News

NRF issues statement on employee strikes

August 29, 2013

Responding to today's low-wage retail workers strike (or "planned labor action" according to some), impacting chains such as Walmart, Macy's, Sears and Dollar Tree, the National Retail Federation issued the following statement from SVP Bill Thorne:

Today's effort by a number of union front groups is yet more theater orchestrated by organized labor, for organized labor. The law is clear: if employees want to unionize, they can. But they are not, so unions are paying high-priced public relations firms and work centers to conduct disruptive labor activities, which would be otherwise prohibited if organized by unions themselves.

Retail and restaurant jobs are good jobs, held by millions of working men and women, who are proud of what they do for their customers and the communities they serve across America. The planned walkout is the result of a multi-year effort by big labor to diminish and disparage these hard-working Americans by attacking the companies they work for.

It is not in the best interest of any business to spend money to recruit, train and then penalize employees. Retail and restaurant companies pay competitive wages and many offer additional benefits. Likewise, a large number of managers in these same companies started as part time or hourly employees themselves.

Today's publicity stunt is just further proof that the labor movement is not only facing depleted membership rolls, they have abdicated their role in an honest and rational discussion about the American workforce.

The NRF has been promoting retail jobs in light of the wage unrest, with a renewed effort into its ThisIsRetail.org blog.

Read more about employee hiring and training.