Federal officials said Monday they are prepared to file formal complaints against Wal-Mart for allegedly violating the legal rights of protesting workers last year. The National Labor Relations Board announced that its general counsel, Richard Griffin, found merit in charges that the retailer unlawfully threatened employees in California and Texas with reprisal if they engaged in strikes and protests ahead of Black Friday, the big shopping day after Thanksgiving. Griffin also is ready to press charges that Wal-Mart illegally threatened, disciplined or terminated more than 100 employees in 13 states for participating in legally protected strikes and protests last November over wages and working conditions. Formal complaints will be filed if Wal-Mart and the workers fail to reach a settlement in the next week or two, NLRB spokesman Gregory King said. The protests last year were organized by the union-backed group OUR Walmart, which has been pushing the company for years to raise wages and benefits. The same group is preparing to launch similar actions at Wal-Mart stores across the country next week in an effort to highlight thousands of store employees who make "poverty wages" of less than $25,000 a year. Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said the company disagreed with the labor board and planned to defend itself.
Gov't finds merit in labor claims against Wal-Mart
Business Week