplace is hell. We have a layer of parasitical 'consultants' soundig off whilst those who do a job of vital international importance are treated like shit and told to do two peoples work. There is going to be a huge military based scandal within the next year or so due to personell cutbacks.

The cuts in services and personnel can only be fought by a membership with the confidence to fight. The pensions backdown was a huge climbdown for the government - its kickstarted the active opposition across the board among local authority workers, for example, as thier heads are raised - as they see what they can achieve.

In the PCS this means that the campaign against these cuts can be fought - far from 'plastic revolutionaries' I see a sensible and very "realistic" (in my sense not yours...) union leadership organising in a way which can empower members. The fight against cuts is already going ahead - precisely because these folk were clever in building the active participation and confidence of a membership previously held down by the old right-wing.

When I say govt backing I mean laws that favour workers rather than companies like Walmart.

Yes I understand what you mean

I wish I shared your optimisim but I don't. Most people will see the vacated posts of the unionised staff as an opportunity for themsleves. Thatcher fucked this country over so much tht nobody cares about their neighbour or their colleauge anymore.

Sorry to disappoint you dennisr but most people will turn over and watch Big Brother rather than think about the issues involved.

Solidarity! It's as dead as Monty Pythons parrot. You need to re create the idea o solidarity and it will take a long long time becuase of thedamage done by the Thatcher / Blair regimes but living in a cloud cuckoo land of assuming tht it is there for the tapping is doomed to failier

I also understand disolusion mate - you try being a trade union organiser ofver the last 20 years (apart from the occasional highpoint). And yes, I know that is not an easy task to rebuild but you cannot just look at everything through the eyes and media of those powerful enough to want this to be true. The passivity and defeats of the recent past are also the basis of a huge anger at our own powerlessness - anger at organised boss politics, anger at destruction of communities, services, proper jobs, anger at increasingly desperate, shitty, petty lives - but people only gorp at big brother while they cannot see anything better/achievable to do. The only inevitability is change I'd say. But, feck, you sound like you are defeated before you begin the next battle - I'm glad the new layer coming up now are not listening to you or anybody else.

 

[KeyboardJockey]

"Realism" and "being realistic" in the sense you have used it a couple of times on this thread - and in the sense that trade union leaders have been using it for decades - are exactly the reasons working people have been atomised and shafted to the extent they have. Just been reading a book on the 1926 General Strike - these trade union leades were proud of being "realistic". The minors in 1984-85 were sold down the river by a "realistic" TUC. So who's being realistic here KJ?

I 'm using the term realistic in the context of thinking tht there will suddenly be this mass outbreak of solidarity towards the ASDA workers - I don't think there will be (nice if it happened though). Thatchers dictum that 'there is no such thing as society only individuals and their families' has come true in spades.

This is not 1926 or 1984. There are no coherent industries to organise around anymore. We have been left with a Sandwich Bar enconomy with the subsequent atomisation of workers.

As for the plastic revolutionary - well it was Serwotka's leadership that mean you are not already working 5 years longer before retirement - the first major dispute in the civil service in decades after decades of "realistic" trade union leaders selling your arses. You should work out who your real enemies are.

The November 04 strike did bugger all to protect jobs. The govt just threw Serwotka the pensions bone to shut him up. OK we are not working five years more but workplace morale is at rock bottom.

I know who my real enemies are but I know that people like Serwotka have minimal support in a lot of govt depts. My workplace is a such a total stitch up by the 'moderates' tht there is no point in taking part in union activities and I say that as a PCS member.

I think tht PCS needs a left of centre leader but I'm not comfortable with MS's attitude and his desire to grandstand.

 

[dennisr]

I 'm using the term realistic in the context of thinking tht there will suddenly be this mass outbreak of solidarity towards the ASDA workers - I don't think there will be (nice if it happened though). Thatchers dictum that 'there is no such thing as society only individuals and their families' has come true in spades.

I agree on the effects of Thatcherism (now the Blair version...) do an extent - i grow up under it to. But its contradictory. The fact is there is a society, we don't live in a vacum, we cannot escape it by wishing it away - as i am sure you would agree - and it still effects us and we still have to act back o it. That is why a huge majority of these workers have gone for action. Probably many of them still unaware of the full consequences of what they have decided to do - but they can learn this from activity.

