Please Pledge To Boycott Walmart This Black Friday!
It’s time to support Walmart workers who are fighting for an economy that works for all of us – let’s support their strike this Black Friday by not crossing the picket line.
Why are Walmart workers standing up all across the country?
“Because we live in America, we work for the world’s largest company, and we’re still not making it.”“Because I have to choose between paying my bills and having enough to eat.”“Because management bullies us and causes unnecessary stress.”“Because I’m tired of working for a company where workers get cheated and cheaters get rewarded.”“Because I want a better life for my son.”“Because management disrespects me in front of customers.”“Because the Walton family has as much wealth as 45 million American families.”“Because long-term associates are being fired.”“Because they don’t treat me like a human being.”“Because my fellow associates have to use our local food pantries.”“Because of all the favoritism in my store.”“Because when we speak out, Walmart retaliates.”“Because if I didn’t live with family I would have to choose between health care and food.”“Because we’re people, not cattle. We deserve respect.”“Because I spoke out at my store and Walmart illegally fired me for it.”“Because together we are stronger than we are alone.”“Because Walmart can afford to give us enough to live better.”STAND UP!!!!! LIVE BETTER!!!!!
VISIT: http://corporateactionnetwork.org/ to sign the Pledge and learn more!
As the world’s largest private employer, Walmart impacts all of our lives. Communities, workers, organizations and elected officials are coming together to demand that Walmart improve living conditions and guarantee the rights of workers, care for the environment, rebuild our communities and elevate global living standards.
An emailed appeal of the striking workers:
A Community Call to Action
Across the country, Walmart employs 1.4 million people. We are not just the Associates that you see in stores, we are moms and dads, sons and daughters, husbands and wives working hard to support our families. We have been speaking out for good jobs with decent pay, regular hours, affordable healthcare and respect, but instead of working with us to make changes, Walmart has attempted to silence and retaliate against us for speaking out. Our jobs have been threatened, our hours cut, our schedules changed. Some of us have even been fired.
We will not be silenced. Throughout the holiday season, including Black Friday, we will be standing up for an end to the retaliation against workers who speak out for what's right for our families, our communities and our country, and we hope that you will stand with us.
Your Support Is Critical
It is not an easy decision, but without an end to the retaliation, Walmart workers across the country will be walking off the job in protest, and we hope you will join us in creative, non-violent action in solidarity with our strike. We ask that supporters take action that spreads the word about our strikes and demonstrates to Walmart a wave of support for workers who are speaking out.
We deeply appreciate your organization’s support us as we strike to defend our rights. As we stand together, we request that your solidarity actions are done in a way that supports our goals and principals.
We believe that the most effective way of persuading Walmart, enlisting the support of Walmart customers and the general public, and continuing to organize our co-workers, is through the persuasiveness of our message and the solidarity of those standing with the strikers. As a result, we take great pains to carefully plan and conduct our actions so they are orderly, peaceful, permit access to and from Walmart’s stores, and do not unlawfully disrupt Walmart operations or interfere with worker productivity.
We ask you to conduct all actions in support of the strikers peacefully, in a way to permit access to the stores and disrupt Walmart operations and worker productivity no more than necessary to express and demonstrate support for strikers and call on Walmart to change. We know we cannot win alone and it’s through the creative, non-violent actions of organizations such as yours that Walmart will be persuaded to change the way it treats its workers.------------This from Slate:Organized by OUR Wal-Mart, a national organization of Wal-Mart employees seeking better working conditions, the strike threat builds on this week’s activism, in which 88 workers have walked out at 28 stores in 12 states. Organizers say that at a minimum, workers want Wal-Mart to end what they call retaliatory firings of activist workers.Wal-Mart denies any retaliatory firings, but has made no attempt to stop bashing OUR Walmart at mandatory employee meetings. So far, striking workers account for only one in every 10,000 of Walmart’s 1.4 million U.S. employees. But the strike threat, supported by the National Consumer League, National Organization of Women, and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, could land a symbolic blow by raising public visibility to labor grievances on a day traditionally reserved for an orgy of commercial consumption
Please pass this message on!
