Assignment 1 _ Carmen Cruz-Nelson

docx

School

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

305

Subject

Sociology

Date

Jan 9, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by AdmiralGuanacoPerson574

ANTI-UNION RHETORIC IN WALMART 1 Anti-Union Rhetoric in Walmart Carmen Cruz-Nelson UMGC Sociology 305 Study.com 12/26/2023 Anti-Union Rhetoric in Walmart Founded in 1962 by Sam Walton, Walmart is a publicly traded company that operates based on a strategy referred to as "Every Day Low Price" or EDLP (About Walmart, n.d.). This strategy helps the company achieve high sales volume and low-profit margin by buying goods in bulk from suppliers at a discounted price. The company operates in 19 countries worldwide, with approximately 10,500 stores and 2.1 million total employees (About Walmart, n.d.). These statistics include the different facilities operated by Walmart such as Walmart Supercenters, Discount Stores, Neighborhood Markets, Sam's Club warehouses, and distribution centers (About Walmart, n.d.). The company is one of the largest private employers in the world and

ANTI-UNION RHETORIC IN WALMART 2 places an emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion in its workforce (About Walmart, n.d.). I chose to focus on this company specifically due to my family's personal experience with working for them. My grandfather worked at our local Walmart Distribution Center for 9 years and my mother has currently been working at the same Distribution Center for 10 years. I myself worked at our local Walmart Supercenter for a year as well. During our time with the company, there have been many workplace conflicts that have been seen, however there is one conflict that prevails over any other. The conflict I will be highlighting in this paper is the anti union rhetoric that is found in the company. Walmart has been criticized multiple times for its stance on labor unions and unionization in general, going as far as to develop a whole network of one-sided information about unions that is fed to the employees in an attempt to create fear surrounding the topic of unionization (Human Rights Watch, n.d.). In my family's own experience, including my own, while it was not outright stated that the company was anti union, training videos and the uneasiness in the topic have shown that the company is anti union. One particular training video that has been questioned features Walmart employees stating that they "hope you never have to deal with a union-organizing drive in your facility" (YouTube, 2018, 0:34) and that Walmart “already treats us pretty well" (YouTube, 2018, 0:44), insinuating that because Walmart has so many great benefits for employees, you do not have a need for a union in the first place. In my own experience, it has made employees hesitant to even mention any word that has union in it, like reunion, for fear of their employer overhearing them, believing they will attempt to unionize, and retaliating against them. Furthermore, looking into the actions of Walmart in incidents that surround unionizing, there are cases that do show potential retaliation from the company. In 2015, five stores were closed, including one store in Pico Rivera, California that

ANTI-UNION RHETORIC IN WALMART 3 was the site of the first U.S. strike at a Walmart store (Picchi, 2015). While the company stated that it was due to plumbing issues, the timing of the closing suggests otherwise. This anti-union rhetoric stems from the fact that Walmart believes that an open line of communication between employees and their higher ups will allow for a better working environment (Human Rights Watch, n.d.). This can be done through "open-dooring" a complaint, or bringing it to the attention of anyone that you feel comfortable doing so with in order to resolve the conflict (Human Rights Watch, n.d.). By allowing you to speak directly with someone about an issue that you have, Walmart is attempting to eliminate the need for a union to form and act as a liaison between the company and the employee. Looking at this conflict from a sociological perspective, there are three different sociological theories that could be applied to this conflict. The first theory is Karl Marx's theory of alienation. According to Marx, alienation happens when the worker is "objectified and separated from their human nature" (Karl Marx on Alienation | Theory & Types, 2016). Workers who experience alienation will often feel like they are nothing more than a piece of a much larger puzzle that is controlled by those in power. In the case of Walmart, many employees may feel as though they have no say in what goes on at work and that they have no autonomy or control over what happens. When workers feel that they have no input into their jobs and that nothing will change, they are less likely to attempt to change anything. This means that employees are usually less willing to unionize as they don't believe that it will be successful. The second theory that can be applied is Arlie Hochschild's theory of emotional labor. According to Hochschild, emotional labor refers to "the way a person manages his or her emotions as regulated by a work-related entity in order to shape the state of mind of another individual" (Emotional Labor: Arlie Hochschild's Definition & Theories, 2021). Going deeper

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

ANTI-UNION RHETORIC IN WALMART 4 into this theory, there are two ways to manage one's emotions known as deep acting and surface acting. Deep acting is changing how you feel privately, whereas surface acting is changing how you display your emotions in public (Emotional Labor: Arlie Hochschild's Definition & Theories, 2021). In regards to this conflict, workers may feel like that they need to refrain from publicly showing or voicing their concerns for fear of retaliation. The constant feeding of anti union rhetoric to employees shows them that any attempt to unionize or come together as a cohesive group will not be accepted. This in turn, may force employees to keep their concerns to themselves and "put on a face" at work to act like everything is going well. The third theory that can be applied is that of The Hawthorne Effect. The Hawthorne Effect states that people "change their behavior or performance in response to being observed" (The Hawthorne Effect & Employee Productivity | Theory & Examples, 2012). In the case of Walmart, workers may change how they are acting when they know that upper management is watching them. They may refrain from certain actions or words that may lead the management to assume that they are thinking of unionizing. Employees may also, in turn, become cautious of other employees if they feel that they cannot trust what they say around them. This can lead to a hostile work environment where employees are always on edge and feel like they are always being observed. These three theories are important to look further into, as they can help offer up solutions to the conflict. Marx's theory of alienation leaves workers feeling like they have no autonomy at work and are just part of a bigger machine (Karl Marx on Alienation | Theory & Types, 2016). By looking further into this theory, Walmart could potentially offer employees the opportunity to have more say in decision-making processes. This would allow employees to feel more of a sense of pride and ownership in their work, and thus, improve the overall employer-employee