The November 04 strike did bugger all to protect jobs. The govt just threw Serwotka the pensions bone to shut him up. OK we are not working five years more but workplace morale is at rock bottom. I know who my real enemies are but I know that people like Serwotka have minimal support in a lot of govt depts. My workplace is a such a total stitch up by the 'moderates' tht there is no point in taking part in union activities and I say that as a PCS member.

I think tht PCS needs a left of centre leader but I'm not comfortable with MS's attitude and his desire to grandstand.

The November strike was about pensions - it was, largely, won. Morale is low because the workforce are being attacked and, in your case - by the sounds of it - the local leadership is shite. I don't think the morale of the workforce in many sections is so terrible though - why is the PCS the fastest growing union in Britain at the moment if everyone is so put off by the present leadership? I don't think you can say MS is grandstanding - far from it he and the rest of the present leadership are attacked by the ultra-left for thier 'compromises'. I think they are being realistic in the sense of understanding where the mood of the workforce is and doing thier best to build the confidence of the membership. They cannot be blaimed for the mood in your office though - given - as you say - the old right wing are still in control. Thats up to you and your workmates to do something about.

 

[dennisr]

The govt just threw Serwotka the pensions bone to shut him up.

That was some feckin bone!! - totally screwed up the governments chance of being able to quietly impose this across the board. Personally, i think the pensions issue has now become a nighmare for them as a result of this successful defence of conditions as they stand for those employed via thier union.

ps given the present campaign against the job cuts across the board in the civil service, the PCS clearly haven't been silenced by the bone offered

 

[Matt S]

KJ,

I have to say that you sound like you've given up before anything has even started. Do you have a prescription for change other than just saying "Solidarity is dead, no-one cares, we're all fucked.."? I don't disagree that labour solidarity is in a bad place in the UK at the moment - but it's not going to get any better if everyone decides to give up, is it?

I would hope that the Green Party will be right behind this strike.

Matt

 

[dennisr]

And they just might,if enough people support them and it starts to hit Walmarts pockets and share price etc. Private companies are vulnerable to boycotts,bad publicity and competition and they know it.

And the question is - if Walmart were not worried why are they so determined to crush this opposition? -

Like someone else said they are more hated than most - like the McDonalds of supermarkets and must have some inkling of that resentment against them.

 

[KeyboardJockey]

KJ,

I have to say that you sound like you've given up before anything has even started. Do you have a prescription for change other than just saying "Solidarity is dead, no-one cares, we're all fucked.."? I don't disagree that labour solidarity is in a bad place in the UK at the moment - but it's not going to get any better if everyone decides to give up, is it?

The reason I have the attitude that I have is that is my experience. I've worked in a lot of different industries over the years and I've seen it all. I've seen places where the managment run a culture of backstabbing and bullying and strategic preferencialism which prevents any form of solidarity developing between staff of the same grade let alone staff of different grades. I've also seen the negative side of workplace solidarity where I as a photographer was not allowed to use a glorified fax machine to send a picture as it had to be operated by a member of the NGA. All through this I have supported workers strikes with one exeption - Wapping as I had been on the recieving end of the arrogance of SOGAT and NGA too many times to feel any affinity with them.

I think that due to the atomisation of employment culture any attempt to build solidarity via workplace structures is doomed to faiiure as employers will just find a hooky excuse to sack the potential organiser (it's amazing how easy it is to fit someone up for workplace theft or something) and the increase in casualisation means that there is not the identification with the workplace and colleauges tht there once was.

Maybe the future path of creating solidarity is within neighbourhoods and over single issue campaigns that people can feel some sense of ownership of. Once this solidarity achieves results in a local area then people will feel confident that they can organise within the workplace. For Example: There is no point in a fast food worker getting sacked for union organisation if his or her neighbours are just going to bovinely troop through the company doors and eat the companies product. If the workers neighbours have got experience of organising then the workers will feel confident enough to organise knowing tht thier community will back them with boycotts if necessary.

You are right I am disillusioned because all that I've seen is disillusioning. We've lost a whole generation who don't know what the word solidarity means - just listen in to the workers traveling in on the Fenchurch Street Line if you want to find this out. No one but no one sticks there head above the parapet as they've seen too many fools get them shot off.

