New Internal Documents Show Wal-Mart Forced to Change Attendance Policy
New Internal Documents Show Wal-Mart Forced to Change Attendance Policy
Immediate Release
Contact: Chris Kofinis 202-486-6422
NEW INTERNAL DOCUMENTS SHOW WAL-MART FORCED TO MAKE CHANGES TO ATTENDANCE POLICY
COMPANY RESPONDS TO GROWING PRESSURE BY WAL-MART ASSOCIATES WORKING TOGETHER WITH WAKEUPWALMART.COM
WAKEUPWALMART.COM RENEWS ITS CALL FOR WAL-MART TO END ITS ANTI-FAMILY PRACTICES BY THANKSGIVING DAY
Washington, D.C. - Today, in the first response to WakeUpWalMart.com’s Thanksgiving Day Challenge, Wal-Mart is announcing minor changes to its company wide attendance policy. In a series of documents provided to WakeUpWalMart.com, Wal-Mart outlines small changes that the company was forced to make because of the outpouring of concern and pressure brought from Associates and our campaign.
Among the changes outlined, Wal-Mart has added two additional reasons that Associates can use to obtain an authorized absence. Specifically, “Public Evacuation” and “Extraordinary Circumstances Approved by MHRM (i.e. managers)” will now be considered reasons for authorized absences. Based on these changes, according to Wal-Mart, “Extraordinary Circumstances” are defined as: Community and/or School emergency situations (i.e. terrorist threats/acts/epidemics, fires/explosions, etc); Associate funerals; Severe weather which leads to school closings due to dangerous driving conditions; and, Associate has damage to property that requires immediate attention, such as from fire, flood, break-in, etc.
In addition, although Wal-Mart will still only allow Associates 3 unauthorized absences in a 6-month period, Wal-Mart has said it will not take disciplinary action until the fourth unauthorized absence. Under the previous Attendance announcement, Wal-Mart said it would take disciplinary action on the third unauthorized absence.
Wal-Mart still seems to consider an Associate who is absent for personal emergencies, such as taking care of a sick child or personal need, an unauthorized absence, and will penalize workers who may be a few minutes late for work due to traffic, congestion, or personal matters. Additional changes, which are discussed in the documents, are available by contacting WakeUpWalMart.com.
“Unfortunately, while we believe Wal-Mart’s decision to give in to both public and internal pressure is a big deal, these changes are small and Wal-Mart has cruelly failed to address the fact that employees should not be penalized for taking care of a sick child or a relative,” said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com.
Based on the timing of these changes, it is clear that Wal-Mart’s decision is a direct response to petition demands by Wal-Mart’s Associates and a letter by WakeUpWalMart.com sent to Lee Scott on November 3rd calling on Wal-Mart to change its anti-family policies by Thanksgiving Day.
“Wal-Mart’s decision to change its anti-family attendance policy proves the tremendous power employees have to join together and improve their lives,” said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com, “Now, we are empowered to move forward and reiterate our call for Wal-Mart to reverse its other anti-family decisions like salary caps, open availability scheduling, cutting hours, shifting employees to part-time, not providing affordable health care and paying poverty wages,” Blank continued.
On November 22, 2006, WakeUpWalMart.com will be holding a second conference call for all Wal-Mart Associates to update Associates on Wal-Mart’s changes and discuss plans to continue to pressure Wal-Mart to finally put America’s families first.
Copies of Wal-Mart’s new attendance policy are available by contacting WakeUpWalMart.com’s communications director at 202-486-6422.
Background
Over the last year, Wal-Mart has announced several policy changes which abandon Sam Walton’s vision and are the most anti-family changes in this company’s history. The changes include: salary caps, plans to shift 200,000 full-time employees to part-time, the elimination of low-deductible standard health care plans for new hires, open availability scheduling and a draconian attendance policy which made it impossible for an Associate to take care of a sick child.
