Walmart Training Video Will Scare You Away From Evil Mean Unions Forever

[niyad]

Triumph Of The Wal


Walmart Training Video Will Scare You Away From Evil Mean Unions Forever


image:
Nice minimum wage job you got here. Shame if something was to happen to it.

Here is a terrifying anti-union video, mandatory viewing for all new Walmart employees, and designed to warn the Walmart neophyte away from those scary union organizers who are trying to lure unsuspecting “associates” into their evil schemes. As propaganda, it ain’t no Leni Riefenstahl, but it’s enough to do the trick, we guess. And you’ll hardly even notice that all the Genuine Walmart Associates are standing in front of green screen projections of Walmart locations. We know that some of you Wonkers never watch the videos, but this one is worth seeing, just for the sheer horror of it. If Barbara Ehrenreich could handle it, so can you.



The video starts with the usual crap about the joys of life as a Walmart “associate,” with a reminder that you can “really make a difference in someone’s day” and be part of a team! You can purchase Walmart stock and even work flexible hours. (The video hints that the store will be flexible for you, but you’ll have the chance to learn the reality later.) There’s a bizarre mention of the inspiring philosophy of “Mister Sam,” Walmart founder Sam Walton, which is a nice update from the earlier edition of the video, which instead called him Bwana Sam.

The anti-union spigots open at around the 2:35 mark, when a smiling blue-vested dolt in front of a green-screened warehouse scene welcomes you to your new corporate home. “But the reality is, you’re not the only one looking to get your foot in the door at Walmart.” Labor unions want to infiltrate Walmart, and they’ve spent millions of dollars to get at your new employer! Good heavens! Do you need that union nonsense? Heck no! You’ll do just fine with the in-house Christmas food drive for Walmart employees!
I think you know by now that our company prefers to have open and direct communication with our associates — we don’t think a labor union is necessary here. And because our associates have said time after time that they don’t want a union, we usually don’t spend a lot of time talking about them.

And then the video spends the next six minutes telling you why unions are bad and scary and really, just plain not anything a decent person would ever want to get mixed up with. We’re informed, again, that unions have “spent a lot of time, effort, and money trying to convince Walmart associates to join a union — all without any success.” Not mentioned, of course, is Walmart’s habit of closing stores that have voted to unionize. Or maybe it’s just preparing for martial law.

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[malthaussen]

1. Props to the Triumph of the Wal pun.

I think Reifenstahl's movie should be required viewing in high school, especially given the shape our own iconography has taken since 9/11.

-- Mal

[niyad]

2. you are, of course, correct.

[jmowreader]

3. I have been through Walmart's employee orientation class

Fortunately, I didn't have to work there long but it is an eye-opening experience.

First they show you the anti-unionization video.

Next, they tell you all Walmart's policies that were implemented after they got busted for various forms of employee abuse. Easy example: we know WM has been cited repeatedly for forcing people to work off the clock. The current policy is, if you are asked to do ANYTHING work-related when you're not on the clock, you have to file a Time Adjustment sheet so you can be compensated for it. By "anything" I mean ANYTHING...if you're eating lunch, another associate approaches you to ask a question and you answer it with even one word, you're expected to file a time adjustment so you can be paid for ten whole seconds of work. One cannot help but wonder if WM would have gotten into as many labor law violations as they have if they were unionized.

[niyad]

4. my guess is not. but then, that would have required a completely different mindset at the

top of that greedy, corrupt, vile, murderous, money-grubbing bunch.