Kevin,
As tens of thousands of people are getting ready to camp out in front of big-box stores this Friday, we have a special opportunity to support workers in those stores—and make a statement about workplace justice that echoes across America.
Walmart workers, who’ve been organizing for more than two years and are planning Black Friday protests at thousands of stores nationwide, are making this year about workers’ rights and getting Walmart to pay a wage that workers can support their families on.
Their bravery, though, doesn’t come without major sacrifices. Dozens of Walmart workers have been fired for speaking out. But they aren’t backing down. Even with bills piling up, these workers—such as Marc Bowers, who worked at Walmart for eight years but was fired after going on strike to stand up for his co-workers’ right to speak out—are staying in the fight for justice at Walmart because they know how important it is for working people everywhere.
The implications of these Black Friday protests are huge. Walmart is the biggest private employer in the country and has become the poster child for the corporate greed that’s ruining America. The company has $16 billion in profits, and the six members of the Walton family, heirs to the Walmart fortune, have as much wealth as 42% of Americans combined.
Walmart has continued to promote a corporate culture of low wages, part-time work and erratic scheduling that keeps workers from being able to support their families. And when workers have spoken out, Walmart has used money, power and influence to try to silence them.
But even in the face of threats of firings and intimidation, Walmart workers are standing up against the company’s race-to-the-bottom model, not just for themselves, but for all workers who deserve dignity and a voice on the job.
Stand with Walmart workers by sponsoring a striker now:
go.aflcio.org/Support-Walmart-Workers
Thank you and have a wonderful holiday.
In Solidarity,
Rich
—
Richard Trumka
President, AFL-CIO
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