Article: Walmart on defensive after PR officer found ‘spying’ on union workers

A public relations officer linked to Walmart posed as a journalist at a press conference held by a labor group highlighting tough working conditions in the warehouses that supply big retailers.

Stephanie Harnett, a publicist working for Mercury Communications, which has been retained by Walmart to assist in its effort to open a new store in the Chinatown area of Los Angeles, claimed to be a student journalist called “Zoe Mitchell” when she turned up at the event on 6 June.

She then spoke to and recorded an interview with an activist from Warehouse Workers United, a group campaigning for worker improvements in the notoriously low wage industry where casual labor and poor health conditions are all too common.

The subterfuge only became apparent on Wednesday, when Harnett turned up at a different event and this time used her real name. She was spotted by members of WWU who recognised her and were stunned to see her handing out Mercury business cards with a completely different identity.

Full article

They even have spies now? What's next? A Wal Mart prison complex?

Originally posted by shaluach

A public relations officer linked to Walmart posed as a journalist at a press conference held by a labor group highlighting tough working conditions in the warehouses that supply big retailers.

Stephanie Harnett, a publicist working for Mercury Communications, which has been retained by Walmart to assist in its effort to open a new store in the Chinatown area of Los Angeles, claimed to be a student journalist called “Zoe Mitchell” when she turned up at the event on 6 June.

She then spoke to and recorded an interview with an activist from Warehouse Workers United, a group campaigning for worker improvements in the notoriously low wage industry where casual labor and poor health conditions are all too common.

The subterfuge only became apparent on Wednesday, when Harnett turned up at a different event and this time used her real name. She was spotted by members of WWU who recognised her and were stunned to see her handing out Mercury business cards with a completely different identity.

Full article

They even have spies now? What's next? A Wal Mart prison complex?

i don't understand? who was who spying on? and for what purpose?

Originally posted by SoymilkAlaska

Originally posted by shaluach

A public relations officer linked to Walmart posed as a journalist at a press conference held by a labor group highlighting tough working conditions in the warehouses that supply big retailers.

Stephanie Harnett, a publicist working for Mercury Communications, which has been retained by Walmart to assist in its effort to open a new store in the Chinatown area of Los Angeles, claimed to be a student journalist called “Zoe Mitchell” when she turned up at the event on 6 June.

She then spoke to and recorded an interview with an activist from Warehouse Workers United, a group campaigning for worker improvements in the notoriously low wage industry where casual labor and poor health conditions are all too common.

The subterfuge only became apparent on Wednesday, when Harnett turned up at a different event and this time used her real name. She was spotted by members of WWU who recognised her and were stunned to see her handing out Mercury business cards with a completely different identity.

Full article

They even have spies now? What's next? A Wal Mart prison complex?

i don't understand? who was who spying on? and for what purpose?

Someone affiliated with Wal Mart (although they claim she was acting on her own) was spying on Union and Labor groups who have been putting pressure on Wal Mart. At least that's what I got from the article.

reply to post by shaluach


i still don't understand.

Nothing new big companies will try to look out for thier intrests. I worked for a company that was bought by Ford Mo Co. We unionized and they brought in union busters. I know all kinds of stories about stuff like this. I'm from Detroit and I have family that were Teamsters. When Crystler unionized my grandfather told me they had turd watchers. If you used the bathroom you weren't aloud to flush the tiolet until someone checked to make sure you went. With the way this country is heading I'm sure people will be glad to go back to those days.

It's a kinda "know thy enemy" type thing.

I'm not a bit surprised. I wouldn't be surprised if other companies do the same.

Hope not too far off topic but when I was hired to manage a Little Ceasers Pizza and I was AMAZED at the anti-union propaganda videos they made all new hires watch. It said how thier bad, they are only in it for themselves, what to do if your approched by a rep Etc Etc. I felt like i was back in basic training again, watching anti-russian videos.

Originally posted by wantsome
Nothing new big companies will try to look out for thier intrests. I worked for a company that was bought by Ford Mo Co. We unionized and they brought in union busters. I know all kinds of stories about stuff like this. I'm from Detroit and I have family that were Teamsters. When Crystler unionized my grandfather told me they had turd watchers. If you used the bathroom you weren't aloud to flush the tiolet until someone checked to make sure you went. With the way this country is heading I'm sure people will be glad to go back to those days.

I am glad some people remember the past,
I can remember while working for General Motors,
anytime more then two of us,
using the restroom at the same time,
was looked at like we were trying to organize a Union meeting,
and they would send a manager into the restroom to ask whats going on.

Never really understood what problem US has with unions. Here it's almost 100% unionized and we dont have problems with that. Some infighting and power playes within the unions of course. Nothing serious. Weird.

reply to post by shaluach


Walmart has always been anti-union. When I was a manager there our policy was that if anyone mentioned a union in any context, they were to be separated from the other employees, fired, and banned from the premises forever even as a customer. That was the written policy! They do not play when it comes to unions.