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No Unions for U.S. Tesco

LAS VEGAS -- At a recent town hall meeting in Las Vegas, a representative of United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 711 revealed it would picket Tesco_s U.S. venture from its opening day, because the chain was freezing the union out of its stores, according to local press reports.

In a later interview with the Las Vegas Business Press, the union_s secretary treasurer, Mike Gittings, said picket lines were "possible." Gittings said at the meeting that the Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market chain was hiring human resources staff and advising them to "use union-avoidance tactics."

"Tesco must've gotten wind they were breaking the law because now they're saying they might leave it up to employees to [unionize]," Gittings said . "Americans must have the same freedom as [British and European] workers."

Tesco has not confirmed whether its U.S. venture would be unionized or not. A call to the company_s Fresh & Easy media representative was not returned by press time.

Having a union-free workforce in the U.S. imitates other large retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, and goes against the company's stance in the U.K., where it is unionized.
-- Courtesy of CSNews
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