Walmart Walkout; Black Friday Workers to Strike Ahead of Sales Deals
Walmart is getting ready for Black Friday amidst plans by some employees to stage a walkout.
Those employees planning the strike know the company will feel the impact on the busiest shopping day of the year. The organizations planning the overall walkout expect around a 1,000 different protests at stores across the country over a nine day period, according to The Nation.
Organizers are reaching out to people on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to mobilize other workers.
Frustrated employees are adding the upcoming strike on Black Friday as part of a previous one in October which started in Los Angeles. The strike spread to around 28 other cities in a dozen states with the support of over a 100 workers.
Walmart has been accused by some employees for cutting hours, wages and benefits. Union supported groups OUR Wal-Mart and watchdog group Corporate Action Network say that the company often uses unfair practices to deal with employees who speak up wanting better compensation.
While Walmart says that the employees staging the walkout only represent a small portion of the 1.3 million workers, those participating are trying to make their voices heard.
"We have to borrow money from each other just to make it to work," said Wal-Mart employee Colby Harris to Business Week.
Labor expert Ken Margolies, a senior associate at the Worker Institute a Cornell University, warned that it doesn't take a majority of employees to make a big impact on the company.
"Even if there aren't that many people, it could have an effect, because their campaign in front of stores could discourage shoppers," said Margolies, according to CNN.
Supply centers could possibly be impacted by workers on strike which will slow down distribution.
The organizers of the strike are collecting donations to help the workers taking part in the walkout and have currently raised over $22,000 in support.
