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Walmart Workers Launch Black Friday Strike

disneydude said:
Corporate Greed continues to destroy American Tradition. Last year, I refused to spend a penny at any store that opened on Thanksgiving through the entire holiday season. I will do the same again this year....no WalMart, Kmart, Target, Macy's, Best Buy....etc. Its getting harder to do my Christmas shopping but I believe strongly that corporate greed should not destroy the values of this country.
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I am fine with Black Friday, but this "graying" effect we are witnessing now is harmful. This is also part of the reason why I love Blue Laws. They instituted a moral order to restrain capitalism's excesses by using religion and traditionalist conservatism to ensure more people were staying home with their families instead of either being consumers or being part of the labor force during holidays.
 
ernst barkmann said:
i suggest that every worker of walmart refuse to work, from now until after Christmas..........that will show walmart.

the next step is that the workers give walmart and ultimatum, if no raise to 15 bucks an hour by APR 15th , everyone should quit and cripple walmart even to the point of making them go bankrupt.

lets have a whole strong solidarity movement!

"power to the people ,power to the workers".......a RED State forever!
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Its easy to tell other people to be have zero income, evicted and become homeless with empty pockets for YOUR values, isn't it?
 
Declan said:
Dollar General was open today; grocery stores were open today; convenience stores were open today. Where is the outrage for these people?
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This has nothing to do with my post. However, the essence of my post still remains. I'm standing behind Wal-Mart's employees because their case has valid points. When workers at Dollar Store decide to do the same, I'll stand behind them with the same questions from people who simply say 'They should get different jobs'. What happens when that simply isn't possible? Are people supposed to accept that mistreatment, low wages is a part of the Ayn Rand, laissez faire mentality?
 
Hatuey said:
This has nothing to do with my post. However, the essence of my post still remains. I'm standing behind Wal-Mart's employees because their case has valid points. When workers at Dollar Store decide to do the same, I'll stand behind them with the same questions from people who simply say 'They should get different jobs'. What happens when that simply isn't possible? Are people supposed to accept that mistreatment, low wages is a part of the Ayn Rand, laissez faire mentality?
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Or get an education or quit and live off the workers who work on Thanksgiving at Walmart and dollar general and Kroger, and Food Lion, and Target, et als.
 
Declan said:
Or get an education or quit and live off the workers who work on Thanksgiving at Walmart and dollar general and Kroger, and Food Lion, and Target, et als.
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If wishing made magical lands come true, your response would be adequate, however it is not and not everyone has access to a higher education.
 
The title of this thread should've been "Walmart workers don't work Black Friday, begin new job search."
 
TheDemSocialist said:
Read more @: Walmart Workers Launch Black Friday Strike

:applaud:applaudIn solidarity! [/FONT][/COLOR]
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They will end up losing their jobs. Union activity is grounds for dismissal under the employment contract you sign when you are hired by WM. These actions constitute a breach of contract and thus will inevitably lead to their termination. Which sucks, because WM is one of the very few places where I could support a union being in place.

Then there's the long term effect of higher prices, even fewer employees (they wouldn't increase total hours worked, all they would do concentrate them in fewer employees) and an even worse working environment when they start pushing union employees for more and more results based on the fact that they getting paid more. They will almost undoubtedly set up two different employee classifications based on hourly pay (not whether they are in the union, but based on their rate of pay, something that is 100% legal to do) and demand far more from the higher paid employees than they do the lower paid ones. "Solidarity" will end up dead in the water.
 
TheNextEra said:
Sorry, did the workers get "assigned" to Walmart through some criminal rehab program or did they apply and agree to work retail store hours?

If someone was hired with the GUARANTEE that they wouldn't work holidays, you might have a point. But I am fairly confident that this sort of arrangement was not done in the interview.

Are you showing the same concern for the fire department, police department, and other people that HAVE to work holidays or are you ONLY interested in RETAIL?
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There is a difference, one is police are represented by unions and make more money, and with seniority they will eventually get to choose to have thanksgiving off. Also public safety is essential, buying junk to give away a month later is not. The hose draggers usually get to spend some time with family at the station or can bring the rig to a celebration as long as they remain as a company and keep In radio contact. A policeman who lives in town can drop by if he's not on a call
 
Every year, Walmart employees strike on Black Friday. This is nothing new. Last year, employees decided to go on strike during Black Friday. Walmart also decided to respond to that strike last year:

"This has been the most successful Black Friday in Walmart's history, with customers receiving bigger and better savings and an overall safer shopping experience. We're proud of the hard work our associates have put into making this a great Black Friday for our customers, and we're pleased we can provide them with holiday pay equal to an additional day's work, as well as a 25 percent discount on an entire basket of goods for their extraordinary efforts.