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You have got to be kidding me!
Because of Wal-mart 1.4 million people have the job they CHOOSE. Nobody is forcing them to work there. They are free to leave if they don't like what they are doing.
Thanks to Wal-mart, and the way they run their business, they are able to hold prices down. Without their low prices the poor would have to spend even more for what little food they can buy with their food stamps. That goes for everything else they need or want.
These workers who want to strike, do you realize that a large percentage of them don't even work for Wal-mart? They work for contract companies. I loading at one of them now. What goes on in this building has nothing to do with Wal-mart. During a conversation, about something else, the lady who checked me in said that she has been here for 21 years. I guess it can't be that bad.
When you are in Wal-mart look at he name badges at how long some of the people have been there. 10 plus years on a lot of their name badges. Can't be that bad to work there that long can it? We are free to find better jobs if we don't like the one we have.
Maybe the problem is they can't find a better job. In that case what are they complaining about? If they have one the best jobs in the area why strike? They can go and work for someone worse.
BTW, I was a produce clerk at one point. Loved it. I left to go do something else I wanted to try. My daughter has been there for 15 years. She doesn't plan to leave.
Wal-mart. The best thing to ever come out of Arkansas.
Because of Wal-mart 1.4 million people have the job they CHOOSE. Nobody is forcing them to work there. They are free to leave if they don't like what they are doing.
Thanks to Wal-mart, and the way they run their business, they are able to hold prices down. Without their low prices the poor would have to spend even more for what little food they can buy with their food stamps. That goes for everything else they need or want.
These workers who want to strike, do you realize that a large percentage of them don't even work for Wal-mart? They work for contract companies. I loading at one of them now. What goes on in this building has nothing to do with Wal-mart. During a conversation, about something else, the lady who checked me in said that she has been here for 21 years. I guess it can't be that bad.
When you are in Wal-mart look at he name badges at how long some of the people have been there. 10 plus years on a lot of their name badges. Can't be that bad to work there that long can it? We are free to find better jobs if we don't like the one we have.
Maybe the problem is they can't find a better job. In that case what are they complaining about? If they have one the best jobs in the area why strike? They can go and work for someone worse.
BTW, I was a produce clerk at one point. Loved it. I left to go do something else I wanted to try. My daughter has been there for 15 years. She doesn't plan to leave.
Wal-mart. The best thing to ever come out of Arkansas.
@Catnlion,
Dude you are one stunned mo-fo. Do you really imagine, in your fondest dreams, that most people can REALLY "choose" the job they end up with? What planet do you live on? Let me enlighten you a wee bit......
When most people leave school and go looking for a job, they put in applications all over the place. Most of them take the first job they're offered because they might not gat offered any other - in today's economy that's almost a given.
THAT'S how so many people end up working at shitty dead-end slave-like jobs for unrewarding wages. This crap about they "choose" to work there is as disgusting as it is untrue. All of those badly treated employees would gladly work for a decent employer. Just offer them a decent job and see if they don't jump at it. Including YOU and your relatives!
"Free to leave ......?" Sure, everybody is "free to leave" any job. As long as you can suffer the lack of any income; as long as your spouse and children don't rely upon those miserable few dollars to help with the rent and health care and food that "the workers" blow their luxurious wages on.
A raise to double what Walmart workers now get would reduce the billions of dollars the Walmart family gets by about .00001%. And when did you last check out Walmart prices in any community where they have no competition from other businesses? Cheap prices? In a pigs eye!
Walmart profits very little by using cheaply paid Americans in their stores. They REALLY make their profits by putting Americans OUT OF WORK. They buy from offshore companies who pay their workers pennies. THAT sir, is how it's done in today's predatory greed capitalist society.
But The Walmart families won't tolerate anyone who thinks their workers should be fairly treated. Oh no@ That would mean a "serious" drop in their personal incomes of .00001%.
Poor wee Walmart family could hardly survive a loss like that.......
