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Forum Post: Labor Day: Walmart Workers in Action

Posted 10 years ago on Sept. 4, 2013, 5:03 p.m. EST by owshelpermonkey (-1)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

Petition: http://action.changewalmart.org/ARealWage

Thunderclap: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/3668-walmart-pay-a-real-wage

Graphics: We will be sending more graphics in the days to come, but currently we have the attached images to be shared as listed below. We encourage you to link to the petition or corresponding blog post (linked below): Aug. 26 or after Attention and/org Brandon Aug. 27 or after Lucas Aug. 28 MLK Aug. 29 Fast food solidarity post (coming) Aug. 30 Deadline image (coming) Aug. 31 Low wage workers rising (coming) Sept. 1 This Labor Day I’m standing with Walmart workers (coming) Sept. 2 Gerry Sept. 3 Elaine (waiting on worker approval, so please check with us before posting) Sept. 4 Yvette Sept. 5 and beyond Images of actions, please amplify on-the-ground bravery

Eblast: Subject: BREAKING: Walmart Workers Arrested in Peaceful Protest

BREAKING: Ten current or recently fired Walmart workers were just arrested in Washington, DC for peaceful civil disobedience near Walmart's downtown office.This action comes after the company fired or disciplined more than 70 workers for going on strike. Now workers say that if Walmart does not reinstate the illegally fired workers and publicly commit pay a decent wage by Labor Day, the company will face some of the most intense actions it has seen to date. Below is a letter from one of the arrested workers.

Sign their petition now!

Dear Evelyn,

I was arrested today for standing up to Walmart. Can you sign my petition to call on Walmart to respect workers' rights and pay a living wage?

I was raised by a strong single mother. I owe everything to her. She taught me how to work hard and stand up for what is right.

I did well in high school and loved sports. In college, I became a collegiate athlete and my future looked bright. That's when my mom got sick. She wasn't able to support herself, so I made a tough choice. I moved home and got a job at Walmart to help support my mom.

I soon found that Walmart didn't pay me enough to get by. We were constantly understaffed and stretched thin. Worst of all, we were treated with such a lack of respect they made you feel like you weren't even a human being.

That's why I decided to stand up. I went on a legally protected strike in June and travelled all the way to Walmart's headquarters in Arkansas to defend my coworkers' right to stand up.

But when I got home, Walmart fired me. I'm not the only one. Since June, Walmart has fired or disciplined more than 70 of us for standing up. The company has written us up, cut our hours, bullied us, called the cops on us and even fired us for going on strike.

We're not backing down. Today, we peacefully demonstrated in front of Walmart’s office in Washington, DC calling on the company to reinstate the illegally fired workers.

Instead of listening, Walmart had me and 11 other people arrested (10 of us workers and 2 activists).

It's time to draw a line in the sand. Let's send Walmart a clear message: If you fail to act by Labor Day, actions will intensify around the country.

Can you please send them this message by signing my petition today?

action.changewalmart.org/ARealWage

6 Comments

6 Comments


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[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

In compliment: The Quickest Way To Kick Start The Economy Is To Do Something Very Simple Things that matter. Pass 'em on.

TWEET

DKAtoday ‏@DKAtoday

Who would be helped by raising the minimum wage? @EconomicPolicy (via @Upworthy) http://www.upworthy.com/the-quickest-way-to-kick-start-the-economy-is-to-do-something-very-simple-2?g=2

The more U know.

Living Wage

Now

[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

BTW - Signed as well.

[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

TWEET

DKAtoday ‏@DKAtoday

Labor Day: Walmart Workers in Action | http://OccupyWallSt.org : http://occupywallst.org/forum/labor-day-walmart-workers-in-action/#.Uieu5umpJL4.twitter

Support our workers + living wage = the minimum

SHARE

[-] 1 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 10 years ago

Solidarity to the Walmart strikers:

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/9/3/walmart-workers-plantostrikethursday.html

Walmart better get with the program. They could learn a lesson from Costco, and it's my hopes this company thrives:

http://www.naturalnews.com/041901_worker-owned_grocery_high_wages_Winco_Foods.html

Fuck Walmart!

[-] 0 points by WSmith (2698) from Cornelius, OR 10 years ago

Protesting Activists' Firings, Walmart Workers Plan the Biggest Mobilization Since Black Friday http://www.thenation.com/blog/175995/protesting-activists-firings-walmart-workers-plan-biggest-mobilization-black-friday#

Low-Wage Employers Have Fought Hard to Keep Their Workers Poor — Now Workers are Fighting Back

September 4, 2013 | by Joshua Holland

After decades of seeing their incomes shrink [& jobs downsized or off-shored], those at the bottom of the economic ladder are starting to band together and fight back — and it’s one of the most important economic stories of our time.

Between 1973 and 2011, the top 10 percent of American households saw their inflation-adjusted incomes rise by almost $100,000, while the bottom 90 percent – the vast majority of us –actually saw their incomes drop by $4,425 per year, according to economists Emmanuel Saez and Thomas Piketty (XLS). During that time, pensions largely disappeared, and the costs of health care and education shot through the roof. http://billmoyers.com/2013/09/04/low-wage-employers-have-fought-hard-to-keep-their-workers-poor-now-workers-are-fighting-back/

One In Seven American Families Faces Food Insecurity http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/09/04/2572141/american-families-food-insecurity/

[+] -4 points by Stormcrow10 (-7) from Brooklyn, NY 10 years ago

If working at wallyworld is the pinnacle of a persons job skills that's pathetic.