Black Friday protests across the U.S. demand improved conditions from Walmart

[unhappycamper]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/29/black-friday-protests-across-the-u-s-demand-improved-conditions-from-walmart/



Black Friday protests across the U.S. demand improved conditions from Walmart
By Ed Pilkington, The Guardian
Friday, November 29, 2013 14:50 EST

Thousands of Walmart workers and their supporters in the trade union movement have begun a nationwide series of Black Friday rallies against America’s largest private employer, protesting against wages and conditions they say are so low that many employees are forced to rely on government assistance.

Protests are being staged in cities across the US including Los Angeles, Chicago, the Bay Area, Miami, Minneapolis and Washington. The campaigners, who include many current Walmart workers as well as former employees and members of the alliance Our Walmart, are demanding wages of at least $25,000, more full-time openings and an end to retaliation against workers who speak out about their conditions.

With rallies planned outside 1,500 stores, the wave of protests will mark a dramatic increase in the opposition to Walmart’s pay structure from Black Friday 2012, when similar events were staged in about 1,000 stores.

“I think we got our message across, and people listened,” said Isaiah Beaman, 21, a Walmart worker in Landover, Maryland, who travelled to Alexandria in Virginia to join about 200 protesters there. “All we want is for Walmart to give us a living wage and show us some respect – that’s not too much to ask from a multi-billion dollar company.”

[Old Union Guy]

1. How did it go? n/t