And what in gawd's name makes you think you "don't work for Walmart'? You work for a contracting company that works for Walmart, don't you? What, pray tell, is the friggin' difference? Or is the "different" name on the company you work for all you notice? How long do you suppose you'd be working if Walmart canceled the 'contract' with your company? About 30 seconds, is my guess.
I'd bet that you vote Republican or Libertarian too....
.
Dude you are one stunned mo-fo. Do you really imagine, in your fondest dreams, that most people can REALLY "choose" the job they end up with? What planet do you live on? Let me enlighten you a wee bit......
When most people leave school and go looking for a job, they put in applications all over the place. Most of them take the first job they're offered because they might not gat offered any other - in today's economy that's almost a given.
THAT'S how so many people end up working at shitty dead-end slave-like jobs for unrewarding wages. This crap about they "choose" to work there is as disgusting as it is untrue. All of those badly treated employees would gladly work for a decent employer. Just offer them a decent job and see if they don't jump at it. Including YOU and your relatives!
"Free to leave ......?" Sure, everybody is "free to leave" any job. As long as you can suffer the lack of any income; as long as your spouse and children don't rely upon those miserable few dollars to help with the rent and health care and food that "the workers" blow their luxurious wages on.
A raise to double what Walmart workers now get would reduce the billions of dollars the Walmart family gets by about .00001%. And when did you last check out Walmart prices in any community where they have no competition from other businesses? Cheap prices? In a pigs eye!
Walmart profits very little by using cheaply paid Americans in their stores. They REALLY make their profits by putting Americans OUT OF WORK. They buy from offshore companies who pay their workers pennies. THAT sir, is how it's done in today's predatory greed capitalist society.
But The Walmart families won't tolerate anyone who thinks their workers should be fairly treated. Oh no@ That would mean a "serious" drop in their personal incomes of .00001%.
Poor wee Walmart family could hardly survive a loss like that.......
And what in gawd's name makes you think you "don't work for Walmart'? You work for a contracting company that works for Walmart, don't you? What, pray tell, is the friggin' difference? Or is the "different" name on the company you work for all you notice? How long do you suppose you'd be working if Walmart canceled the 'contract' with your company? About 30 seconds, is my guess.
I'd bet that you vote Republican or Libertarian too....
.
Wholly right and just cause.
If not for the NYTimes expose in 2004, WallMart would still be locking-in overnight workers. At least one worker died as a result and numbers were harmed (in the normal course of work but denied exit to ERs).
Rated.
Will post this elsewhere.
If not for the NYTimes expose in 2004, WallMart would still be locking-in overnight workers. At least one worker died as a result and numbers were harmed (in the normal course of work but denied exit to ERs).
Rated.
Will post this elsewhere.
Not a problem I never buy anything at Walmart anyway.
Count me in, or out, or whichever makes more sense.
I avoid Black Friday like the plague- too many years working in retail- so that's no hardship. I'm also doing more online shopping .
What Sky said about prices is right on. Wal-Mart matches their lowest competitor. They don't undercut, they only go as low as they have to to stay at the lowest price. There was also a show on TV once about Wal-Mart, it might still be available. They shut down a TV factory in a factory town by insisting that the only way they would buy those TVs for their store was if the price was cut by 10%. The factory went to China, all the people lost their jobs, the town was dying. Wal-Mart "saved" them by opening a store where the highest paid job available was about half the wage of the lowest paid factory worker. Those people had no choice, and they were still on welfare even with the job.
All that being said, I do buy my groceries there. I don't like the other grocery stores available to me. I've been to all of them, and they are dingy and the produce goes bad.
What Sky said about prices is right on. Wal-Mart matches their lowest competitor. They don't undercut, they only go as low as they have to to stay at the lowest price. There was also a show on TV once about Wal-Mart, it might still be available. They shut down a TV factory in a factory town by insisting that the only way they would buy those TVs for their store was if the price was cut by 10%. The factory went to China, all the people lost their jobs, the town was dying. Wal-Mart "saved" them by opening a store where the highest paid job available was about half the wage of the lowest paid factory worker. Those people had no choice, and they were still on welfare even with the job.
