Big Lots!: Proud to be Union-Free

[demmiblue]

[hlthe2b]

1. Do they actually post this in their stores? Geez.

[demmiblue]

3. I'm guessing they were pamphlets distributed to employees. n/t

[Iggo]

4. That's what it looks like.

Kind of a "Don't Even Think About It" handout.

[Volaris]

28. That's some 1984 shit, right there...

Pricks.
They KNOW how powerful unions are, or they wouldn't post shit like that.

[Scurrilous]

38. The hang those things up in the break room according to someone I know who works there.

Ironic considering that there would be no breaks if it were not for the efforts of organized labor.

[Ohiogal]

2. A good reason not to shop there.

[Iggo]

5. A very good reason.

[Humanist_Activist]

6. Unfortunately, that's like 90% of retail, even Cosco is mostly non-union...

I do not know if Cosco puts out flyers or makes employees watch antiunion videos, but I do know that Walmart, Target and others do.

[phleshdef]

16. Costco doesn't need a union really.

They treat their work force well. The point of a union is when that is not the case.

[Humanist_Activist]

17. Yes it does, every wage earner needs a union.

Just because Costco is semi-benevolent now doesn't mean it will be in the future. The owners and operators of Costco are ultimately not going to act in the best interest of the workers, the workers need representation and protection.

[phleshdef]

18. No, Costco does not need a union. If they start treating their workers like shit, then they need one

You don't need a union just because you like unions... which is basically what your argument amounts to.

And you have no idea if Costco will stop acting in the best interest of their workers. Ultimately, using your word, all you actually know is that they have done well so far (not just semi-benevolent, you made that up). Prophecy isn't an actual thing in the real world.

[Humanist_Activist]

19. You are literally arguing for Noblesse Largess, why should workers rely...

on the generosity of their employer? Seriously, that's just dumb, they need a union for the same reason everyone needs a union, to represent their interests on more equal footing with their employer.

Right now Costco can eliminate their benefits and slash their pay on a fucking whim, under a Union contract, that would be impossible.

[phleshdef]

20. I want employees in every state to be able to unionize whenever they want to.

In the event Costco did a complete 180 of its tremendous employee centric policies and turned evil all of a sudden, they could unionize and put them in their place.

Its not "dumb". Its reasonable.

I guarantee the vast majority of Costco's employees don't feel like THEY need a union. And Costco is the best employer in the United States, better than even companies that have unions. They top everyone year after year.

For example, UPS is unionized and its not nearly as good to its employees than Costco is.

Unionization should be treated as a solution to a problem, not a solution in search of a problem. It certainly shouldn't be mandated with the near religious fervor that is coming from you.

[Humanist_Activist]

21. According to this list, they aren't even in the top 100...

https://www.greatplacetowork.com/best-workplaces/100-best/2019

Then with further googling found this:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/12/10/costco-google-t-mobile-ranked-best-companies-work-2018/2202327002/

But this list, and the other, I find doubtful, especially with listing Home Depot so high on the second list, I've always been warned away from applying there because they treat employees so awfully.

Also, I noticed a lot of these "best employers" are companies that don't have a large employee base, but may have a large subcontracting base. Curious.

[phleshdef]

22. That USA today article is from 2018....

From earlier this year....
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/03/26/costco-t-mobile-apple-among-best-workplaces-brightest-futures/3226160002/

From 2017....
https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2017/05/10/costco-named-americas-best-employer-2017-infographic/#22f8bf0b6022

My point is, they make one or more of these lists every year. Costco has good people at the top. They get it. Treat your employees like human beings with great value and you'll flourish.

[Humanist_Activist]

25. "Costco has good people at the top." That's irrelevant...

again with the reliance on the generosity of those above us on the economic ladder. There might be good people at the top, but that doesn't last forever, and by that point it may be more difficult to organize. Unions are there as a bulwark, not as a reaction to bad actors, but also as a deterrent for future bad actions.

