Wal-Mart's round-the-clock strategy bad for workers: CAW
04.01.2008 23:05
Shopping
- Source: cbc.ca
Retail giant Wal-Mart's decision to expand into round-the-clock shopping does not bode well for workers and their families, a labour leader says. Marie St. Aubin, a national representative with the Canadian Auto Workers union, which represents workers at Dominion supermarkets in Newfoundland and Labrador, said Wal-Mart's move may force other major retailers to follow suit. "It's really difficult to get retail workers in this province now and the ones that they are retaining are worked to death. They have no family life to speak of," she said. "Now, to add insult to injury, if they're going to look at staying open 24 hours, I don't know where that's going to put families in the future." Wal-Mart Canada announced Thursday it will offer 24-hour shopping, seven days a week, at 25 locations in five provinces. The move marks a major expansion in operating hours for Wal-Mart Canada, which in 2006 introduced round-the-clock shopping in the weeks leading up to Christmas. That offering, which involved almost 300 stores this holiday season, proved to be a hit with consumers, the company said. "We have a lot of people that do shift work and [enjoy] the convenience of shopping, so it was mainly on customer request," said Wendy Parsons, who manages one of three Wal-Mart stores in the St. John's area that is participating in the new offer. The 25 stores are in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Wal-Mart pioneered all-hours shopping at a store in Winnipeg last fall. Shopper Sandy Collins, who was in a St. John's lineup on Friday to return a Christmas gift, said she had mixed thoughts about the extra hours. "I guess if you're a shift-work employee, it's probably a great idea," she said. "Personally, I wouldn't want to be here at three in the morning." Shopper George Lucas, though, was intrigued. "I work an overnight shift, so it works out good for me, on my lunch," he said. Wal-Mart Canada says it will abide by local labour laws. As well, the retailer said it may scale back its hours, if consumer demand does not prove strong enough at individual locations.
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