All that being said, I do buy my groceries there. I don't like the other grocery stores available to me. I've been to all of them, and they are dingy and the produce goes bad.
Since a large percentage of the goods sold by Walmart is made by underpaid Chinese workers and wage there are on the rise the price of the goods sold must inevitably respond by rising the workers in the USA must correspondingly rise to provide a market. The whole business of underpaying workers is unsustainable in the long run if the market for the goods disappears. That this obvious relationship must be rectified isn't apparent to the business sector strikes me as rather odd.
@Jan,
The whole business sector is locked in to the ridiculous notions of "Supply Side Economics" which basically says, "If you bring it - they will buy it."
They assume that there is ALWAYS a market for EVERYTHING. When their goods don't jump off the shelf they get new sales staff. Don't blame them too much, this is what they get taught while getting their MBAs. All of us place a certain amount of trust in those who educate us. Sometimes the ivory tower theorists get it right - and sometimes they don't even come close.
.
The whole business sector is locked in to the ridiculous notions of "Supply Side Economics" which basically says, "If you bring it - they will buy it."
They assume that there is ALWAYS a market for EVERYTHING. When their goods don't jump off the shelf they get new sales staff. Don't blame them too much, this is what they get taught while getting their MBAs. All of us place a certain amount of trust in those who educate us. Sometimes the ivory tower theorists get it right - and sometimes they don't even come close.
.
@Jan,
The whole business sector is locked in to the ridiculous notions of "Supply Side Economics" which basically says, "If you bring it - they will buy it."
They assume that there is ALWAYS a market for EVERYTHING. When their goods don't jump off the shelf they get new sales staff. Don't blame them too much, this is what they get taught while getting their MBAs. All of us place a certain amount of trust in those who educate us. Sometimes the ivory tower theorists get it right - and sometimes they don't even come close.
.
The whole business sector is locked in to the ridiculous notions of "Supply Side Economics" which basically says, "If you bring it - they will buy it."
They assume that there is ALWAYS a market for EVERYTHING. When their goods don't jump off the shelf they get new sales staff. Don't blame them too much, this is what they get taught while getting their MBAs. All of us place a certain amount of trust in those who educate us. Sometimes the ivory tower theorists get it right - and sometimes they don't even come close.
.
Sorry about that comment. It was late at night and my mind was still shattered by a bad dream. But I have rarely seen such incoherent sentence structure. Nevertheless, the concept seems to have gotten across.
If the economy is conceived as having no relationship between wages and the activity of the market, it is not surprising the world is in such a mess. This relationship is so obvious that if humanity does not respond to it, the intellect of even the brightest sector is so minimal the species has no chance at all.
If the economy is conceived as having no relationship between wages and the activity of the market, it is not surprising the world is in such a mess. This relationship is so obvious that if humanity does not respond to it, the intellect of even the brightest sector is so minimal the species has no chance at all.
@Jan,
I think we're basically on the same page. I have the habit of using "income" rather than "wages" or "jobs" because my own design for a social and economic systems requires that such distinctions be made.
However, your recognition of the very simple and obvious notion that no system works well for long without a balance being achieved, is exactly right.
Those who espouse supply side predatory greed-capitalism can't seem to understand that "production" is NOT the be-all and end-all of an economic system. The system works on "Production AND Consumption" - "Supply AND Demand" - "Income AND Outgo".
One essential to a successful capitalist economic system is that the money MUST be kept moving. The instant it forms a pool of too great a volume anywhere in the circuit, it stops moving properly. Those pools of money stagnate and stink up the whole system.
Balance must be achieved and maintained. Both greed capitalism and socialism are built on the same framework. One papers over the framework with capitalist honchos and the other papers over the exact same framework with labour honchos. Neither one will admit the necessity of the other. Yet they are but the two sides of the same coin. And that's BEFORE we even start to take human needs into consideration.
