Illegal? It sure sounds like it. Just when I was beginning to soften my personal stance against shopping at Wal-Mart I read about this:

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mobilizing its store managers and department supervisors around the country to warn that if Democrats win power in November, they'll likely change federal law to make it easier for workers to unionize companies -- including Wal-Mart.

In and of itself, it is distasteful, but then you realized that they are going WAY beyond a memo to management:

"The meeting leader said, 'I am not telling you how to vote, but if the Democrats win, this bill will pass and you won't have a vote on whether you want a union,'" said a Wal-Mart customer-service supervisor from Missouri. "I am not a stupid person. They were telling me how to vote," she said.

This is illegal and any attempt by the corporate PR folks to say that such meetings are "unauthorized" is pure BS.

The fact is I don't care if the local Wal-Mart is unionized or not. But I do expect Wal-Mart to follow the law. If the company wants to get directly involved in the politics of their employees, I look forward to a National Labor Relations Board appointed by a Democratic President making the Walton Family a little poorer.

If this crap continues, I would suggest that the city reconsider accepting Wal-Mart's help with Fall Foliage Parade. It would be sad if the Wal-Mart corporation's possibly illegal actions made it prudent to look this particular gift horse in the mouth.

UPDATE: Via the AP Wal-Mart asserts that no one was attempting to sway votes through intimidation.

"If anyone representing Wal-Mart gave the impression... they are wrong and acting without approval,"

Translation: "Our senior Human Resources staff should choose their words more carefully when violating the National Labor Relations Act and other campaign laws."  ¶ 12:03 PM