Wal-Mart made a decision to phase out its meat cutting operations, after workers in the meat cutting department voted to unionize. Wal-Mart then claimed that they had no obligation to bargain with the meat cutters. A judge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), ruled against the company on this issue, and ordered Wal-Mart to bargain with the employees and their union about the effects of the company's decision to phase out meat cutting operations and use prepackaged meat. Wal-Mart was also ordered to restore its meat-cutting department until bargaining was completed.
See "Judge Rules against Wal-Mart on Refusal to Talk to Workers", Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, June 18, 2003