It is the job of the social system to organize the society so as to meet its members needs - NOT the needs of the economic system. It is also the job of the social system to adopt, and strictly control an economic system so that it can use the wealth generated by that system to meet the needs of the population.
As things stand now, we've got the economic system setting the parameters of the social system and doing its best to force the society to follow economic precepts. That's the tail wagging the dog. Human beings aren't built so as to be economic cogs obedient to a mere tool - the economic system.
Ah well, I could go on in this vein all day.... ;-)
.
I think we're basically on the same page. I have the habit of using "income" rather than "wages" or "jobs" because my own design for a social and economic systems requires that such distinctions be made.
However, your recognition of the very simple and obvious notion that no system works well for long without a balance being achieved, is exactly right.
Those who espouse supply side predatory greed-capitalism can't seem to understand that "production" is NOT the be-all and end-all of an economic system. The system works on "Production AND Consumption" - "Supply AND Demand" - "Income AND Outgo".
One essential to a successful capitalist economic system is that the money MUST be kept moving. The instant it forms a pool of too great a volume anywhere in the circuit, it stops moving properly. Those pools of money stagnate and stink up the whole system.
Balance must be achieved and maintained. Both greed capitalism and socialism are built on the same framework. One papers over the framework with capitalist honchos and the other papers over the exact same framework with labour honchos. Neither one will admit the necessity of the other. Yet they are but the two sides of the same coin. And that's BEFORE we even start to take human needs into consideration.
It is the job of the social system to organize the society so as to meet its members needs - NOT the needs of the economic system. It is also the job of the social system to adopt, and strictly control an economic system so that it can use the wealth generated by that system to meet the needs of the population.
As things stand now, we've got the economic system setting the parameters of the social system and doing its best to force the society to follow economic precepts. That's the tail wagging the dog. Human beings aren't built so as to be economic cogs obedient to a mere tool - the economic system.
Ah well, I could go on in this vein all day.... ;-)
.
catnlion a/k/a trig. profound difference of opinion once again.
sky, brilliant and passionate response!!!! thank you!!!
jonathan, thanks so much. your disclosure about night workers made me gulp! appreciate this is getting passed along!
jmac, :-)
Abrawang, appreciate!
justphyllis -- thanks for more info about Walmart. I live in Walmart-less NYC, at least for now Walmart-less. I empathize re the produce, etc.! Obama supposedly helped the auto companies and now autoworkers who manage to get a job begin with half the salary the old auto workers got and this is called "saving" auto jobs? No, this is "getting over" for the sociopathic profiteers.
best, libby
sky, brilliant and passionate response!!!! thank you!!!
jonathan, thanks so much. your disclosure about night workers made me gulp! appreciate this is getting passed along!
jmac, :-)
Abrawang, appreciate!
justphyllis -- thanks for more info about Walmart. I live in Walmart-less NYC, at least for now Walmart-less. I empathize re the produce, etc.! Obama supposedly helped the auto companies and now autoworkers who manage to get a job begin with half the salary the old auto workers got and this is called "saving" auto jobs? No, this is "getting over" for the sociopathic profiteers.
best, libby
Walmart re New York:
mark hughes
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9546569/Walmart-fails-to-crack-New-York-City.html
"With more than 4,000 stores across the US, it may seem like there is a Walmart in every town and city in the country. But the company has consistently failed to get a foothold in the Big Apple.
"The company had earmarked a new shopping centre being built in Brooklyn as the site to open its first New York City store.
"But opposition to Walmart has always been strong in the country's largest city and amid mounting protests, they withdrew from the project last week.
"Opposition to Walmart in the city is driven by what protesters say is the chain's history of low wages and poor employee benefits. There are also fears from unions that the company's low prices will hurt the profit margins of other shops, endangering the jobs of its members.
Other large cities have similar opposition groups but Walmart opened its first store in downtown Chicago in 2009 and was this year granted permission to build its first two in Washington DC. Although Mayor Michael Bloomberg came out of favour of the chain coming to New York City in April, that first store remains elusive."
mark hughes
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9546569/Walmart-fails-to-crack-New-York-City.html
"With more than 4,000 stores across the US, it may seem like there is a Walmart in every town and city in the country. But the company has consistently failed to get a foothold in the Big Apple.