To rebuild solidarity will take a lot of work and some creative thinking. Falling back on old ways will not yeild positive results.

I would hope that the Green Party will be right behind this strike.

So do I but will the GP's mostly middle class support follow the executive?

 

[poster342002]

it has the potential to blow up inot a major test of workers rights and potential power.

What - into yet another "test of workers' rights" that our side ends up losing? Just like every single such "battle" (read "route") since 1979?

And KeyboardJockey is right. I mean, FFS, only today I actually had an argument with union members who were actually insisting that job cuts are A GOOD THING! Christ!

 

[KeyboardJockey]

I agree on the effects of Thatcherism (now the Blair version...) do an extent - i grow up under it to. But its contradictory. The fact is there is a society, we don't live in a vacum, we cannot escape it by wishing it away - as i am sure you would agree - and it still effects us and we still have to act back o it. That is why a huge majority of these workers have gone for action. Probably many of them still unaware of the full consequences of what they have decided to do - but they can learn this from activity.

I hope you are right. If and it's a big if, they can take on Walmart and win then it might be a good example to others. However, I can see so many ways that anti union legislation and pure starvation and negative publicity could break this strike.

The November strike was about pensions - it was, largely, won. Morale is low because the workforce are being attacked and, in your case - by the sounds of it - the local leadership is shite. I don't think the morale of the workforce in many sections is so terrible though - why is the PCS the fastest growing union in Britain at the moment if everyone is so put off by the present leadership? I don't think you can say MS is grandstanding - far from it he and the rest of the present leadership are attacked by the ultra-left for thier 'compromises'. I think they are being realistic in the sense of understanding where the mood of the workforce is and doing thier best to build the confidence of the membership.

I was under the impression that the November 04 strike was primarily about job losses which is what was the tone of the communicatons that came to me via the union.

I know that the PCS is a fast growing union and it is a good sign that the ultra left Judean Peoples Front types are having a go at the leadership but I don't think that MS actually understands what the situation is on the ground and how bad it is. I work in a sensitive area that depends on communication with industry and I've seen 80% of our Awareness staff lose their jobs. We are ina position where the industries who we are supposed to oversee is dictating terms to us as they see how demoralised we are due to the lack of staff and the craveness of management. Nobody wants to whistleblow as they know the union won't back them.

They cannot be blaimed for the mood in your office though - given - as you say - the old right wing are still in control. Thats up to you and your workmates to do something about.

The Moderates are firmly in control of my office becuase the staff are apathetic and also they see themselves as primarily civil servants and therefore apolitical. Anyone standing for anything other than the Moderates in my place would a) be defeated as the Mods would put round the whisper about 'lefty troublemaking sedition' b) squeezed out by managment by promtion refusals etc. The only way the Moderates / Right Wing will lose in my place is when they retiire or die

 

[poster342002]

ANd I don't think you can place the blame for shite workplace morale and non-solidarity entirely at the door of right-wing union officials (although that certainly doesn't help). My workplace actually has excellent, left-leaning local officials - but morale and solidarity on the ground is still non-existant.

 

[dennisr]

ANd I don't think you can place the blame for shite workplace morale and non-solidarity entirely at the door of right-wing union officials (although that certainly doesn't help). My workplace actually has excellent, left-leaning local officials - but morale and solidarity on the ground is still non-existant.

Are you a PCS member/civil servant poster?

My point is not that having left-wing union officials are a solution, although it may help in working towards one. Winning battles (or whatever you want to call them...), winning concrete results is the best way of building union morale and solidarity. in KJs workplace, despite a decent national leadership who have managed to win what was a significent result - and are continuing to fight on further issues, the local leadership is pap - It sounds like a shitty situation for those on the ground from what he says. My disagreement with him about the union is simply that i think it has acheived results and has raised members confidence (in not the easiest of circumstances)

I have seen the occasional 'left-wing' reps who have done more damage than good when it comes to building that morale and confidence though. I hope thats not the sort you mean - the grandstanding gesture politics type that KJ talked about earlier (even if I think he was wrongly attributing that to the present PCS leadership). It happens. A clever (and lucky - by KJs description of his workplace...) rep builds on what actually exists rather than getting elected to positions for the sake of it - turns sympathy into action that wins concrete results. In one workplace or across an industry.

