Walmart employees use different means to support each other as the fight against big business carries on.
The corporate powerhouse known as Walmart continues to dominate headlines, from the price matching scam earlier in the week to the lawsuit levied against them by comedian Tracy Morgan, the news has been far from good. Today, it is being reported that several Walmart employees across the nation are holding food drives and fundraisers in order to support their colleagues who cannot afford to put food on the table during the holiday season.
A photo was posted on the Internet Thursday (November 20) from a Walmart located in Oklahoma City asking employees to donate canned goods to ‘associates in need’. A bake sale is being held in Indiana, along with food drives in Ohio, all in the name of supporting their fellow Walmart employees. A campaign group, Making A Change At Walmart, showcased examples on their website of Walmart employees nationwide using different methods to support each other.
These are the recent developments in a growing trend of Walmart employees crying foul play on low wages and illegal business practices. Protests and strikes have become a frequent occurrence during the holiday season as over 1,600 establishments have experienced public employee angst. Organizers are asking that full-time employees be paid a minimum of $15 an hour. Public outcry isn’t surprising considering that full-time associates hourly wages is averaged at $12.92 at roughly 34 hours per week. The majority of Walmart employees earn less than $25,000 a year, while last year Bloomberg reported that some earn as low as $15,000. These are egregious numbers considering the high cost of living in this day and age.
Walmart spokesperson Cory Lundberg had this to say:
Walmart offers ‘extremely competitive’ wages and has a unique program allowing staff members to pick up extra hours. Those who are campaigning for higher wages represent a small minority of the ‘1.3 million people who choose to come to work at Walmart each day.
For those at the lower-end of the wage scale, Mr Lundberg said they would still earn more at Walmart ‘than a unionized grocery store down the street’.
Stern and defiant words from an organization that has been public enemy number one in America’s battle against big corporations. Union spokespeople countered by arguing that most workers do not speak openly for fear that they may lose hours or may even be fired. Such was the case for Raymond Bravo (seen below), who organized a protest for better wages during the 2013 holiday season.
The constant back and forth between Walmart and its employees is put into perspective when you consider that the Walton family, who owns the retail chain, has a combined net worth of $150 Billion, making them America’s richest family. The Walton clan rake in roughly 16 Billion in annual profits and 8.5 Million in daily revenue.
From left, Alice Walton, Jim Walton & Walmart Chairman Rob Walton
Rocko thinks that capitalism is a great concept, but greed makes it ineffective. – @Rocko_CNK