"Black Friday is a big stage, and we're one of the biggest players in the retail industry. We're not surprised that those trying to change our industry are using this platform to get their message out, and we respect their right to be heard. We expect some demonstrations at our stores today, although far fewer than what our critics are claiming and with hardly any actual Walmart associates participating.

"For our part, we want to be absolutely clear about our jobs, the pay and benefits we offer our associates, and the role retail jobs play in the U.S. economy. Walmart provides wages on the higher end of the retail average with full-time and part-time associates making, on average, close to $12.00 an hour. The majority of our workforce is full-time, and our average full-time hourly pay is $12.81 an hour. We are also proud of the benefits we offer our associates, including affordable health care, performance-based bonuses, education benefits, and access to a 401K.

"Of course, we have entry-level jobs and we always will. The real issue isn't where you start. It's where you can go once you've started. Retail is one of the few industries that has jobs at all levels and ongoing advancement opportunities. Walmart promotes on average more than 430 associates a day. By year's end, we will have promoted 160,000 associates, including 25,000 this holiday season alone. It's businesses like Walmart that can create opportunities for career growth and greater economic security for families."
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Walmart has actually had a good Q3 release, and I expect Q4 to be just as good.

So, there's that. This strike will be in vain, just like any other strike on Walmart.
 
WallStreetVixen said:
Every year, Walmart employees strike on Black Friday. This is nothing new. Last year, employees decided to go on strike during Black Friday. Walmart also decided to respond to that strike last year:



Walmart has actually had a good Q3 release, and I expect Q4 to be just as good.

So, there's that. This strike will be in vain, just like any other strike on Walmart.
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12. 81 and hour? That's not on the upper end of the scale. The union grocery and department stores in my area the scale tops off at 19 bucks an hour
 
EMNofSeattle said:
12. 81 and hour? That's not on the upper end of the scale. The union grocery and department stores in my area the scale tops off at 19 bucks an hour
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National hourly rate data of retail sales associates shows that the retail wages can range anywhere between $7.50 - $13.32. $12.81 is on the higher end of the scale. It is a decent wage for retail in general. Bloody good for cashiers and stock guys. The local grocery and convenience stores in my neighborhood pays less than $9 dollars an hour. And New York City has the highest cost of living in the entire nation. The drug stores in the same area are unionised by the RWDSU and everyone there barely makes above the state minimum wage. If these jobs existed anywhere else, they would probably be set at the Federal minimum wage.
 
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Superfly said:
I don't suffer! I look forward to this. :2party:

I'll bet the employees don't suffer, either, when they cash those paychecks.
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This is a point I make as much as I possibly can. Employers and employees both go into a contract agreeing to accept each other's terms. I have never had an employer gripe about having to sign the paycheck that I got and in return even though there were things I've hated about certain jobs I sucked it up and went on because that was what I accepted.
 
Ahhh..... Christmas shopping is done, for the most part. I have to pick my husband up some PJs and a few new filters for his camera. Other than that, everything is finished, and wrapped, and under the tree.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank:

Walmart
Target
Michael's Crafts
Dick's Sporting Goods
GameStop
Journeys
American Eagle
The Shoe Department
and Hibbett's

Thank you all for being open so I could shop at your stores. I would like to thank the myriad of online places I placed orders with this weekend. With the exception of JC Penney's, all my orders have already shipped. JC Penney's just jacked everything up.

Disclaimer: I know that the employees can't really see this, but I wish they could. I'm glad they are there. They saved me an absolute fortune this weekend, and now I am finished, and can relax and enjoy the holidays.
 
Hatuey said:
If wishing made magical lands come true, your response would be adequate, however it is not and not everyone has access to a higher education.
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Most of these people didn't even get a "lower education" when they had it handed to them on a silver platter. They had their chance. They blew it. Now we're supposed to feel sorry for them?
 
Cephus said:
Most of these people didn't even get a "lower education" when they had it handed to them on a silver platter. They had their chance. They blew it. Now we're supposed to feel sorry for them?
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Feeling sorry for them is not part of the question. Part of the question is: What do you suggest for people who don't have the option of looking for another job? Are they supposed to allow corporations to abuse them?
 
Hatuey said:
Feeling sorry for them is not part of the question. Part of the question is: What do you suggest for people who don't have the option of looking for another job? Are they supposed to allow corporations to abuse them?
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Feeling sorry for them IS part of the question. You say it isn't but then you turn right around and ask (in a covert way) if we feel sorry for them. Truthfully, nope. I am a heartless bastard that thinks if they were worth more they would get it. The corporations aren't abusing them. They gave them a job and pay them what they are worth on the market.
 
