BERNIE SANDERS WILL CRASH WALMART SHAREHOLDER MEETING TO ADVOCATE FOR WORKERS

[Uncle Joe]

(snip)

The Vermont Senator and 2020 presidential candidate has said he will crash the annual meeting next month to introduce a shareholder proposal that gives hourly Walmart workers a seat on the board of directors of the giant retail company. Walmart currently employs about 1.5 million employees, the vast majority of which are hourly workers.

“These workers need and deserve a seat at the table,” Sanders told The Washington Post. “If hourly workers at Walmart were well represented on its board, I doubt you would see the CEO of Walmart making over a thousand times more than its average worker."

(snip)

"At a time of deepening racial and economic divide and insecurity, hourly associates can guide a more fair, inclusive and equitable corporate ecosystem that bridges differences,” said the official proposal, filed by Walmart employee and leader of workers’ rights organization United for Respect, Cat Davis. Sanders will attend the event as a proxy for Davis.

(snip)

Sanders’ proposal to Walmart is unlikely to pass. Shareholders have never voted in favor of an employee proposal.

https://www.newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-walmart-1432083

[NYMinute]

1. Publicity Stunt

[Uncle Joe]

2. I would think that vast wealth inequality, poverty wages and a seat at the table for the workers

to be worthy of publicity, don't you?

[NYMinute]

4. Doing it for the election season while not

doing it for decades earlier is a stunt.

There is a stockholder meeting every year .. not just in 2019

[Uncle Joe]

6. If the candidate's message is in line with the workers, then during election season

is the prime time to do it for maximum publicity effectiveness.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

26. Yes Uncle Joe, abso-fuckin-lutely!! and of course under the "Bernie Standard," all those other times

Bernie has stood up for workers, when it wasn't election season, that doesn't count for shit either... after all, it's just Bernie!!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!

[LanternWaste]

90. The one doesn't deny the other.

Publicity stunts can easily co-exist with "vast wealth inequality."

I would think you'd know that. "don't you?"

[kstewart33]

94. True.

However, the timing of this move, his now going after big donor money, and his dropping poll numbers all spell a growing desperation by Bernie and his campaign.

[NurseJackie]

5. Agreed. Obvious. Not clever. Not subtle. Ineffective.

1. Publicity Stunt

Agreed. Obvious. Not clever. Not subtle. Ineffective.

He's done this type of thing before, hasn't he? It's one of those things where the idea is to generate more publicity for himself and his campaign than for whatever the issue du-jour is.

While the "cause" is certainly one that's worthwhile, I think he'll end up making himself look bad... therefore, I say: GO FOR IT!

Sanders’ proposal to Walmart is unlikely to pass. Shareholders have never voted in favor of an employee proposal.

But it makes for good theater and headlines... like giving imprisoned felons the right to vote.

[lapucelle]

27. "If You Write a Best-Selling Book, You Can Be a Millionaire, Too"

[sheshe2]

77. Yep.

Look here.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287128591#post75

[Nanjeanne]

12. I welcome the stunt if it gets publicity. That's how attention is paid.

[LibFarmer]

47. Unless the proxy is for hundreds of thousands of shares

Bernie won't be allowed to speak in the hierarchy of who gets to speak. Shareholders with one or two shares are picked from a lottery. He will be just sitting there trying to insert himself to grandstand and pitch his tired "income inequality" speech which makes people fall asleep because everyone has already heard it a few dozen times.

Then he will come out and have press ready where he will say that because of his presence, WalMart suddenly became benevolent and all the stores will be free to shoppers from now on.

[Nanjeanne]

67. You are easily amused. So glad you find humor in your cleverness.

[George II]

3. Did he do this last year, the year before, 2010, 2000?

BTW, mutual funds invest in a broad portfolio of big ticket stocks and bonds, like Walmart, Amazon, Apple, Boeing, etc. Bernie Sanders has about $1 million invested in mutual funds (i.e., "Wall Street" ).

As a true show of solidarity with Walmart workers, why doesn't he divest himself of any mutual fund that owns Walmart stock?

[Uncle Joe]

7. To my knowledge Bernie wasn't asked to be a proxy before.

Why does this upset you?

[George II]

9. It doesn't upset me. Why do you ask? Once again, wouldn't it be more effective....

....if he divested himself of any mutual funds that invest in Walmart? That's what brought down apartheid in South Africa toward the end of the 1980s.