Following the first-ever walk-out by 200 Wal-Mart Associates in Hialeah Gardens, Florida, WakeUpWalMart.com organized the first-ever national conference call for Wal-Mart Associates. On the call, WakeUpWalMart.com released a letter to Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott calling on Wal-Mart to end its anti-family policies by Thanksgiving Day. Since the call, Associates, on their own, have started circulating petitions calling on Wal-Mart to end its anti-family policies by Thanksgiving Day.
A copy of the Nov.3rd letter by WakeUpWalMart.com to Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott is attached below.
Share your profits with all your associates, and treat them as partners. In turn, they will treat you as a partner, and together you will all perform beyond your wildest expectations.
Rule #2, Sam Walton’s 10 Rules for Success
Mr. Lee Scott
CEO
Wal-Mart, Inc.
Bentonville, AR
Dear Mr. Scott,
Sam Walton, Wal-Mart’s founder and visionary, understood that Wal-Mart’s success would rise and fall based on how well, or poorly, Wal-Mart treated its employees and their families. While some folks would call this “smart business,” we call it “family values.”
Respecting your workers, treating them with fairness and dignity, paying a decent wage, providing truly affordable health care, and creating a workplace that values families first is what Wal-Mart should be all about. Unfortunately, though, under your leadership and with the assistance of Eduardo Castro-Wright, we believe today’s Wal-Mart no longer reflects Sam’s values and has abandoned the family values that made Wal-Mart such a success.
Here are the facts, Mr. Scott.
In just the last 11 months, Wal-Mart has cut the percentage of full-time workers, cut management and Associate positions across the board, cut hours, imposed salary caps, shifted to open availability scheduling, eliminated low-deductible health care plans, and imposed a draconian attendance policy.
Wal-Mart’s recent policy changes are the most anti-Associate, anti-family changes in the company’s history and do not reflect a company that values its Associates. While we understand Wal-Mart’s desire to increase its profitability, it should not be done on the backs of the Associates who help Wal-Mart earn those profits.
As you witnessed, hopefully, with the dramatic rebellion by over 200 Wal-Mart Associates at a Wal-Mart store in Hialeah Gardens, Florida, Wal-Mart Associates and their families all across this country have had enough and are not going to take it anymore.
The many terrible changes Wal-Mart has made, and the many more that Associates are being told “are on the way,” are not only bad for Associates and their families, but will be disastrous for the long-term health and success of Wal-Mart. You and your top executives at the Home Office must understand that Wal-Mart Associates have a right to be paid a decent wage, offered family friendly scheduling and full-time work, provided with a fair attendance policy and affordable health care, and ensured that they are treated with dignity, respect and fairness in the workplace.
Put another way, it’s time for Wal-Mart to stop its anti-family policies and start giving thanks to its Associates and their families whose hard-work and sacrifice make Wal-Mart a success. In that spirit, we call on Wal-Mart, by Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2006, to implement the following changes and reverse a series of anti-family policies:
• End Wal-Mart’s “Open Availability” Policy [also known as peak-time or demand scheduling] that has caused chaos in the lives of Wal-Mart’s 1.39 million Associates and their families
• Institute “Family Friendly Scheduling” that provides stable work schedules and permits Associates to have normal lives and spend time with their children
• Reverse Wal-Mart’s “New Attendance Policy” that punishes Associates who need to take a day off to care for a sick child or family member
• End Wal-Mart’s “New Salary Caps” and allow hard-working Associates to be rewarded for their loyalty, not punished
We are calling on you to make these changes by Thanksgiving because we believe these are the immediate changes that are necessary to restore employee morale, honor Sam Walton’s vision, increase Wal-Mart’s profitability, and improve the lives of Wal-Mart’s 1.39 million Associates and their families.
In the hopes that you will do what is right, we will be holding another conference call on November 22nd, 2006 where we will announce what Wal-Mart’s response has been.
By working together and making these changes, we believe Wal-Mart will be taking an important first step to begin a positive dialogue where we can continue to work together to address the serious challenges of better wages, more affordable health care, and creating a just and fair workplace that will forever ensure not only the success of Wal-Mart, but a good and decent life for all Wal-Mart Associates and their families.
Sincerely,
WakeUpWalMart.com
© 2005 United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.