NonoBadDog said:
Feeling sorry for them IS part of the question. You say it isn't but then you turn right around and ask (in a covert way) if we feel sorry for them. Truthfully, nope. I am a heartless bastard that thinks if they were worth more they would get it. The corporations aren't abusing them. They gave them a job and pay them what they are worth on the market.
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Keep trying. Nobody here cares whether you're a heartless bastard or not. It's actually pretty irrelevant. Tell us what they should do? I'll ask one last time before I'm done with this: What do you suggest for people who don't have the option of looking for another job? Are they supposed to allow corporations to abuse them?

Now, if you don't believe they're being abused, that's another matter for you to educate yourself on. Wal-mart and its midlevel management are famous for abusing the rights of employees. How you feel about that is pretty irrelevant. The fact that you consider the abuse a-okay because they agreed to be employed by Wal-mart is laughable. It's no more laughable than saying indentured servants agreed to be mistreated. :shrug:
 
TheNextEra said:
Sorry, did the workers get "assigned" to Walmart through some criminal rehab program or did they apply and agree to work retail store hours?

If someone was hired with the GUARANTEE that they wouldn't work holidays, you might have a point. But I am fairly confident that this sort of arrangement was not done in the interview.

Are you showing the same concern for the fire department, police department, and other people that HAVE to work holidays or are you ONLY interested in RETAIL?
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No, they just hate Walmart.
 
Hatuey said:
Feeling sorry for them is not part of the question. Part of the question is: What do you suggest for people who don't have the option of looking for another job? Are they supposed to allow corporations to abuse them?
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They not getting paid or something?
 
American said:
They not getting paid or something?
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I'm surprised you'd be totally uninformed on a subject. However, I'm feeling generous so I'll help you out:

Employees Sue Wal-Mart for Overtime - ABC News

Maria Gamble of Farmingville, N.Y., is filing suit on behalf of 20,000 current and former Wal-Mart employees in New York state who claim that they were denied pay for overtime hours worked.

Gamble claims that while she worked at Wal-Mart's store in Centereach, N.Y., she and other hourly workers were routinely locked in the store at night where they would have to restock merchandise and count out the cash registers, even though the workers had already gone off the clock. Gamble says the tasks often took two extra hours.
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Wal-Mart Loses Unpaid Overtime Case - CBS News

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, forced employees in Oregon to work unpaid overtime between 1994 and 1999, a federal jury found Thursday in the first of dozens of such lawsuits across the country to come to trial.

A separate trial will be held to decide how much Wal-Mart should pay in damages.

More than 400 employees from 24 of Wal-Mart's 27 Oregon stores had sued the retailer, accusing it of violating federal and state wage laws.
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Wal-Mart Forces Employees To Work Off The Clock: Suit - Law360

A Florida woman filed a putative class action Thursday against Wal-Mart Stores Inc., accusing the retail giant of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act by requiring employees to work off the clock.
In a complaint filed in Florida federal court, Wal-Mart store clerk Lisa Gilliam said management regularly prevented her from clocking in to start her shift for up to several hours after arriving in an attempt to reduce overtime hours.

"Plaintiff reported to work as instructed but was required to spend time at work 'off the clock,'" Gilliam said in the complaint. "Plaintiff was not compensated for several hours each week while she waited to start work as instructed by management."
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This really is nothing new and Walmart has been getting sued right and left for labor abuses. With that said, no getting another job is not a reasonable response to people asking that their labor rights be respected. In many communities, Walmarts provide the only jobs available. As such, it should have to abide by the basic protections afforded to laborers in the US. If it doesn't, then a labor strike is a reasonable response to an employer who abuses the rights of its workers knowing they have limited options. :shrug:
 
EMNofSeattle said:
Not according to federal and Oregon law it's not.
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Seriously?? If that was the case, WM would have been sued LONG ago for this kind of thing and the parts of the employment contract that stipulate this would have been removed by a judge's order. Oddly enough, they haven't. Would you are to hazard a guess as to why that is?? Here's a clue: BECAUSE IT IS A PRIVATE CONTRACT BETWEEEN PRIVATE PARTIES TO ENGAGE IN LEGAL ACTIVITIES AND THUS THE GOV'T ALLOWS IT AS LONG AS BOTH PARTIES AGREE WITHOUT COERSION.

Where do people get this stuff?? I'm NO fan of WM, but I do understand a lot of the legal aspects of employment. Obviously too many people have a lot of preconceptions that are dead wrong and propped up by a complete failure to apply any common sense.
 
EMNofSeattle said:
12. 81 and hour? That's not on the upper end of the scale. The union grocery and department stores in my area the scale tops off at 19 bucks an hour
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With prices to match... Sorry but folks on low income cannot afford to shop at union stores and they have to shop at places that they can afford. You and your kind would force them to choose between skipping breakfast or lunch every day to support the unions. Whatever happened to the compassion for the poor and downtrodden that used to be such a core value of the left?? Does it only apply to loyal union members or potential union members??
 
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