Unions target Wal-Mart globally

An alliance of unions plans to step up organizing efforts at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. beyond its US base, focusing first on the retailer's employees in South Korea.

Union Network International, a federation of unions in 150 countries, said yesterday it plans to launch organizing efforts by year's end in South Korea and may target Wal-Mart in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. UNI, headquartered in Nyon, Switzerland, has been working with labor groups in India and Russia to lay the groundwork for organizing if Wal-Mart enters those countries.

The campaign in South Korea, where Wal-Mart has about 3,000 employees and 16 stores, will be a joint effort by UNI, the US-based United Food and Commercial Workers, and a Korean union.

''Global companies need global unions," said Noel Howell, a spokesman for UNI.

A spokesman for Wal-Mart said yesterday that it would prefer its employees not join unions, and that given the choice, many had rejected organized labor.