Yes, the last 20 years have been pretty crudy - this is an opportunity by one of the poorer sections of the orgsnised working class to kick in the opposite direction - let's not assume we are all doomed before its even started.

 

[dennisr]

The Moderates are firmly in control of my office becuase the staff are apathetic and also they see themselves as primarily civil servants and therefore apolitical. Anyone standing for anything other than the Moderates in my place would a) be defeated as the Mods would put round the whisper about 'lefty troublemaking sedition' b) squeezed out by managment by promtion refusals etc. The only way the Moderates / Right Wing will lose in my place is when they retiire or die

Frankly, it sounds like crap where you work mate - the role of your local branch will be to increase that apathy and conservatism - i don't envy you the situation you are in. Don't se any short term solution to that beyond hiring a hit-squad to assist their retirement

 

[dennisr]

Nobody wants to whistleblow as they know the union won't back them.

Actually,,, maybe thats not necessarily true and maybe that is one way of changing the situation in the workplace - could i get back to you on that after chatting to some PCS folk i know unofficially?

 

[tbaldwin]

I think that private companies are much more vulnerable than the good old public sector.
If the Left has any chance to reconnect with working people then this is a far better bet than any public sector action.

 

[matewan6]

The strike is targetted and focussed at the distribution depots where the GMB is very strong with PR support and picketing support outside the main agencies already lined up to supply strike breakers. Solidarity help is needed outside these agencies to picket them and ensure they abide by the law - which now says it is illegal for an agency to supply labour in the idst of an idustrial dispute.

The purpose of the strike is to win back full access and recognition rights for the union - and rights, respect and decent treatment for the staff that will follow. It puts an end to years of piss poor leadership by the GMB that has allowed ASDA to salami slice the union agreement until it is barely there at all - in the name of partnership. Is the GMB going to bring WalMart as a global corporation to its knees? - probably not but the dispute is worth fighting and concessions can definitely be won if we can hold the strike together.

Fair play to the Reps and lets give them all the support we can.

 

[ska invita]

The strike is targetted and focussed at the distribution depots where the GMB is very strong with PR support and picketing support outside the main agencies already lined up to supply strike breakers. Solidarity help is needed outside these agencies to picket them and ensure they abide by the law - which now says it is illegal for an agency to supply labour in the idst of an idustrial dispute.

The purpose of the strike is to win back full access and recognition rights for the union - and rights, respect and decent treatment for the staff that will follow. It puts an end to years of piss poor leadership by the GMB that has allowed ASDA to salami slice the union agreement until it is barely there at all - in the name of partnership. Is the GMB going to bring WalMart as a global corporation to its knees? - probably not but the dispute is worth fighting and concessions can definitely be won if we can hold the strike together.

Fair play to the Reps and lets give them all the support we can.

Here here.

KJ: to be fair Gate Gourmet wasnt exactly a failure (although some may disagree on the final outcome) .

- Asda are desperate for profits and even a five day strike in an operation where freshness is so important could be very damaging.

I see no reason to be overly pessimistic.

 

[poster342002]

Are you a PCS member/civil servant poster?

My point is not that having left-wing union officials are a solution, although it may help in working towards one. Winning battles (or whatever you want to call them...), winning concrete results is the best way of building union morale and solidarity. in KJs workplace, despite a decent national leadership who have managed to win what was a significent result - and are continuing to fight on further issues, the local leadership is pap - It sounds like a shitty situation for those on the ground from what he says. My disagreement with him about the union is simply that i think it has acheived results and has raised members confidence (in not the easiest of circumstances)

I have seen the occasional 'left-wing' reps who have done more damage than good when it comes to building that morale and confidence though. I hope thats not the sort you mean - the grandstanding gesture politics type that KJ talked about earlier (even if I think he was wrongly attributing that to the present PCS leadership). It happens. A clever (and lucky - by KJs description of his workplace...) rep builds on what actually exists rather than getting elected to positions for the sake of it - turns sympathy into action that wins concrete results. In one workplace or across an industry.

Yes, the last 20 years have been pretty crudy - this is an opportunity by one of the poorer sections of the orgsnised working class to kick in the opposite direction - let's not assume we are all doomed before its even started.

