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Wal-Mart workers plan Black Friday walkout
dignin
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http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/15/news/co ... ck-friday/
Wal-Mart workers plan Black Friday walkout
By Emily Jane Fox @CNNMoney November 15, 2012: 6:32 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- A group of Wal-Mart workers are planning to stage a walkout next week on Black Friday, arguably the biggest holiday shopping day for the world's largest retail store.
The walkout builds on an October strike that started at a Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) in Los Angeles and spread to stores in 12 other cities. More than 100 workers joined in the October actions.
One of the workers who plans to join next week's walkout is William Fletcher, who works at a Wal-Mart in Duarte, Calif.
Fletcher, who also participated in the October strikes, claims Wal-Mart cut his hours after he asked to move from the receiving department to another division because of a knee injury. He has since switched departments.
"I kept asking myself, 'when is the retaliation for speaking our mind and acting on our rights going to stop?' " he said. Wal-Mart did not have an immediate comment in response to Fletcher's claim.
The union-backed groups OUR Walmart and Making Change at Wal-Mart, and a watchdog group Corporate Action Network, are calling on the nation's largest employer to end what they call retaliation against employees who speak out for better pay, fair schedules and affordable health care.
On Black Friday, the organizations expect 1,000 protests, both at stores and online.
A Wal-Mart spokeswoman said the number of workers who are raising concerns is very small and don't represent the views of the vast majority of its workforce of 1.3 million.
But labor experts say that even a small number of workers could make an impact.
"Even if there aren't that many people, it could have an effect, because their campaign in front of stores could discourage shoppers," said Ken Margolies, senior associate at the Worker Institute a Cornell University.
The strike could have an even greater impact if workers from its supply centers participate, according to Margolies. He said it could impede distribution of merchandise on what is usually the busiest day of the year.
Organizers have planned a social medial blitz, mobilizing workers through Facebook pages, a YouTube video, Twitter and Tumblr. They're also using online platforms to collect donations to sponsor striking workers. So far, the campaign has raised more than $22,200.
Wal-Mart workers have been battling with management over pay, benefits and their ability to speak up for years, experts say.
According to Anthony Bianco, author of Wal-Mart: The Bully of Bentonville, butchers at a Wal-Mart supercenter in Jacksonville, Texas, voted to form a union in 2000 -- the first time employees had done so. But soon after that, Wal-Mart eliminated butcher departments in its stores across the country, he said. It has been reported that Wal-Mart said it got rid of its meat department as a cost cutting measure.
A similar thing happened when workers at a Quebec store attempted to unionize in 2005, Bianco said. Wal-Mart closed that store a few months after that. The company said at the time that its decision was prompted by the union wanting to change how the store operated
If you would like to show your support go here
http://occupyamerica.crooksandliars.com ... y-strikers
Wal-Mart workers plan Black Friday walkout
By Emily Jane Fox @CNNMoney November 15, 2012: 6:32 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- A group of Wal-Mart workers are planning to stage a walkout next week on Black Friday, arguably the biggest holiday shopping day for the world's largest retail store.
The walkout builds on an October strike that started at a Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) in Los Angeles and spread to stores in 12 other cities. More than 100 workers joined in the October actions.
One of the workers who plans to join next week's walkout is William Fletcher, who works at a Wal-Mart in Duarte, Calif.
Fletcher, who also participated in the October strikes, claims Wal-Mart cut his hours after he asked to move from the receiving department to another division because of a knee injury. He has since switched departments.
"I kept asking myself, 'when is the retaliation for speaking our mind and acting on our rights going to stop?' " he said. Wal-Mart did not have an immediate comment in response to Fletcher's claim.
The union-backed groups OUR Walmart and Making Change at Wal-Mart, and a watchdog group Corporate Action Network, are calling on the nation's largest employer to end what they call retaliation against employees who speak out for better pay, fair schedules and affordable health care.
On Black Friday, the organizations expect 1,000 protests, both at stores and online.
A Wal-Mart spokeswoman said the number of workers who are raising concerns is very small and don't represent the views of the vast majority of its workforce of 1.3 million.
But labor experts say that even a small number of workers could make an impact.
"Even if there aren't that many people, it could have an effect, because their campaign in front of stores could discourage shoppers," said Ken Margolies, senior associate at the Worker Institute a Cornell University.
The strike could have an even greater impact if workers from its supply centers participate, according to Margolies. He said it could impede distribution of merchandise on what is usually the busiest day of the year.
