Black Friday Walmart protest

Consider joining the thousands of Walmart workers  who are exploring better ways to work and live.

 

Making Change at Walmart

http://makingchangeatwalmart.org/

 

OUR Walmart

http://forrespect.org/

 

Here's the letter we hand delivered to the Walmart manager:

 

November 23, 2012

 

Mike Duke

Walmart Home Office

702 SW 8th St.

Bentonville, AR 72716-8611

 

Dear Mr. Duke,

 

We are writing you today to let you know that on this Black Friday, we join thousands of people of faith who are gathered at different Walmart stores across the country in support of Walmart associates and Walmart-contracted warehouse workers demanding respect, better wages and safer working conditions.

 

As we stand here in Yakima at store #2269 on the biggest shopping day of the year. We see an endless stream of customers and thousands of items flying off the shelves. By the end of the day, Walmart will make millions in sales and profits. The hardworking associates and warehouse workers, however, will go home with barely enough to make ends meet.

 

There is no reason for those who work at your stores and your contracted warehouses to go without basic necessities such as food and shelter. Yet, many of them live in poverty because Walmart does not pay fair wages.

 

As people of faith, we call for a Jubilee at Walmart as the company celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Jubilee is the biblical covenant requiring the cancellation of debts, freeing of slaves, and redistribution of resources every 50 years to limit inequality.

 

Walmart is the glaring example of inequality, and for 50 years it helped legitimize an economy benefiting the interests of a few wealthy executives at the expense of working people. 

 

This year, as you and your company celebrate the values of “hard work, “entrepreneurship,” and “the American dream,” we remember and pray for the 1.4 million Walmart workers in the United States earning poverty wages while having to work in dangerous environments with limited access to insurance and benefits.

 

We call on Walmart to share its corporate wealth with workers by providing what is due to store associates and to those contracted to provide and move Walmart goods: a living wage, benefits and a safe workplace.

 

Thank you,

Robert Beal

Chairman, Social Justice Committee

Unitarian Universalist Church of Yakima

 

Other signers:  Theresa  and Darrell Petrie (Ellensburg), Heather Squire (Ellensburg), Patrick Thomas (Richland), Thomas Mohagen (Yakima)

 

cc:  Walmart store #2269 manager Michael Rainey

If you don't like what Wall Mart pays, quit and go work some place that pays better like Hostess, oops that is not a good example, well maybe it is a good example.