Walmart to reopen five stores following union complaint
Walmart to reopen five stores following union complaint
Five Walmart locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and California that closed in April will reopen in late October or early November, the Bentonville, AR, retailer announced.
The closure of the stores, which affected more than 2,000 employees, drew backlash from the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union, which claimed Walmart closed the stores in retaliation of workers organizing at a California location, Reuters reported.
In the union complaint, Walmart was accused of blaming plumbing problems for closing a store in Pico Rivera, CA, where workers had been pressing for better pay and benefits. The other four store closures, the union claimed, were included as cover.
Walmart denied the claims, saying plumbing and other repairs were necessary. The chain offered workers 60 days’ pay and an opportunity to transfer to another location. It said that workers who are rehired to the same positions at the reopened stores would receive equal or higher pay. The union, meanwhile, wants Walmart to reinstate jettisoned workers at the Pico Rivera location without an application process.
The union’s claim is being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board.