Individual Assignment: Labor Laws and Unions: Meijer Incorporated

Individual Assignment: Labor Laws and Unions: Meijer Incorporated

Meijer Incorporated is one of the top private low-cost retail superstores in America today. The company slogan is, We don't want to make more money we want customer (sic) to have better value (Smith, 2011). It is founded by Hendrik Meijer in 1934. To improve its customer base and service, the company introduced the shopping cart, electronic scanner, check out lane conveyor belt and establish 24 hours of operation. Meijer has always been a leader in finding and using new technology. This includes everything from the introduction of checkout scanners, to the decision to stay open 24 hours and to the launch of Meijer.com. Products sold at the store consist of clothing, groceries, pet supplies, lawn, garden, gasoline, liquor, toys, household, and Meijer branded items. It employs more than 72,200 employees and operates in over 200 locations in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Kentucky. Meijer's is a family-owned and operated business. As of 2010, the company has over $14, 250 million in revenue sales. Some of its competitors include Target, Kroger, and Wal-Mart stores.

In 2008, Meijer Inc. was found guilty and fined 190,000 for using money to influence politics. State law prohibits corporations from contributing to political campaigns (The Grand Rapids Press, 2008). This legal issue caused state laws to be broken because Meijer was not open to full disclosure and improper funding. In Michigan, the Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land said an investigation found Meijer violated state law by donating to an effort to recall seven elected Acme township officials who objected to the chain's development plans, and by failing to report its activities (Flesher, 2008). In the future, it would be in Meijer's best interest to use the proper channel for funding-its political action committee and not direct corporate donations.

Meijer is a unionized company, I was employed with the company a brief time in 2001, it was mandatory that I join the union and pay union dues. Employee benefits for joining a union includes better working conditions, protection from firing, higher wages, and benefits. Besides increased pay, many workers choose to join a union for job security (IQ Unions, 2012). Employer benefits for collaborating with a union consist of training expertise, lower job turnovers, higher performance, and union contact benefits. Collective bargaining negotiation between labor unions and corporate employers constitute a specialized area in the field of general negotiations, but the underlying legal and relationship aspects make them distinct (Craver, 2010).

The goal of the union in collective bargaining is to improve the status of the worker while still keeping the employer in business (Radcliffe, 2009). Negotiations between employers, and the union are an ongoing process and relationship. Once negotiations have ended, parties involved must continue to interact with one another to be successful in maintaining a healthy work environment. Union success is no longer based solely on persuading employees to vote for them, but rather on pressuring