At the Walmart in Paramount, Calif., near Los Angeles, about 600 protesters, including an estimated 100 Walmart workers, turned out Friday morning. In Hanover, Md., 400 store employees, union workers, activists and other supporters showed up at a Walmart Supercenter Friday.In Pittsburgh, about 130 protesters showed up at the Walmart store at the Waterworks Mall. One Pittsburgh, helped to organize the protest here. From their press release:
In October, over 100 Walmart workers went on strike at 12 different stores in 10 separate states, including Walmart warehouse workers in CA and IL. They were protesting intimidation and retaliation from Walmart managers as the workers sought to organize for a fair wage. Walmart intensified its retaliation in order to silence the workers. Rather than cow to the bullying tactics, Walmart associates across the nation are standing up and walking out. Walmart workers on both coasts have already walked out on strike as of November 19thand 20th, in protest over Walmart's scramble to scare associates into not taking action on Black Friday. One Pittsburgh, community organizations and concerned shoppers will join with the workers on Black Friday, taking a stand against Walmart’s bullying and a stand for fair wages and workers’ rights.
Regular folks throughout the country are wising up to the tactics used by big corporations to keep profits and CEO salaries high and keep working families down. Walmart is one of the richest corporations in the world, and the Walton Family has a combined wealth that equals 40% of the rest of America combined. Yet many of their workers cannot afford to take care of their own families, and are forced to use state funded healthcare and food stamps. Workers, taxpayers and shoppers are tired of Walmart’s greed and on Black Friday they’ll be taking a stand,Here are some photos from that protest (courtesy of Joy Sabl):
Today, is Small Business Saturday. If you don't like the economics and social ramifications of big box stores like Walmart, you can support locally-owned businesses by shopping there today (and the rest of the year as well). To make your shopping easier in the city of Pittsburgh, Councilman Bill Peduto sponsored legislation in City Council that will suspend meter enforcement citywide today for "Small Business Saturday."
One new store you may want to check out is the East End Book Exchange -- a "bookstore committed to maintaining an active enthusiasm for books and print culture. We offer a well-curated selection of used titles, along with new works by your favorite local authors." They're located at 4754 Liberty Avenue -- right in the middle of Bloomfield. (This is an unpaid plug, folks.)
So, check out some local stores and keep your money in town!
Horse pucky...Sam Walton started with one store .... Your jealous of success ... You covet the property of others ... What is a fair wage?
ReplyDeleteSam Walton made his success by promising only American-made goods in his store. Now, one would be hard pressed to find any products made in America. Henry Ford said he paid his workers well enough so that they could and would buy the cars they made. Walmart pays workers so little that they can't afford to buy anywhere other than Walmart -- quite a different philosophy, no?
ReplyDeleteBesides, it's the taxpayer that's subsidizing Walmart as many of the workers are on food stamps. Nice system, huh?
Besides,
From my perspective: if Walmart or Aldi's does not have it..you do not need it...if you want a higher standard of living... work harder, longer hours.... acquire more education/training.
ReplyDeleteMany are stupid, lazy and content to wallow in jealousy and covetness .... every one gets the 24 hour day ...use it productively. Maria do you own your own business? Or do you work for someone? I bet you whine and complain? Or did you get training that enables you to live high on the hog? Maria if you could do it...others can too. What percentage of your income do you contribute to charity? You closer to Joe Biteme or Romney?
The next time you are in Walmart/Aldi's observe the activity levels of the employees. Who is half stepping..who is working quickly and efficiently ... Consistently uniform at Aldi's particularly at the register.I have always been favorably impressed by Bed Bath and beyond ...very helpful. Some workers can raise their performance levels on their own initiative ..others are plodders ..there is always a place and rewards for superior efforts. Maria ..do you have any supervisor expierence? If so, have you Drawn any conclusions about that role?
ReplyDeleteNine-El - can you seriously say that the average CEO is 380 times as productive as an average worker? (http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/19/news/economy/ceo-pay/index.htm)
ReplyDeleteDo you clean offices overnight? Do you build roofs in the summertime? You seem to suggest that because someone is poor,they are lazy, stupid and content to wallow in jealousy and covetness. You know specific people who fit such qualifications, and if so, how many? One, ten a hundred, a thousand, a million? Or are you simply indulging yourself in stereotypes?
You want to allow corporations to pay anything they want to pay, to tell workers they have to work 12 hours a day seven days a week, with no benefits, no safety standards, no restrictions on hiring children down to ten years old? You want us to worship the rich, because (according to you) they worked hard for their money, and are smarter, better trained and more talented than the rest of us at everything.
Why are PhD's the highest paid people in America?
CEO s get compensated, mainly on ROI.more ROI ... higher salary. Salary in public companies is set by bds of directors ....where are your 401 retirement funds? Do you like ROI ? Let the market work. Take your skills where you get the best ROI . I am not suggest anything ... Opportunities are everywhere for those with skills and ambition. Staying in school. And taking advantage of what they offer is a good place to start...
ReplyDeleteEd, Why ARE Ph.d's the highest paid?
Actually, I meant to say why *aren't* PhD's the highest people in the US (my bad).
ReplyDeleteYou're right, you aren't suggesting the poor are stupid, lazy and content to wallow in jealousy and covetness, you are screaming it.
So now you are saying that CEO's are an investment? What about them is so different from other humans that their every sneeze is worth thousands of dollars? Never mind, you won't answer, you will just pew some other BS.
Negative ..not screaming ..not suggesting all poor are stupid...etc. I am stating a successful CEO is valuable asset...paid accordingly... are pro athletes , entertainers, college presidents overpaid? And who decides what is fair pay and which companies get bailouts, and which unions/companies get Obamacare waivers? As Jamie Fox says....our lord and savior BHO...Does your business have competitors? How do you stay a step ahead? No (s)pew here...
ReplyDeleteSam Walton started with one store .... Your jealous of success ... You covet the property of others ... What is a fair wage? Click here
ReplyDelete