OUR Walmart and Making Change at Walmart
campaigns highlighted in the media as workers push for better jobs and working conditions.
Since its inception, former and current Walmart workers who are members of OUR Walmart have called on the retailer to publicly commit to raising wages and increasing access to full-time hours. OUR Walmart members have also asked the retailer to stop its practice of retaliating against workers who are simply exercising their right to speak out for a better life and improved working conditions. Over the course of the last few weeks, OUR Walmart members, Making Change at Walmart, and campaign allies have had some great stories in the news.
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An op-ed by Robert Greenwald entitled “Walmart’s newest big lie: Another misleading ad campaign from a job-killing behemoth.” The op-ed is related to Walmart’s latest P.R. manufacturing push featuring Mike Rowe the host of the cancelled show Dirty Jobs. The op-ed on Salon can be read at http://bit.ly/SalonWalmart.
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An article about President Obama’s call to let more workers collect overtime pay. The article features a Walmart assistant manager who is also member of OUR Walmart. The manager is quoted as saying, “Walmart made $17 billion last year. They paid the CEO $18 million and a bonus. They can afford to pay me some overtime.” The article can be viewed at http://bit.ly/ObamaWalmart.
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A Huffington Post article which features a quote from UFCW International President Joe Hansen about the Gap’s announcement that it is raising its wages. President Hansen is quoted as saying, “The time is now for Walmart to show leadership and responsibility to its workers and our communities [and] follow the Gap’s example and raise wages for every hourly worker.” The article can be read at http://huff.to/1j0GDPh.
Along with reading and sharing the articles, local unions can continue to support Walmart workers by downloading and sharing campaign infographics found on the Making Change at Walmart Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MakingChangeWMT. 