Unionize Walmart?

I have read several articles about how Walmart is fighting against unionization, and several groups have suggested or started boycotting Walmart.

I wonder how committed these people really are to unions?

I would suggest that anyone who wants to support unions look in their driveways and see if they in fact have UAW built vehicles there. If instead you have a car built outside the United States (not simply a foreign name plate) then you are part of the problem.

Interestingly, some data suggests that Republicans are more likely to buy American cars than Democrats: buyers of American cars tend to be Republican -- except, for some reason, those who buy Pontiacs, who tend to be Democrats. http://travel2.nytimes.com/mem/ t...757C0A9639C8B63

So far as I can tell, that survey is about nameplates and not country of origin, but I would guess that more American brand cars are built in the US than non-american brand cars.

So, do all you union promoters actually buy union, or is this an academic exercise?Here is the list from the UAW for UAW made cars:http://www.uaw.org/uawmade/ cartr...artruck2004.cfm

To be sure the vehicle you are buying is assembled in the United States, check the window sticker, which will list the location of final assembly, and the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is attached to the driver's side of the dashboard. A VIN beginning with "1," "4" or "5" means the vehicle was assembled in the United States.

And here is the AFL/CIO portal to buying American, including internet, telephone, online shopping, and coffee.

http://www.unionlabel.org/

Next, see if your home builder employs/ed union tradesmen. Ensure future purchases are union built.

Also, ensure that you fly on airlines with the strongest union contracts, rather than the cheapest fare on the newest airline with the youngest (and least expensive) employees.

Shop at Union retailers like Safeway.

Making sure that existing unions are strong is the best way to help spread unions in the retail and tech market. But if the existing unions are dying (what was GM's news today?) why would employees at Walmart risk going that way?

For the record, all three of my cars were UAW built American brands, and my home was union built. I typically fly Alaska Air and US Air, not Southwest. I shop mostly at the Commissary, which I don't think is union (but might be because a lot of military-civilians are union), and at Costco, which is not union but treats its employees well.

Supporting unions should start with purchases, not legislation. Anyone driving a Prius or a Volvo should not have the right to complain about Walmart busting unions.

p.s. Oh, and an interesting but unrelated statistic from that same survey: Republican car buyers tended to have more children -- 3.5 on average, versus 1.7 for the Democratic buyers. So perhaps there is a replacement rate issue for the democrats as well.