Wal-Mart Workers Vote Against Unionization

Workers at a Wal-Mart Tire & Lube Express in Colorado voted 17 to 1 against union representation, rejecting efforts to establish what would have been the first union inside any Wal-Mart store in the United States.

A United Food and Commercial Workers spokesman said the group would ask the National Labor Relations Board to throw the results out, saying no union member was allowed to observe the election and Wal-Mart added employees to dilute the strength of the union supporters.

A Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spokeswoman said the union was offered an opportunity to provide a substitute observer but could not find one. She said any workers added to the operation were a response to business needs and not part of an anti-union effort.

Wal-Mart shares rose 3 cents to $51.49 on the New York Stock Exchange.