This site is in no way connected with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. or any affiliate of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Immediate Release
Contact: Chris Kofinis 202-486-6422
NEW INTERNAL DOCUMENTS SHOW WAL-MART FORCED TO MAKE CHANGES TO ATTENDANCE POLICY
COMPANY RESPONDS TO GROWING PRESSURE BY WAL-MART ASSOCIATES WORKING TOGETHER WITH WAKEUPWALMART.COM
WAKEUPWALMART.COM RENEWS ITS CALL FOR WAL-MART TO END ITS ANTI-FAMILY PRACTICES BY THANKSGIVING DAY
Washington, D.C. - Today, in the first response to WakeUpWalMart.com’s Thanksgiving Day Challenge, Wal-Mart is announcing minor changes to its company wide attendance policy. In a series of documents provided to WakeUpWalMart.com, Wal-Mart outlines small changes that the company was forced to make because of the outpouring of concern and pressure brought from Associates and our campaign.
Among the changes outlined, Wal-Mart has added two additional reasons that Associates can use to obtain an authorized absence. Specifically, “Public Evacuation” and “Extraordinary Circumstances Approved by MHRM (i.e. managers)” will now be considered reasons for authorized absences. Based on these changes, according to Wal-Mart, “Extraordinary Circumstances” are defined as: Community and/or School emergency situations (i.e. terrorist threats/acts/epidemics, fires/explosions, etc); Associate funerals; Severe weather which leads to school closings due to dangerous driving conditions; and, Associate has damage to property that requires immediate attention, such as from fire, flood, break-in, etc.
In addition, although Wal-Mart will still only allow Associates 3 unauthorized absences in a 6-month period, Wal-Mart has said it will not take disciplinary action until the fourth unauthorized absence. Under the previous Attendance announcement, Wal-Mart said it would take disciplinary action on the third unauthorized absence.
Wal-Mart still seems to consider an Associate who is absent for personal emergencies, such as taking care of a sick child or personal need, an unauthorized absence, and will penalize workers who may be a few minutes late for work due to traffic, congestion, or personal matters. Additional changes, which are discussed in the documents, are available by contacting WakeUpWalMart.com.
“Unfortunately, while we believe Wal-Mart’s decision to give in to both public and internal pressure is a big deal, these changes are small and Wal-Mart has cruelly failed to address the fact that employees should not be penalized for taking care of a sick child or a relative,” said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com.
Based on the timing of these changes, it is clear that Wal-Mart’s decision is a direct response to petition demands by Wal-Mart’s Associates and a letter by WakeUpWalMart.com sent to Lee Scott on November 3rd calling on Wal-Mart to change its anti-family policies by Thanksgiving Day.
“Wal-Mart’s decision to change its anti-family attendance policy proves the tremendous power employees have to join together and improve their lives,” said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com, “Now, we are empowered to move forward and reiterate our call for Wal-Mart to reverse its other anti-family decisions like salary caps, open availability scheduling, cutting hours, shifting employees to part-time, not providing affordable health care and paying poverty wages,” Blank continued.
On November 22, 2006, WakeUpWalMart.com will be holding a second conference call for all Wal-Mart Associates to update Associates on Wal-Mart’s changes and discuss plans to continue to pressure Wal-Mart to finally put America’s families first.
Copies of Wal-Mart’s new attendance policy are available by contacting WakeUpWalMart.com’s communications director at 202-486-6422.
Background
Over the last year, Wal-Mart has announced several policy changes which abandon Sam Walton’s vision and are the most anti-family changes in this company’s history. The changes include: salary caps, plans to shift 200,000 full-time employees to part-time, the elimination of low-deductible standard health care plans for new hires, open availability scheduling and a draconian attendance policy which made it impossible for an Associate to take care of a sick child.
Following the first-ever walk-out by 200 Wal-Mart Associates in Hialeah Gardens, Florida, WakeUpWalMart.com organized the first-ever national conference call for Wal-Mart Associates. On the call, WakeUpWalMart.com released a letter to Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott calling on Wal-Mart to end its anti-family policies by Thanksgiving Day. Since the call, Associates, on their own, have started circulating petitions calling on Wal-Mart to end its anti-family policies by Thanksgiving Day.