Organizers have planned a social medial blitz, mobilizing workers through Facebook pages, a YouTube video, Twitter and Tumblr. They're also using online platforms to collect donations to sponsor striking workers. So far, the campaign has raised more than $22,200.
Wal-Mart workers have been battling with management over pay, benefits and their ability to speak up for years, experts say.
According to Anthony Bianco, author of Wal-Mart: The Bully of Bentonville, butchers at a Wal-Mart supercenter in Jacksonville, Texas, voted to form a union in 2000 -- the first time employees had done so. But soon after that, Wal-Mart eliminated butcher departments in its stores across the country, he said. It has been reported that Wal-Mart said it got rid of its meat department as a cost cutting measure.
A similar thing happened when workers at a Quebec store attempted to unionize in 2005, Bianco said. Wal-Mart closed that store a few months after that. The company said at the time that its decision was prompted by the union wanting to change how the store operated
If you would like to show your support go here
http://occupyamerica.crooksandliars.com ... y-strikers
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Comments
Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned...
I AM MINE
screw them once screw them twice
No offense to anyone who works there but it's a job where you're easily replaceable by the next citizen who walks in the door. This is only a smart move if they're teenagers or were planning to quit anyway. Hope no one has a family to feed.
Or any of the other retail stores need to be open the next day 5 AM...
It's too bad all the retail workers couldn't get together and just not show up...screw all these retail stores and the pathetic consumer...
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
That's what I always think when I hear about walmart workers complaining about crappy pay. If you work in a job that requires little skill and education, where you can easily be replaced how much do you think you should be paid?
If you want more money work hard and get promoted. I mean with a place with as much turnover as walmart must have if you are reliable and work hard I can't imagine it is that difficult to get promoted. My wife used to work a crappy retail job, and because she had a bit of experience, and because most of the other employees were students who either weren't reliable, or just didn't stay for very long, she got promoted from seasonal employee making minimum wage to assistant manager, in I think was a little over a year.
Man, I love this, now not only are the big corporations the devil, but now the consumers too.
I hope I am over-reading your complete over generalization.
But I will say that the best companies find ways to accommodate injured (whether work related or not) employees. But the reality is the people at each Walmart making those decisions are not top notch managers.
Improve Workers’ Lives
Pay a minimum of $25,000/year and guarantee quality, affordable health coverage for all Walmart associates and workers in the company’s US distribution chain.
Rebuild Communities
Sign on to a national community benefits agreement that ensures as Walmart expands into new markets, it strengthens communities, protects the environment and is responsible for the well-being of its employees in its retail stores and US supply and distribution chain.
Put Its Promises in Writing
Agree to a global labor agreement guaranteeing the fundamental human right of freedom of association for all of its associates and instruct their suppliers to do the same, and recognize and negotiate with OUR Walmart.
Elevate Global Living Standards
Establish a legally binding global responsible contractor policy requiring contractors and subcontractors to provide living wages, worker safety protections, and respect basic human and labor rights, including freedom of association and freedom from racial and gender discrimination.
I find their business model disgusting, and I refuse the shop there. I think opening on Thanksgiving and forcing employees to work or lose their jobs, to satisfy the shopping urges of a few fools who get baited by the notion that they'll get a great deal on a new TV or something that they probably don't need, is equally despicable. If it was voluntary, that would be okay, but it sounds as though it's not.
It depends...do people really need to be shopping at 8 pm thanksgiving or 5 am the day after...what these employees of the retail stores...do they not need a break? time to spend with their families?
I don't need to hear get better job, or if they were better educated...yada, yada...not always easy to get a better job.
And Wal Mart and Target and many of those other retail stores can't pay better? Apple pay their employees between 14 and 30 an hour, I knew Costco in Canada pays upwards of 22 an hour...so if these retailers can be more generous why not Wal Mart and Target and many more...
Yes if consumers weren't so greedy and didn't show at these locations at these ridiculous hours then these stores would not be open.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
spot on!!!
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
You know hoe may jobs are provided during this shopping period?
Also, why is 1 day so significant really? It's not like they don;t have any time off. It's the nature of the business. Just like facilities in a manufacturing facility...they never get holidays off, that is when they do some of their most important work.
If having Thanksgiving off is important to you, get a job where that is a possibility. Don't take a retail job and then complain about it.
They could also make a difference in the country they locate by simply requiring stores to carry certain percentage of of items "made in whatever country that it is in". They are big enough, their suppliers would comply.