He could even take a much simpler step, terminate his book sales on Walmart (and throw in Amazon as well)

When I take a stand, I make sure I walk the walk if I'm going to talk the talk.

[Uncle Joe]

14. Because Bernie is doing it now but you give him no credit for it,

just bemoaning that he didn't do it before and why didn't divest from mutual funds which may or may not have holdings in Walmart.

[George II]

18. The term we used to use when I was a kid on the streets of Brooklyn was:

"Put your money where your mouth is."

BTW, your subject line is incorrect, as a proxy he won't be "crashing" the meeting. All shareholders and proxies are welcome at a shareholders' meeting of any corporation.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

22. Lol.

[George II]

25. I luzd.

[lapucelle]

28. Get ready to lulz again..."If You Write a Best-Selling Book, You Can Be a Millionaire, Too"

[George II]

37. Yes, especially if you sell it through Walmart.

[sheshe2]

72. Funny.

Earlier today UJ poster that Bernies was invited to the meeting by the workers. This was posted at 9:34AM

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287128255


Workers invite a special guest to Walmart's annual meeting: Bernie Sanders


Now at 5:15PM the HEADLINE HAS CHANGED FROM INVITED BY THE WORKERS TO BERNIE CRASHING THE WALMART STOCKHOLDERS MEETING!!!!!!

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=128591

BERNIE SANDERS WILL CRASH WALMART SHAREHOLDER MEETING TO ADVOCATE FOR WORKERS

[melman]

30. I hear that's considered a derogatory reference

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211713189#post245

[George II]

36. Luz, do you have a whole library of links to my posts?

[MineralMan]

44. Perhaps so.

[George II]

46. Seems creepy, doesn't it?

[MineralMan]

50. Well, there's no rule against it.

Some people do keep such lists of links. I suppose it's a spreadsheet or something. I've had a couple of people here post links to old posts of mine here, and even from other places. While I admire the industry required to do such a thing, it seems a waste of time to me.

It always makes me chuckle. Fans..

[TexasTowelie]

78. Relational databases are better.

It's a lot easier to organize information and use less disk space with relational databases compared to spreadsheets. Generate reports with a simple query.

[MineralMan]

86. I agree, but they're harder to set up.

Given the folks who are always posting old links, I doubt the ability to set up a good, working relational database.

[melman]

52. Because that would be the only way to find something

Obviously.

[LanternWaste]

91. It's not called data-mining when you do it. Only when others do.

[melman]

93. Right

seeing a post, having it remind you of another post and then looking it up is data mining. .

[lapucelle]

55. ...

[sheshe2]

82. archived.

[Go Vols]

38. lol

[lapucelle]

51. Oh no, George! Somebody's gotten hold of your permanent record!

I wonder if they have your SAT scores!



I's offer you this donut, George, but I'm saving it for a *friend*.



Look at this cute toy I came across when I was browsing for books on the Walmart website.

[melman]

53. The great thing about the donut gag

is that it absolutely never gets old.

[George II]

56. Luz.............

[cwydro]

87. But, but, I thought he was crashing the meeting?

Crashing means no invite. So which is it?

Why didn’t he crash all the other years?

This makes no sense.

[oldsoftie]

8. HA!

[earthshine]

10. Is he actually "crashing" or was he invited?

You posted earlier he was "invited." "Crash" is such a negative word.

[George II]

11. Correct, if he's a proxy he's welcome there, he's not crashing the meeting.

[Uncle Joe]

16. Bernie was invited, but Walmart will not be giving him the "VIP" treatment

which is usually reserved for celebrities and such.

As for the head line, I just copy and paste the way it is written.

[George II]

20. So he's not crashing the meeting.

[Uncle Joe]

21. That might be in the eye of the beholder, I have no doubt

upper management and major stockholders are viewing it as a "crash."

[George II]

32. Someone with valid credentials (i.e., someone else's proxy) does not "crash" a meeting...

...despite how anyone else at the meeting feels.

[Uncle Joe]

35. Then you might want to send an email to the author of this article.

[George II]

39. Nah, if he said that he probably wouldn't understand the concept of "proxy" voters at annual mtgs.

[Uncle Joe]

43. I believe he does, it's in the article, obviously his title is referring

to the Walton's, Walmart's upper management and major stockholders antagonism towards Bernie in his reference to "crashed," it's pretty apparent to me anyway.