A copy of the Nov.3rd letter by WakeUpWalMart.com to Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott is attached below.
Share your profits with all your associates, and treat them as partners. In turn, they will treat you as a partner, and together you will all perform beyond your wildest expectations.
Rule #2, Sam Walton’s 10 Rules for Success
Mr. Lee Scott
CEO
Wal-Mart, Inc.
Bentonville, AR
Dear Mr. Scott,
Sam Walton, Wal-Mart’s founder and visionary, understood that Wal-Mart’s success would rise and fall based on how well, or poorly, Wal-Mart treated its employees and their families. While some folks would call this “smart business,” we call it “family values.”
Respecting your workers, treating them with fairness and dignity, paying a decent wage, providing truly affordable health care, and creating a workplace that values families first is what Wal-Mart should be all about. Unfortunately, though, under your leadership and with the assistance of Eduardo Castro-Wright, we believe today’s Wal-Mart no longer reflects Sam’s values and has abandoned the family values that made Wal-Mart such a success.
Here are the facts, Mr. Scott.
In just the last 11 months, Wal-Mart has cut the percentage of full-time workers, cut management and Associate positions across the board, cut hours, imposed salary caps, shifted to open availability scheduling, eliminated low-deductible health care plans, and imposed a draconian attendance policy.
Wal-Mart’s recent policy changes are the most anti-Associate, anti-family changes in the company’s history and do not reflect a company that values its Associates. While we understand Wal-Mart’s desire to increase its profitability, it should not be done on the backs of the Associates who help Wal-Mart earn those profits.
As you witnessed, hopefully, with the dramatic rebellion by over 200 Wal-Mart Associates at a Wal-Mart store in Hialeah Gardens, Florida, Wal-Mart Associates and their families all across this country have had enough and are not going to take it anymore.
The many terrible changes Wal-Mart has made, and the many more that Associates are being told “are on the way,” are not only bad for Associates and their families, but will be disastrous for the long-term health and success of Wal-Mart. You and your top executives at the Home Office must understand that Wal-Mart Associates have a right to be paid a decent wage, offered family friendly scheduling and full-time work, provided with a fair attendance policy and affordable health care, and ensured that they are treated with dignity, respect and fairness in the workplace.
Put another way, it’s time for Wal-Mart to stop its anti-family policies and start giving thanks to its Associates and their families whose hard-work and sacrifice make Wal-Mart a success. In that spirit, we call on Wal-Mart, by Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2006, to implement the following changes and reverse a series of anti-family policies:
• End Wal-Mart’s “Open Availability” Policy [also known as peak-time or demand scheduling] that has caused chaos in the lives of Wal-Mart’s 1.39 million Associates and their families
• Institute “Family Friendly Scheduling” that provides stable work schedules and permits Associates to have normal lives and spend time with their children
• Reverse Wal-Mart’s “New Attendance Policy” that punishes Associates who need to take a day off to care for a sick child or family member
• End Wal-Mart’s “New Salary Caps” and allow hard-working Associates to be rewarded for their loyalty, not punished
We are calling on you to make these changes by Thanksgiving because we believe these are the immediate changes that are necessary to restore employee morale, honor Sam Walton’s vision, increase Wal-Mart’s profitability, and improve the lives of Wal-Mart’s 1.39 million Associates and their families.
In the hopes that you will do what is right, we will be holding another conference call on November 22nd, 2006 where we will announce what Wal-Mart’s response has been.
By working together and making these changes, we believe Wal-Mart will be taking an important first step to begin a positive dialogue where we can continue to work together to address the serious challenges of better wages, more affordable health care, and creating a just and fair workplace that will forever ensure not only the success of Wal-Mart, but a good and decent life for all Wal-Mart Associates and their families.
Sincerely,
WakeUpWalMart.com
© 2005 United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.
This site is in no way connected with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. or any affiliate of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
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