When Chinese authorities actively encourage unionization at a major multinational corporation and then start prosletyzing for more unions, and when that major multinational corporation happens to be not-exactly-union-friendly "associates-not-employees" Walmart, something is quite obviously amiss.

Although both Walmart and the Chinese authorities will likely spin this as a victory for the common man to whom the unions will give a voice, the reality is, naturally, quite different.  Independent trade unions are illegal in China.  The only legal union is the government-sponsored and party-controlled All-China Federation of Trade Unions. It is therefore highly unlikely that the ACFTU is going to begin agitating for shorter hours and higher pay.  As the WP points out "the role of the state-sanctioned unions isn’t to channel the discontent into achievable gains; it’s to contain it to the employer’s benefit"
 
It remains to be seen, however, whether this will have any effect on Walmart’s profitability in China. The chain has been having trouble in other regions of late, completely pulling out of Korea and Germany within the last few weeks.  The Chinese market is very different to these other markets, though. Walmart has been rapidly expanding its operations here, and now has 59 stores in 29 cities.  There are many Chinese competitors in the market, but few of them can compete with Walmart in terms of either product ranges or prices, particularly in the second-tier cities where Walmart currently seems to be focusing its efforts.