[lapucelle]

31. I wonder how much BS's Walmart book sales have made him and the shareholders.

If You Write a Best-Selling Book, You Can Be a Millionaire, Too

Cha-ching!

[TexasTowelie]

13. Can Bernie participate in the meeting if he isn't a shareholder?

Is Bernie ready to be escorted out by security? Walmart is not obligated to allow Bernie to disrupt the meeting.

[Uncle Joe]

19. I suppose the share holders have the right to appoint a proxy

which seems to be the case here.

[George II]

33. A shareholder can sign over his/her votes (generally one per share) to anyone else. It happens...

...when people can't get to the meeting to vote in person. Way back in the late 1980s I worked for Honeywell, who gave shares of stock to employees. Every year I get a proxy notice. In almost 40 years I've never attended a meeting or voted or signed over my proxy. If one doesn't do so, the proxy automatically goes to a designated person, usually a sitting member of the board.

[oasis]

15. "Don't taze me bro'" nt

[jalan48]

17. Good thing Hillary isn't still on the BOD or it could get real ugly.

[billpolonsky]

23. Bernie stands for workers

He stood with Disney workers and got them publicity enough for a raise.
He stood with Amazon workers and got them publicity enough for a raise.

If you hate Bernie Sanders so much why don't you just start a hate thread and meet up there and whine.

Really people, what happened to HOPE and CHANGE?

[NYMinute]

24. All Democrats stand for workers

Exalting Bernie as the only one is disingenuous.

Biden has been slugging for workers all the while Bernie was naming post offices.

[George II]

41. Except those who run a 50-state organization that has been found to be rife with....

....harassment and abuse of employees and pay inequality.

[NYMinute]

57. +1000 nt

[George II]

34. Sanders had nothing to do with either Disney or Amazon increasing their minimum wage.

[Go Vols]

48. +1

Following pressure from unions and Sen. Bernie Sanders, Disneyland has agreed to a three-year contract to pay their employees a $15 per hour living wage.

Effective immediately, union employees at the Anaheim resort who were making the minimum $11 an hour wage will be bumped by 20 percent to $13.25 an hour, and then increased to $15 on Jan. 1, 2019. The wage eventually will cap at $15.45 in June of 2020.

This will raise Disneyland's wages to $15 an hour three years before the state of California's mandatory wage increase.

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2018/07/27/disneyland-agrees-to-boost-employee-wages-to-15-an-hour


Sanders’ crusade against Amazon ends with a $15 wage for its workers

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos went from being a symbol of corporate greed to a model of responsible leadership in Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign to raise the minimum wage after the internet giant announced Tuesday that employees will be paid at least $15 an hour.

“What Mr. Bezos has done today is not only enormously important for Amazon’s hundreds of thousands of employees, it could well be a shot heard around the world,” Sanders tweeted. “I urge corporate leaders around the country to follow Mr. Bezos’ lead.”

In a video on his Facebook page, Sanders pointed to McDonald’s and Walmart as major employers who should follow in Amazon’s footsteps. He also thanked the Fight for $15 organization for its leadership on the issue.

https://vtdigger.org/2018/10/02/sanders-crusade-amazon-ends-15-wage-workers/

[GulfCoast66]

73. So not true on the Disney Raise.

I have close knowledge of that situation. Bernie had absolutely nothing to do with it.

It was a result of a persistent and growing union. And growing wage pressures. Crediting Bernie with that diminishes the effort of the Union.

Stop it.

[sheshe2]

79. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Andy823]

29. How can he "crash" it

when in another post you said he was "invited"? There is a big difference between the two.

[Hortensis]

40. Unk, Sanders is a U.S. SENATOR. If he wanted to influence

any of these people, he'd join fellow senators working on that to increase their strength. At very least, if he wanted to fly alone, Sanders would instruct a staffer to arrange a meeting or meetings.

Instead he's doing a PHOTO OP, posturing as a demonstrator. He's USING demonstrators, the kind of earnest, sincere people who would have to wait weeks or months to see Sanders himself, and even then might only be allowed to meet with a staffer.

I don't understand how you can support this.

[George II]

49. I just wonder why he doesn't do anything to influence legislators in his own state...

....to pass a $15 minimum wage or get Walmart to do so in his state - there's one less than 5 miles from downtown Burlington, Vermont.