You'll never see that happen ... I prefer to support the Mom and Pop business when possible.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Why do you assume it is only greedy people who would be shopping on Thanksgiving? What about people who are maybe preparing dinner and forgot the cranberry sauce? Or people who are single and don't really have families and figure it is a good day for grocery shopping and that sort of thing. Plus is walmart going to be the only business open on Thansgiving? If so I see a point in maybe complaining, but aren't places like gas stations, 7-11's, movie theatres and Denny's going to be open? No one is outraged about that, so why the outrage about walmart? Those places all probably pay about the same as walmart does (ie minimum wage).
Plus people complain about walmart not paying people enough, but then they open another day so that people can get more hours and make more money and they complain about that too. It doesn't make much sense there.
Manufacturing...I live in a blue collar area...not of the manufacturing work Thanksgiving or Christmas and if they were too then they'd get triple time...
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
My feeling as well!
Our local Wal-Mart has killed small businesses that locals built and sustained here for years. They felled several majestic oaks and paved over a wonderful piece of land to put up a parking lot and and a giant warehouse full of plastic crap made in China to sell that no one really needs. Yeah, they provided some slave jobs but I don't recognize any of the employees- I suspect many were brought in from bigger towns elsewhere. Our town is worse off for Wal-Mart, not better, and anyone who has lived here for a while or longer will tell you that.
Wal-Mart sucks.
Why do you assume it is only greedy people who would be shopping on Thanksgiving? What about people who are maybe preparing dinner and forgot the cranberry sauce? Or people who are single and don't really have families and figure it is a good day for grocery shopping and that sort of thing. Plus is walmart going to be the only business open on Thansgiving? If so I see a point in maybe complaining, but aren't places like gas stations, 7-11's, movie theatres and Denny's going to be open? No one is outraged about that, so why the outrage about walmart? Those places all probably pay about the same as walmart does (ie minimum wage).
Plus people complain about walmart not paying people enough, but then they open another day so that people can get more hours and make more money and they complain about that too. It doesn't make much sense there.[/quote]
I can be outraged about that as well...for the record I don't buy gas, milk or anything of the sorts on 4 specific holidays...Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Days and Labour Day...other than essential services nobody really needs to open.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
If you think that the facilities groups at those manufacturing places are off you are very mistaken. Sure, the majority of the people are. That is because it's a planned shutdown. They;d have to pay double/triple time like you said, so they don't. Then they use that time for all the maintenance/facilities activities that you can;t do with the plant running but that need to be done.
Me too. Unfortunately "business ethics" seems to be mostly an oxymoron these days. Corporate greed has really taken a toll on the US. (People blame Obama or Bush or whoever, depending on their political leanings, but don't forget the housing bubble and crash that shoved the economy off a cliff was caused by unregulated wall street bankers. corps have also outsourced many jobs to save a few bucks, seemingly forgetting that they are also putting potential customers out of work. it's a real shame)
yes that might be so ... but those maintenance people are getting triple time and are not being to be there...big difference between making 5-6 dollars per hour and knowing if you refuse they'll likely cut your hours.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I agree. Crappy jobs will always exist but hard work will ALWAYS get you places. You'll never get a lot of pull when you work a job like that. That's not Walmart's fault. If these people are pissed enough to organize something like this then they're probably smart enough to know that hardwork or education can improve their situations. Walking out is a different direction than moving up.
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I think that's awesome.
By the way, support small business! Small Business Saturday this Saturday, November 24th.
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/smal ... 5440867574
Other than that, Black Friday is actually called Buy Nothing Day. Buy Nothing Day is your special day to unshop, unspend and unwind. Relax and do nothing for the economy and for yourself - at least for a single day. It's a reminder to stop and think about why you're spending. It seems like a simple enough challenge to try to go one day without spending, but in many parts of the world it would be virtually impossible if you consider your monthly bills that accrue on a daily basis as part of "buying".
http://www.buynothingday.org/
black friday is massage day for me, has been and always will be. i recommend it for everyone, its the best $100 you'll spend all month.
^^^^This. Best bet is to shop local. Small businesses actually know their employees and the employees know the owners and actually have a relationship. I shop local every chance I get.
Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned...
I AM MINE
Thank you, ritgrl! :thumbup:
And than you Jeanwah for the "Buy Nothing Day" link. Oddly enough, I approve.:thumbup:
Yet you'll sell on "Buy Nothing Day"
Really I don;t care. Have your boycott and others can have their shopping day. I'm not sure what I'll do yet. Maybe I'll boycott Small business on Black friday and only buy online in protest!!!
I'm kinda with cincy on this - "Have your boycott and others can have their shopping day".
Our Black Friday plans involve staying in, lounging about...and leftovers.