Posts Categorized: Reports

Walmart worker Lisa and the local community delivered a petition calling on Walmart to help workers who have spouses in the military care for their families while loved ones are on leave.

Lisa Austin works at Walmart in Apple Valley, Minnesota. In December, she was disciplined for staying home to take care of her seven-month-old child while her husband was away training with the National Guard. Lisa requested the days off close to two months in advance but was still written up for the days missed.

This month, Lisa and the Apple Valley, Minnesota community delivered a petition with more than 14,000 signatures calling on Walmart to help workers who have spouses in the military care for their families while loved ones are on leave.

Walmart felt the pressure. A spokesperson from Walmart headquarters, Kory Lundberg, even showed up to the delivery, and told ABC News that Walmart “would work with [Lisa] if she needed to take time off in the future due to her husband’s military drills.”

OUR Veterans (vets with OUR Walmart who are standing for change) will continue to call on Walmart to make this change the company’s policy, so moms like Lisa can take care of themselves and their families without fear of losing their jobs.

Sign the petition here.

Addie Wyatt fought to break barriers for women’s equality, strived to better working conditions, and campaigned for fair treatment of all people, no matter what one’s race.

Black History Month is a time to remember and celebrate the rich history of African Americans and the achievements of the civil rights movement.

Black History Month dates back to 1926, when historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans dedicated the second week in February as “Negro History Week” to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.  In 1976, the celebration was officially recognized and expanded and every U.S. president since then has celebrated Black History Month during the month of February.

Help the UFCW Celebrate Black History Month by reading and sharing our Black History Month posts and profiles on www.ufcw.org as we reflect on historic moments of the Civil Rights Movement, like the march from Selma to Montgomery, which put a national spotlight on the barriers faced by African American voters in the South and led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. We’re also paying homage to individuals who have dedicated their lives and work to breaking barriers that have strengthened both the Civil Rights Movement and the Labor Movement, such as UFCW’s Addie Wyatt, civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, and AFL-CIO Vice President Tefere Gebre.