Today is Black Friday, the largest shopping day of the year—and Walmart workers have launched a massive strike to demand better wages and reasonable pay.
This. Is. Huge.
For years, Walmart has paid wages so low that employees are forced to survive on food stamps.1 The company has also been incredibly anti-union.2 Many of the workers who participate in the walkout will lose wages. Some may get fired.
So to help make sure they have the resources to win, we're aiming to raise $100,000 by the end of today.
We'll contribute some of the money to the Walmart workers' strike fund to make sure people who take part in the strike can still put food on the table for their families. We'll use the rest for organizing for workers' rights and social justice around the country. Can you chip in $3?
Yes, I'll chip in to stand with Walmart workers this Black Friday.
Walmart makes $16 billion a year in profits, and the Walton family is worth more than $150 billion, making them the richest family in America.3 And yet Walmart pays the majority of their associates less than $25,000 a year.4
There's another reason why this fight is so important. Walmart is the largest private employer in the world, and any concessions it makes will have a massive ripple effect across the economy.
So here's the plan: First, MoveOn has been using our huge online membership to help recruit people for the Walmart protests today, and elevating their stories through petitions.
And we'll make a donation to the Walmart strike fund to make sure these workers don't have to go hungry just because they stood up for their rights.
Will you chip in $3?
Yes, I'll chip in to stand with Walmart workers this Black Friday.
Thanks for all you do.
–Anna, Bobby, Jadzia, Stephen, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "Report: Walmart Workers Cost Taxpayers $6.2 Billion In Public Assistance," Forbes, April 15, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301837&id=105231-10220574-rUGl1Sx&t=1
2. "Walmart Workers Get Organized—Just Don't Say the U-Word," Mother Jones, March/April 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301838&id=105231-10220574-rUGl1Sx&t=2
3. "Wal-Mart Stores Inc.," MarketWatch, accessed November 25, 2014
http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/wmt/financials
"America's richest families: 185 clans with billion dollar fortunes," Yahoo Finance, July 8, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301839&id=105231-10220574-rUGl1Sx&t=3
4. "More Than Half of Wal-Mart's Hourly Workers Make Less Than $25,000," Bloomberg, October 23, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301840&id=105231-10220574-rUGl1Sx&t=4
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