Wal-Mart Expects Same-Store Sales Increase

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said sales in the week ended March 18 were “within range,” in both the Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club divisions.

The world’s largest retailer reiterated that it expects first quarter same-store sales to rise at the high end of its planned 5 percent to 7 percent range, based on results to date. Wal- Mart said in the prior week that first quarter same-store sales would fall in that range. The company’s fiscal first quarter will end April 30.

• Wal-Mart won a court injunction in March to keep union organizers out of its 3,200 U.S. stores. Company officials said they hoped the union abides by the order.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Jessica Moser said Wal-Mart employees have asked the company repeatedly since 1999, when the union activity began, to stop members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union from “harassing them.”

A permanent injunction issued March 15 by Chancery Judge Jim D. Spears should help resolve the issue if union organizers will comply with the order, she said.

The judge’s order prohibits the union from soliciting inside Wal-Mart buildings in the United States. Violators can be held in contempt of court.

Union organizers can still legally solicit in store parking lots, as other groups can, Moser said.

In September 1999, the UFCW went to about 300 Supercenters across the country and accused Wal-Mart of improperly trying to deny organizers access to workers. The union argued that charitable groups are allowed to solicit inside Wal-Mart and other stores and that union organizers should have equal access.

Wal-Mart said the union organizers were trespassing, harassing workers and violating safety procedures by going into meat departments. The company denied the union claim that other groups were allowed to solicit inside the stores.

The National Labor Relations Board ruled against the union last year.