Walmart Black Friday Nationwide Walkout

I just became aware of this, apparently it's gaining traction and might be something to watch:
[image removed by staff]

It's time to take a stand and support the workers who are standing up to live better through an unfair labor practice strike.

Walmart workers decided to strike on Black Friday after they were targeted for retaliation for speaking out about substandard work conditions and treatment last month in the first ever walk out in the history of the company.

We ask you to help us feed the workers who will walk out on the company next week on the biggest shopping day of the year.

OccupyAmerica



Apparently this is growing traction:

"Yes, I'm going to walk on Black Friday. Most definitely," said Gerardo Paladin. "Because I want to show to Walmart I stand on my rights."

Barbara Holland, who works at a Renton Walmart, said striking on Black Friday will show Walmart that employees are needed and should be treated better.

Reached Thursday, Walmart officials called the walkout "unlawful union tactics." The company doesn't know how many of its 1 million workers will join the strike, but representatives from the retail giant say Black Friday will be business as usual, even if customers have to walk through picketers to get inside.

Walmart will actually be open all day on Thanksgiving, with Black Friday sales beginning at 8 p.m.

Seattle PI

I wonder if this will really happen? I know that for many people a Walmart salary is barley enough to survive on, supplemented with government assistance.

A former Walmart employee was handcuffed Wednesday when he visited his old store to talk to workers about next week’s “Black Friday” strike. Alex Rivera, who was fired in September, told The Nation that Walmart management intentionally misled Orlando police, leading them to detain him for twenty minutes in the store. The incident was denounced by the union-backed workers’ group OUR Walmart, which alleges that Walmart has been breaking the law to keep its workers in line.

The Nation

We'll have to watch and find out. I for one will not be shopping at Walmart for any of my holiday needs.

People don't walk off the job without another job.

There aren't enough jobs available to take all the walmart employee's.

This will not happen.

I will give you credit for a well thought out post. The evidence you posted is valid but trust me, it won't happen.

Originally posted by litterbaux
People don't walk off the job without another job.

There aren't enough jobs available to take all the walmart employee's.

I know for a fact that if every single Walmart employee walked out on Black Friday and got fired, they would fill every single position by the following Monday. That is just how bad unemployment is in the US right now.

This is kinda stupid, all they will accomplish is losing their jobs. With the thousands out there out of work, wal mart will fill these vacancies within a day or two.

reply to post by SonicInfinity


Which is exactly why this won't happen.

I'm pretty sure the average Walmart employee isn't independently wealthy, or a budding entrepreneur. They aren't going to "shoot themselves in the foot" or "bite the hand that's feeding them".

Nothing will happen.

All valid points!

I simply never shop at Walmart. Honestly, their prices are within a few cents of other competing, smaller stores.

Training new employes takes time and money. The monetary damage that would be done on a Black Friday walkout, and the subsequent hiring of "scabs" could propel Walmart into a public relations nightmare.

The proletarian-Walmart economy seems to be showing cracks. I'll be keeping my eye out!

I love it when somebody takes a job and then demands more than they agreed to work for.
If its not worth doing then don't take that job.
Wal mart gets away with paying low wages because people agree to work for them.


I usually only buy toilet paper from Walmart because that's what most of their products are good for but I'd consider spending more on Black Friday just to push a full cart through a picket line.
I've got no respect for the gang mentality.

reply to post by MystikMushroom


Half of the employees won't walk out, they value A JOB, and will do everything t keep it, especially in this economy

Does this mean I won't have to stand in line for 12 hours to get one of the cheap computers they'll be advertising but will run out of 28 seconds into the plastic being ripped off of the pallet?

If so then I fully support it.

~Heff

reply to post by MystikMushroom


I've only shopped at Wally-World a few times, only when I couldn't find a certain item. To be truthful, upon almost every visit, I found the employees to be substandard. Not all, but most.

Most had no clue as to how the store was set up and always called for help in regards to my query.

But the US seems to tolerate that kind of attitude these days.

Good enough by government standards.

reply to post by badgerprints


Well,

I suppose they could always quit and join the military?

Originally posted by Hefficide

Does this mean I won't have to stand in line for 12 hours to get one of the cheap computers they'll be advertising but will run out of 28 seconds into the plastic being ripped off of the pallet?

If so then I fully support it.

~Heff

I doubt it.
It will be a thin line of defensive picketers facing waves of marauding shoppers.

It would be like the Spartans.
Instead of the three hundred it would be the three dozen.
They hold off the initial assault at the grocery entrance with a cart barricade and wet floor sign. The pharmacy entrance is impassable as they have built a wall with kitty litter barrels, christmas trees and an entire "as seen on tv" display. things are fine for awhile until a disgruntled cart boy leads the shoppers in through the quick lube entrance. Then the picketers are taken from behind by the exiting shoppers.

Need a theme song.

reply to post by Hefficide


I already avoid Black Friday like the scourge it is!

In some communities, Walmart is one of the largest employers. Putting 30% of the community out of work overnight might not be a good thing.