"The company had earmarked a new shopping centre being built in Brooklyn as the site to open its first New York City store.
"But opposition to Walmart has always been strong in the country's largest city and amid mounting protests, they withdrew from the project last week.
"Opposition to Walmart in the city is driven by what protesters say is the chain's history of low wages and poor employee benefits. There are also fears from unions that the company's low prices will hurt the profit margins of other shops, endangering the jobs of its members.
Other large cities have similar opposition groups but Walmart opened its first store in downtown Chicago in 2009 and was this year granted permission to build its first two in Washington DC. Although Mayor Michael Bloomberg came out of favour of the chain coming to New York City in April, that first store remains elusive."
Jan, thanks once again! best, libby
sky, more brilliance! you write:
"Those who espouse supply side predatory greed-capitalism can't seem to understand that "production" is NOT the be-all and end-all of an economic system. The system works on "Production AND Consumption" - "Supply AND Demand" - "Income AND Outgo".
"One essential to a successful capitalist economic system is that the money MUST be kept moving. The instant it forms a pool of too great a volume anywhere in the circuit, it stops moving properly. Those pools of money stagnate and stink up the whole system.
"Balance must be achieved and maintained. Both greed capitalism and socialism are built on the same framework. One papers over the framework with capitalist honchos and the other papers over the exact same framework with labour honchos. Neither one will admit the necessity of the other. Yet they are but the two sides of the same coin. And that's BEFORE we even start to take human needs into consideration.
"It is the job of the social system to organize the society so as to meet its members needs - NOT the needs of the economic system. It is also the job of the social system to adopt, and strictly control an economic system so that it can use the wealth generated by that system to meet the needs of the population.
"As things stand now, we've got the economic system setting the parameters of the social system and doing its best to force the society to follow economic precepts. That's the tail wagging the dog. Human beings aren't built so as to be economic cogs obedient to a mere tool - the economic system."
again, so well said! thanks! best, libby
"Those who espouse supply side predatory greed-capitalism can't seem to understand that "production" is NOT the be-all and end-all of an economic system. The system works on "Production AND Consumption" - "Supply AND Demand" - "Income AND Outgo".
"One essential to a successful capitalist economic system is that the money MUST be kept moving. The instant it forms a pool of too great a volume anywhere in the circuit, it stops moving properly. Those pools of money stagnate and stink up the whole system.
"Balance must be achieved and maintained. Both greed capitalism and socialism are built on the same framework. One papers over the framework with capitalist honchos and the other papers over the exact same framework with labour honchos. Neither one will admit the necessity of the other. Yet they are but the two sides of the same coin. And that's BEFORE we even start to take human needs into consideration.
"It is the job of the social system to organize the society so as to meet its members needs - NOT the needs of the economic system. It is also the job of the social system to adopt, and strictly control an economic system so that it can use the wealth generated by that system to meet the needs of the population.
"As things stand now, we've got the economic system setting the parameters of the social system and doing its best to force the society to follow economic precepts. That's the tail wagging the dog. Human beings aren't built so as to be economic cogs obedient to a mere tool - the economic system."
again, so well said! thanks! best, libby
There is no question that the economic engine has been taken over by idiots who are determined to sweep all the wealth and power into their own pockets and thereby destroy all the basis and meaning for that wealth and power. The major attempts to put some rationality into the system throughout history has resulted in the same old gang of thugs or their equivalent getting back into the saddle and driving the system on its clear road to total destruction of the planet's potentials and unimaginable misery for life in general. Evidently humanity as it is currently constituted is unworthy of controlling the forces it can now exercise and capable only of committing mass suicide. It's a dismal analysis but if we don't mutate into something more sensible or are taken over by interstellar aliens for our own benefit, we haven't got a chance in hell. The recent election of the same old vicious dummies changes nothing and the time is rapidly running out as the recent drouths and hurricanes have clearly demonstrated.
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