[Hortensis]

54. Heck, why didn't he ever do anything to put his

power in the senate to work? He's one of the least effective legislators in the entire senate, and always has been. I don't have a high opinion of his intellect, but I can't help thinking he could have done much better if he'd tried.

But you’re right to wonder, of course. US senators have enormous influence. He could’ve put it to work for good in his own state also. What on earth has he been doing with his time all these years?

[LibFarmer]

42. BERNIE SO DESPERATE, THE OP IS IN ALL CAPS

[Uncle Joe]

45. I copy and paste the title as written.

[madville]

58. The SNL skits really write themselves sometimes

I could do a lot with this, like having Bernie (Larry David) advocating for the "People of Walmart" to have a seat on the board and then bring in some of the "people" you would typically see on that website.

[NYMinute]

60. Do you mean

peopleofwalmart dot com?

[madville]

64. Yeah that would be the SNL skit theme

Bernie shows up at the Walmart meeting to fight for the "The People (of Walmart)" based on that website.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

59. It's not "crashing" a meeting if you announce your intent to be there a month ahead of time.

[Uncle Joe]

61. It is if you're not welcome by the powers that be

in this case the Walton Family, upper management of Walmart and major stock holders.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

62. Will they throw him out if he shows up? That's what's usually done with

unwelcome gate-crashers. Or will he have to just sit there and not be allowed to speak because he doesn't own enough shares of Wal-Mart, which is how shareholders' meetings normally work? If cameras are there, though, maybe that will be enough.

[revmclaren]

63. Sanders (I-VT) being invited to the meeting

certainly does not really scream 'you're not welcome here' to me.

I would be more impressed if he crashed an NRA meeting. I would be cheering him and my opinion of him would go up a thousand percent. But somehow, I don't see him ever doing that. IMHO.

ONLY!!! 2019 and beyond.

[George II]

74. How do you know he's not welcome by "the powers that be"? Considering the fact that Walmart....

...(and he) are profiting on sales of his "best selling" books and paraphernalia that are sold by Walmart, he might be a VIP guest.

https://www.walmart.com/search/?cat_id=0&query=bernie+sanders

[sheshe2]

83. Well there is...

[TwilightZone]

70. And you're invited.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

71. Especially that.

If I'm invited to a wedding reception but I don't get to sit at the head table with the bride and groom, I'm not crashing it if I show up. I'm just mad at my cousin the bride because I have to sit at one of the tables at the back of the room with three small children high on sugar, my drunk uncle, and my aunt who talks too much.

[Scurrilous]

65. Crashin' Bern

[Uncle Joe]

66. ...

[SidDithers]

69. Nice...

Sid

[George II]

80. Hmmm, that can be taken two ways.

[nolabear]

88. ...

Welp, my day is complete and it's only 7:40am.

[NYMinute]

68. ...

[sheshe2]

75. Earlier today you posted...

Earlier today you posted that Bernie was invited to the meeting by the workers. This was posted at 9:34AM

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287128255


Workers invite a special guest to Walmart's annual meeting: Bernie Sanders

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287128255


Now at 5:15PM the HEADLINE HAS CHANGED FROM INVITED BY THE WORKERS TO BERNIE CRASHING THE WALMART STOCKHOLDERS MEETING!!!!!!

BERNIE SANDERS WILL CRASH WALMART SHAREHOLDER MEETING TO ADVOCATE FOR WORKERS

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=128591

Hmm. Which is it?

[TomSlick]

76. Walmart shareholder's meetings are very scripted affairs.

The Walton family has an overwhelming majority of the stock and proxies for the majority of the remainder. It's their party. Anyone showing up with a few proxies will get to see the show but not much more. I'm told it's quite a show.

Walmart would be obliged to allow Sen. Sanders to vote his proxies. There is no requirement that every minority stock holder - or their proxies - be allowed to speak.

[George II]

85. All corporations' annual meetings are well scripted. They're planned months in advance...

...and generally go off without a hitch, as long as there isn't a proxy fight.

[Renew Deal]

81. Bernie has a long track record

of meaningless gestures

[LibFarmer]

84. +1000 nt

[brooklynite]

89. He couldn't get another invitation to the Vatican?

[LanternWaste]

92. How does one crash something one has been invited to? Seems an either/or scenario.

But I do look forward to the creative and imaginative rationalizations pretending otherwise...

[Uncle Joe]

95. All you have to do is read what is already posted on the thread.