We'll see if this ongoing Walmart labor issue necessitates the need for modern-day "Pinkertons". Walmart in the past has had no problem bringing in armed security. We've already discussed this on ATS with this discussion thread:

Walmart Workers Ask For Basic Rights, Walmart Calls Riot Police

I am somehow reminded of the steel/coal miners strikes of the early 1900's. The industries have changed, but the same basic premises remain the same.

reply to post by MystikMushroom


I support them in their efforts. I have to agree with several of you who have commented that most of them will not walk out for fear of retaliation and the loss of their job. However, they do need a union to represent them. The best way to support them is not to shop there until they treat their employees better.

Originally posted by GrantedBail
reply to post by MystikMushroom

 

I support them in their efforts. I have to agree with several of you who have commented that most of them will not walk out for fear of retaliation and the loss of their job. However, they do need a union to represent them. The best way to support them is not to shop there until they treat their employees better.

The aim (from what I can tell) is two-fold. One half is a mass walk-out that can't be discussed at work, and the other half is a boycott of Walmart on Black Friday.

I have no plans to do any shopping that day, but Walmart would be at the bottom of my list anyway.

Originally posted by MystikMushroom
reply to post by badgerprints

 

Well,

I suppose they could always quit and join the military?

Same issue different government entity.
Very much the same deal.
Basics
1. Very few people get decent pay or raises any more.
2. You know what you get paid before you started.

When in doubt, see line 1.

If they really want to strike, fine. They will be able to piss off half of the shopping public in one fell swoop by doing it on Black Friday. It just demonstrates that they are operating from a position of weakness and spite.
They won't garner any real sympathy.
The "my life sucks so I'm going to piss you off" attitude will just make people support Wal-Mart more.

reply to post by badgerprints


I think you doubt which way public opinion will sway. Remember, Obama just won the election.

If shoppers are inconvenienced on Black Friday at Walmart -- I think they'll blame the parent company more than the employees. Not everyone has a "survival of the fittest, screw everyone else but me" mentality.



If Walmart is crippled on the largest shopping day of the year from walkouts and voluntary boycotts -- it would send a message -- one I think at least half the country would support.

Originally posted by SonicInfinity

I know for a fact that if every single Walmart employee walked out on Black Friday and got fired, they would fill every single position by the following Monday. That is just how bad unemployment is in the US right now.

They wouldn't "walk out" and get fired. They'd call in sick and get docked a days pay. Do you know how businesses work?

People talk this every year and nothing ever happens. They talk smack during the day, and then in the evening when they get home, see their bills on the desk and listen to their child asking what they're eating for dinner, reality sets in. I talk to people who work at Wal-Mart, shop there periodically, and from what I can see the work isn't that difficult. If you think it is then you don't have much of a work ethic IMO, and that's not the fault of Wal-Mart. That's your fault. Wal-Mart is like any other company that has locations nationwide. You're going to have locations where things run smoothly and locations where they don't. You have to look at the big picture if you want a clear view.

Even if they did walk out, the corporation as a whole wouldn't lose any money because all the customers that would've shopped at the store where the "walkout" happened would simply go to the next store a few miles away. And the employee's know that. The only thing they'd accomplish is making themselves look childish.

I thought I'd just add some info about this seen from little Norway.

Norway has a huge fund where we store the money we'll need if we run out of oil. We invest those money around the globe. Some companies are deemed not ethical enough to invest in. Because of the anti-union attitude of Wallmart that company is blacklisted. We won't touch that company. And, there are other financial institutions that also use the same list.

Before that company was blacklisted our pride-minister didn't get invited to the White House. It was Bush who was in the White House, so he didn't take it too hard. Everybody knew Bush was a crappy president. But, Bush lacked basic understanding of how diplomacy worked. So, he tried to invite the head of our national fund to the White House. The Norwegian came and left, and made sure to point out that he still would not touch Wallmart. The company remained blacklisted.

And, this is how we Norwegian view Wall Mart. A company that is so anti-union and workers rights that it's infamous in many parts of the world. Ask a Norwegian what Target is, and most of us will have no idea about it. But, we know Wallmart is bad.

If I had my way each of those people would be cained in the Singaporian fashion. They are undoubtablly 100% the more shining example as to why american will fail to remain a superpower, and or leader in industry.

It just boggles my mind how dumb and lazy some people are, or else how brainwashed. If you're born and raised in American you're raised to actually believe that you have a sense of entitlement, priviledge, status, that even when someone gives you a "real job", people complain about it.

There's only millions of other people around the world who would kill, literally kill for the opportunity to have that wal mart job, regardless of wage, hours, work load etc etc. Yet all they can do is complain about it. The only thing that actually makes sense is just how brainwashed people actually grow up. So it's really not all there fault. But still....

If they don't like the job QUIT! There's a gazillion other people who would gladly take that job and not complain at all about it. I suppose then again where things are the best in the world that's where there's also the most complaints. They should be cained in the Singaporean fashion for there gross and negligent insubordination!