Feds file new labor charge against Wal-Mart

Friday, April 12, 2002 | 11:09 a.m.

The National Labor Relations Board has filed new unfair labor practice charges against Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Sam's Club store at 7175 W. Spring Mountain Road in Las Vegas, alleging it violated its employees' rights to vote on representation by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 711.

NLRB resident officer Mike Chavez said the latest NLRB complaint filed April 2 is the 10th complaint against the Spring Mountain store and two other Sam's Clubs in Las Vegas in the past year. A hearing is set for June 25, 2002.

The new complaint alleges Sam's Club managers threatened workers showing union support with termination, improperly fired two union supporters, illegally refused to hire a union supporter, told employees not to talk about the union during breaks and manipulated the bargaining unit so it would favor the company.

These charges are similar to those leveled in the previous nine complaints, which caused the NLRB to cancel a November union election at the Spring Mountain store.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Jessica Moser denied the NLRB's claims.

The NLRB also filed an unfair labor practices complaint in September against three Las Vegas Wal-Mart stores. Wal-Mart is now in the midst of a trial in Las Vegas on those charges.