[phleshdef]

35. It shouldn't ever be difficult to organize. Thats the real problem.

Instead of forcing every employer into a union, regardless of whether they are treating their employees well or not, we should have laws codified at the national level that makes it clear that employers better have their shit together when it comes to treating employees well or face dealing with a union. Watch how quickly they all straighten up. And Costco has done a great service by proving that they have no excuse by being a profitable company that does the right thing without anyone forcing them to.

[demosincebirth]

36. You said a mouthful!

Most of them are union in California. Drivers for sure.

[Drahthaardogs]

23. Costco is anti- union

That's all you need to know

[phleshdef]

24. No. It isn't. Context free garbage like that doesn't even begin to form a valid argument.

Costco doesn't want their workers to unionize. True.
Costco treats their workers extremely well, even better than some of the largest unionized companies. Also true.

[Drahthaardogs]

26. Anti union

Period.

[phleshdef]

33. No. You're wrong. But that kind of black and white thinking is more typical of right wing bullshit.

[Volaris]

29. Ehhhh....Henry Ford paid his people union wages, SPECIFICALLY so they wouldn't consider

that as necessary. It wasnt about the money, it was about the power to COLLECTIVLEY bargin for wages, bennies, pensions, etc

[Humanist_Activist]

31. And yet the UAW still became a thing, curious, isn't it? n/t

[phleshdef]

34. Henry Ford being a general asshole aside, more employers should have that mindset.

Companies shouldn't NEED a union to make them practice decency. Costco is a good example of what every so called "McJob" (retail, food service, etc) should be.

[IcyPeas]

7. they are not as "discount" as they used to be

so it's not even worth driving there anymore.

[Historic NY]

8. Why buy their crap ???

[badhair77]

9. No thanks to Big Lots.

[shanti]

10. I remember when it was Pic'n'Save

in the 70's. Then it was renamed McFrugal's. I used to love that store, but it has changed a lot. I never shop there anymore as it's too far away now. Just another store with cheap Chinese crap.

[Newest Reality]

11. They are PROUD of that?

How anti-worker can you get? Why not blast it out on loudspeakers? Those of us who know what that really means understand the surplus to profit game there. Years and years of stagnating wages. Yay!

That's something to be ashamed of and no amount of newspeak CEO bull will make it otherwise to me. Big Lots of propaganda.

I guess, if you are making huge profits off the help, then you promote whatever will assure screwing your workers that you really rely on into the ground. Right now, they are still a dime a dozen. Humans? Meh. Profit! OOOOOO. Big glowing lights, fanfares, JOBS!

[tirebiter]

12. Costco bribes their workers with good pay and benefits

The unions already made their case without a contract. The CEO is not overpaid either.

[Laffy Kat]

13. Won't be shopping there--proudly. nt

[lpbk2713]

14. I need Big Lots less than they need me.

Piss on em.

[rownesheck]

15. HEB in Texas

is that way. I remember going through management training when I worked for them and they showed us the most vile anti union propaganda film. The union representative depicted in the film was this weaselly creep who was just so mean to the manager. It was disgusting. I remember after the film finished, a woman in our training group spoke up about how despicable it was of HEB to force us to watch that garbage. Several people in the room agreed with her. This was 13 years ago. I hope they cut that shit out. Sadly, they probably haven't.

[LeftInTX]

27. Yikes! They probably haven't changed

I'm in San Antonio and we only have 2 grocery chains: HEB and WalMart......

[Volaris]

30. Dear god I'm sorry...hope you get an Aldi soon, is all I can say...

[LeftInTX]

32. We used to have Kroger, Albertsons and another local chain

HEB chased them out 20 years ago! HEB is extremely competitive and has low prices and good service.

WalMart sucks, but people shop there cuz it's open 24/7 and because they buy other stuff there. I never buy groceries at WalMart.

[nilram]

37. Proud to be Big Lots free!

[Recursion]

39. I used to do IT at a couple of big hotels in Ocean City

They showed these frigging horrible anti-union propaganda movies to new employees once a quarter. They would have been hilarious except for the fact that most workers seemed to swallow them. As much as possible I made sure the projector was "broken" when they tried to do that, but they eventually figured that out, unfortunately.