ANTI-UNION RHETORIC IN WALMART 5 relationship. Hochschild's theory of emotional labor involves employees feeling like they cannot voice their opinions for fear of retaliation, leaving them with no choice but to hide their feelings from the public. In looking further into this, Walmart could implement programs that allow employees to give anonymous feedback and feel like they are getting a chance to be heard. This may help employees better manage their emotions and lead to a more productive workplace in the end. Finally, the theory surrounding the Hawthorne Effect suggests that employees modify their behavior when they are being observed. This can negatively impact productivity and quality if an employee feels like they are always being observed and must be more cautious in their actions. While it is important to observe employees to make sure that work is being done correctly and that the best quality product is being put out, it is also important to recognize how these observations affect productivity. By focusing more on positive feedback and support, these observations could help improve productivity by making the employees feel more comfortable at work. Overall, the anti union rhetoric that is being pushed by Walmart is one of the company's biggest workplace conflicts.Rhetoric like this leaves employees feeling unsatisfied with their jobs and can negatively impact the company's quality of work. Unionization is important because it allows the employees to voice their concerns without fear of retaliation. By continuing to spread anti union rhetoric, Walmart is leaving their employees feeling as if they have no voice and do not matter to the company. That they are just a small piece of a bigger machine that can be replaced if need be. References About Walmart. (n.d.). Walmart Corporate. https://corporate.walmart.com/about

ANTI-UNION RHETORIC IN WALMART 6 Emotional Labor: Arlie Hochschild's Definition & Theories. (2021, December 28). https://study.com/academy/lesson/emotional-labor-arlie-hochschilds-definition- theories.html Karl Marx on Alienation | Theory & Types. (2016, August 11). https://study.com/academy/lesson/marx-on-alienation-definition-lesson-quiz.html Picchi, Aimee. (2015, April 20). "Union: Walmart shuts 5 stores over labor activism." CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/union-walmart-shut-5-stores-over-labor- activism/ Senator Bernie Sanders. (2018, December 11). "Walmart's Anti-Union Message." YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpInyHRVjic The Hawthorne Effect & Employee Productivity | Theory & Examples. (2012, October 29). https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-hawthorne-effect-the-study-of-employee- productivity.html VI. Freedom of Association at Wal-Mart: Anti-Union Tactics Comporting with US Law. (n.d.). Human Rights Watch. from https://www.hrw.org/reports/2007/us0507/7.htm

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Related Documents

literature Review copy.docx

literature Review copy revised.docx

Policy Analysis (1).docx

Screen Shot 2023-12-07 at 4.01.57 AM.png

SOCI498 Annotated Bibliography.docx

Assignment 2 _ Carmen Cruz-Nelson.docx

selected law enforcement practices .docx

C226 Task 2.docx

week6caps265.docx

wk4assgn_HintonKiayis MSW_Learning_Agreement.pdf

wk4assgn_HintonK SOCW6520 MSW_Advanced_Practice_Learning_Agreement.docx

Week4assgn_HintonKiayis_Learning_Agreement_SOCW6520.docx

Recommended textbooks for you

Social Psychology (10th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134641287

Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers

Publisher:Pearson College Div

Introduction to Sociology (Eleventh Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780393639407

Author:Deborah Carr, Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Appelbaum

Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company

The Basics of Social Research (MindTap Course Lis...

Sociology

ISBN:9781305503076

Author:Earl R. Babbie

Publisher:Cengage Learning

Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Scien...

Sociology

ISBN:9780134477596

Author:Saferstein, Richard

Publisher:PEARSON

Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (13th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134205571

Author:James M. Henslin

Publisher:PEARSON

Society: The Basics (14th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134206325

Author:John J. Macionis

Publisher:PEARSON

SEE MORE TEXTBOOKS

Recommended textbooks for you

Social Psychology (10th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134641287
Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Publisher:Pearson College Div
Introduction to Sociology (Eleventh Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780393639407
Author:Deborah Carr, Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Appelbaum
Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company
The Basics of Social Research (MindTap Course Lis...
Sociology
ISBN:9781305503076
Author:Earl R. Babbie
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Scien...
Sociology
ISBN:9780134477596
Author:Saferstein, Richard
Publisher:PEARSON
Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (13th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134205571
Author:James M. Henslin
Publisher:PEARSON
Society: The Basics (14th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134206325
Author:John J. Macionis
Publisher:PEARSON