Hartford joined around 1600 other locations in protesting against Walmart today, Black Friday. Approximately 35 people rallied outside of the Flatbush Avenue location, being threatened with arrest despite not blocking the sidewalk or store entrances. When told that buses were being sent to enable mass arrests, those picketing relocated to a space on the other side of the parking lot. After moving peacefully to a grassy median, police again implied that activists would be arrested if they stepped into the driveway.
Aside from one motorist yelling “Get a [expletive] job” at those rallying, passersby showed support by honking, curiosity by taking flyers, or polite apathy or disagreement, quietly avoiding any interaction.
One protestor, who said she lives in the neighborhood and has shopped at this location before, delivered a letter to the store manager. The letter was the standard delivered to Walmart managers all over the country. It reads:
As members of this community, we are very concerned that Walmart associates — our family, friends, and neighbors — work so hard for such low pay. And, when they speak out about their concerns about pay, hours, and respect, Walmart managers illegally try to silence and intimidate them.
We are here today to support Walmart workers who are willing to risk their jobs fighting for better working conditions for themselves and their co-workers. They’re standing up against the illegal retaliation they face for speaking out — and we are proud to stand with them.
Walmart pays most associates less than $25,000 a year — that’s not enough for people to cover the basics for their kids, let alone pay their bills or support their families. If the low pay didn’t make life tough enough for associates, a lot of Walmart managers manipulate worker schedules to keep people from working full time. That not only makes them ineligible for benefits, but inconsistent, insufficient schedules and paychecks wreak havoc on people’s families, budgets, and lives. That’s why associates in more than 2,000 stores across the country have signed a petition asking for $15 per hour and access to consistent, full-time work.
As the same time Walmart workers are struggling to pay the bills, the Walton family has a net worth of more than $145 billion. They’re the richest family in America, with more wealth than 42% of American families combined. Walmart rakes in $16 billion a year in profits. And the Walton family earns 8.6 million a day in dividend earnings alone. Walmart and the Walton family can afford to do better for their employees. In fact, a recent Fortune article said that Walmart could afford to give workers a 50% raise without hurting its stock price.
As a store manager, you have the power to treat workers with respect and make meaningful changes that allow associates to earn a dignified living. When you hear workers’ calls for “$15 and full time”, instead of threatening, disciplining, or firing workers who stand up, why not give them access to full-time hours and a paycheck that can support a family?
Our community strongly supports the workers at your store, and shares their concerns. We urge you to do what you can to make this Walmart the responsible employer the people who live and work in our community need.
Multiple police vehicles were stationed in and circling the lot during the hour that protestors chanted and handed out leaflets. There were no known threats of looting or violence at the protest in Hartford.
