Activists Plan Nationwide Walmart Protests For Black Friday

[marmar]

(The Nation) OUR Walmart, the group behind last year's Black Friday activism, has promised even more actions this year with 1,500 protests scheduled at stores all across the country. Walmart is clearly nervous ahead of this year's plans because the company has asked judges in Maryland and Florida to bar protesters from entering stores on Black Friday.

"This is yet another move from Walmart to try to bend the law to its liking. Walmart has made it a practice to pursue over-the-top legal maneuvers to try to avoid hearing the real concerns of workers and community members," said Derrick Plummer, spokesman for the organizer, Making Change at Walmart, in a statement.

OUR Walmart announced Black Friday protests are scheduled in Los Angeles, Miami, the Bay Area, Chicago, Seattle, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, and Sacramento, and the group calls it the "largest mobilization of working families in recent history."

"Workers are calling for an end to illegal retaliation, and for Walmart to publicly commit to improving labor standards, such as providing workers with more full time work and $25,000 a year. As the country’s largest retailer and employer, Walmart makes more than $17 billion in profits, with the wealth of the Walton family totaling over $144.7 billion – equal to that of 42% of Americans," the group said in a statement. .........................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blog/177392/activists-plan-nationwide-walmart-protests-black-friday