To be honest, the attitudes in my workplace among the membership are so utterly appaling that it's probably beyond rescue. Like I say, yesterday I had the most unbelievable conversation of my life trying to argue with members who were arguing in favour of job cuts! They all seem to support the mangement line on anything they throw at us, nomatter how detrimental to their own interests. Most of the members here consider themselves to be management, anyway - and often welcome the crap thrown at us as it provides an oportunity to bully the staff one grade beneath them.

I gave up pissing in the wind with them long ago, really.

 

[KeyboardJockey]

They all seem to support the mangement line on anything they throw at us, nomatter how detrimental to their own interests. Most of the members here consider themselves to be management, anyway - and often welcome the crap thrown at us as it provides an oportunity to bully the staff one grade beneath them.

.

That is the position in my place as well. Those workers who are managing one member of staff for example side with management becuase they are only looking after number one and are probably on a power trip and there is a general fear of standing up to management from the staff in general.

They've just moved a load of staff round into different jobs to cover up the holes in staffing and all the union rep is saying is that 'people should be paid for the grade they are working at temporarily' no mention from him at all of the reason why there are so many holes in staff.

Also there was a vote recently at a PCS conference that was carried I believe that said that those who scab cannot expect help from thier local officer but must be represented by a PcS full timer. Guess who voted against the motion - yup you guessed it - my shop steward

 

[tbaldwin]

Why are the usual public sector whingers trying to derail the thread....

 

[dennisr]

Why are the usual public sector whingers trying to derail the thread....

I don't think this comment helps baldwin.

Some people are obviously cheesed off, understandably, in their jobs. The thread on an open board gives them the opportunity to discuss thier own situations - regardles of what sector they work in. its understandable that folk in such a situation may well project thier own workplace exprience onto other events. These are genuine feelings reflecting those held by many other working people in the UK after the experiences of the last few decades - probably, including some of those working at Asda so I don't see the opportunity to discuss/answer such fears is a major problem.

 

[poster342002]

dennisr,

Do you have any advice as to what to do when confronted with the below scenario?

To be honest, the attitudes in my workplace among the membership are so utterly appaling that it's probably beyond rescue. Like I say, yesterday I had the most unbelievable conversation of my life trying to argue with members who were arguing in favour of job cuts! They all seem to support the mangement line on anything they throw at us, nomatter how detrimental to their own interests. Most of the members here consider themselves to be management, anyway - and often welcome the crap thrown at us as it provides an oportunity to bully the staff one grade beneath them.

I gave up pissing in the wind with them long ago, really.

 

[poster342002]

dennisr,

Or any advice on this one?

Those workers who are managing one member of staff for example side with management becuase they are only looking after number one and are probably on a power trip and there is a general fear of standing up to management from the staff in general.

 

[KeyboardJockey]

Why are the usual public sector whingers trying to derail the thread....

I don't think that is the most helpful of comments

The private sector is less vunerable to strike action as they normally have ready made blocs of strike breakers from agencies all lined up.

As I have said before if you want to build solidarity in the private sector with atomised and demoralised workforces then maybe solidarity needs to be created outside the workplace so that the concepts are then transferrable.

Besides - the public sector is vitally important to the uk - it keeps you safe and well.

 

[dennisr]

dennisr,

Do you have any advice as to what to do when confronted with the below scenario?

What are you trying to say poster. Are you saying 'ha, no answers to my problems' as though that proves your general arguements/view of every other workplace in britain correct? - the thing is it doesn't mate - it just shows how shitty your workplace is. What 'advice' can I give beyond - its up to you and your workmates to change it if you can and if not dont start putting your own lack of cxonfidence on every other worker who is able to stand up - you support them, they may then have a chance of winning.

I've organised and led strikes, campaigns, wildcats - mainly in very difficult to organise private sector - on sites in a factory both previously unorganised, both 'hopeless' case in terms of the workforce many other would - and did - say. Won some and lost some. It was a different situation though and I had one major advantage - none of the proto-wannabe-management membership.

