Retail Industry Split On the Need for Unions, Says RetailWire.com Poll
As organized labor bickers over strategies for reversing the continuing decline in union membership, an informal July 5th RetailWire.com poll reflected a similar schism over the very need for unions in retailing: 52 percent said "yes" they are necessary, to 45 percent saying "no."
(PRWEB) July 8, 2005 -- A fight is taking place over the future direction of
national organized labor. At the heart of the matter is a fractious disagreement
over how to reverse the decline in union membership around the
country.
Last month, the presidents of the Service Employees
International Union (SEIU), Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers
(UFCW), Laborers, and UNITE HERE formed the "Change To Win Coalition." The
group, which represents about 35 percent of the total membership of the AFL-CIO,
said union leadership has failed to put enough support into organizing new
members.
The issue of the relevancy of organized labor in retailing was
posted for discussion on RetailWire.com under the story heading "Labor Schism
Widens." An accompanying Instant Poll of the web site's professional retailing
audience showed a slight majority dismissing the importance of unions in
retailing, and those sentiments were in evidence in commentary by RetailWire's
BrainTrust of retail industry experts.
"If you are a retail worker, just
ask yourself what the union will do for you," wrote David Livingston, Principal,
DJL Research. "Is it really worth the few dollars per hour more that a union
might be able to provide if it only causes the premature demise of your
employer, loss of pay due to strikes, or the closing down of viable locations?
Sometimes I think that if unions had not tied so many retailers' hands, Wal-Mart
would not be as strong as they are."
Jeff Weitzman, President and COO of
Coupons, Inc., sees the possibility that unions could be relevant again in
today's political climate. "If you are a worker watching the government's
decidedly pro-business turn, but don't feel like you're benefiting from it at
all, you're a good candidate for recruitment by a union."
However,
Weitzman expressed strong doubts over organized labor's ability to sort out
priorities and pull membership back into the fold. "Unions have focused so much
on job retention that they have watered down everyone's ability to get ahead. If
I was a good, productive worker, not able to get a merit raise or feeling like I
was carrying two other workers mandated by a union contract, I wouldn't be too
happy with the union either."
"If unions can redefine themselves to once
again be seen as the worker's champion, standing as a bulwark against
perceptions of corporate greed and a government that cares more about corporate
profits than about the quality of life for corporate workers, they have a chance
to regain some ground," concluded Weitzman.
See the full story: "Labor
Schism Widens" ... plus the accompanying Instant Poll and commentary from the
RetailWire BrainTrust panel:
http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/10758 ;
(Free registration required)
RetailWire
editor-in-chief George Anderson has recently been featured on CBS Marketwatch
radio and NPR. He is available for interviews and commentary: George Anderson
908-709-1690.
About
RetailWire.com
RetailWire is a unique online news
analysis and discussion forum, launched in February 2002. RetailWire goes beyond
conventional headline news reporting. Each business morning, RetailWire editors
pick news topics worthy of commentary by its "BrainTrust" panel of industry
experts, and the general RetailWire membership. The results are virtual round
tables of industry opinion and advice covering key dynamics and issues affecting
the retailing industry.
Membership to RetailWire
is free to all qualified retail industry professionals. Over two-thirds of
members are in top executive or senior management positions, representing a
broad cross section of retail channels and the companies that supply
them.
RetailWire is supported by sponsorships
from leading retail suppliers and service organizations. Sponsorship packages
take the form of information-rich "Business TIPS." Current sponsors include
Campbell Soup, ACNielsen, Unilever, Hershey's, Nestlé Purina, DemandTec,
Interactive Edge and Concept Shopping.
Editorial
inquiries, contact:
George Anderson
908-709-1690
For general business inquiries, contact:
Rick Moss
973-744-0813
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contact:
Al McClain
203-975-0557
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/7/prweb258888.htm