I've also been in a position, in later years, as a rep in a workplace with managers in the same branch. And yes, it was a major problem and the TU was not interested (they just wanted their subs coming in and everybody to shut up and keep paying). I pushed for a situation were managers were not allowed to meetings were details involving them were discussed and got the full-time officials to tkae up thier seperate individual problems rather than me. Not a complete solution - but i made the best of the situation that existed and tried to ensure that memebers were able to say what they really felt without having thier own managers breathing down thier necks. Firstly, I had to win the confidence of the majority of members to be able to force that through - I did not say it was all 'hopeless' and 'sod em'. I'm not just some outsider who does not know how hard it is mate

i sympathise with the difficult situation you face but I dont see how your workplace situation equates to 'every single workplace in britian. Its simply not true. The co-option of management into sections of the unions, the diffarentual wages and salary scales, the rectionary mentality - yes, its a problem we face - but no point snivelling about it and telling me its all hopeless and you 'give up'. You just become a, no matter how unwilling, reflection of the very thing you hate.

Frankly the most practical advice would be look for another job if you don't think you can change things were you are

 

[tbaldwin]

I don't think that is the most helpful of comments

The private sector is less vunerable to strike action as they normally have ready made blocs of strike breakers from agencies all lined up.

As I have said before if you want to build solidarity in the private sector with atomised and demoralised workforces then maybe solidarity needs to be created outside the workplace so that the concepts are then transferrable.

Besides - the public sector is vitally important to the uk - it keeps you safe and well.

Totally disagree that Private sector is less vulnerable. If the mines had been privatised before 1984 the miners would have won....
Private firms are there to make money they cant if enough people boycott their goods and their workers are on strike.

The public sector is full of people moaning.Thats part of the reason why public services are so bad..

 

[treelover]

Not sure what to make of this, the union did say they were going to photograph workers going into the Depo, though that may cause bad feeling. Maybe it's Walmart starting its dirty tricks, something tells me this is going to be a biggie.


SPYING PICKETS'
A UNION was embroiled in a "bullying" row last night over the use of "electronic pickets".
The GMB was accused by supermarket giant Asda of harassing workers by taking pictures of them as they arrived at the Washington distribution warehouse on Pattinson Industrial Estate.
It comes as GMB members at the depot prepare to strike for five days from June 30, which could leave Asda shelves in the city empty.
The union has threatened to use electronic surveillance equipment to identify staff during strike action.
If Asda is found to be hiring labour to counter a strike, the GMB has vowed legal action under 2004 regulations designed to stop companies using "scab" labour.
Workers at the depot were furious at having their pictures taken last Friday.
They say a man with a camera snapped them from the roadside while a van with GMB placards on top of it stood nearby.
The union denied one of its officials was to blame – and accused Asda of taking pictures of its own workers.

http://www.sunderlandtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1107&ArticleID=1585149

 

[KeyboardJockey]

Not sure what to make of this, the union did say they were going to photograph workers going into the Depo, though that may cause bad feeling. Maybe it's Walmart starting its dirty tricks, something tells me this is going to be a biggie.


SPYING PICKETS'
A UNION was embroiled in a "bullying" row last night over the use of "electronic pickets".
The GMB was accused by supermarket giant Asda of harassing workers by taking pictures of them as they arrived at the Washington distribution warehouse on Pattinson Industrial Estate.
It comes as GMB members at the depot prepare to strike for five days from June 30, which could leave Asda shelves in the city empty.
The union has threatened to use electronic surveillance equipment to identify staff during strike action.
If Asda is found to be hiring labour to counter a strike, the GMB has vowed legal action under 2004 regulations designed to stop companies using "scab" labour.
Workers at the depot were furious at having their pictures taken last Friday.
They say a man with a camera snapped them from the roadside while a van with GMB placards on top of it stood nearby.
The union denied one of its officials was to blame – and accused Asda of taking pictures of its own workers.

http://www.sunderlandtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1107&ArticleID=1585149

Sounds like an agent provocatur issue from ASDA imo. Dont' for get walmart is going to court to have the ballot declared illegal.

 

[ska invita]

Dont' for get walmart is going to court to have the ballot declared illegal.

Sounds desperate to me...

 

[KeyboardJockey]

Sounds desperate to me...

You might be right there. Hopefully the judges will throw out Walmart's case which is based on what Walmart say are 'irregularities' in the strike vote. Walmart are alleging that non ASDA workers voted for strike action.