Walmart Wage Fight Just the Tip of Low-Wage Iceberg

Brandishing umbrellas against the soggy weather and bright signs asking “Are You With Us?” dozens of areaactivists crowded the sidewalk outside the H Street Walmart Thursday afternoon to say that “If you’re shopping here, you’re paying towards greed,” as Rev. Graylan Hagler put it. “I’m here to fight” for justice for underpaid Walmart workers, said Isaiah, himself a former Walmart worker. UFCW’s Dave Young reported that a Pennsylvania Walmart just yesterday morning had unfairly and illegally fired a worker after he started speaking out in support of rights at work. “The fight for Walmart workers continues across the country.” AFL-CIO Deputy Organizing Director Christian Sweeney added that “This isn’t just about low wages for Walmart workers, it’s about low wages for the entire economy.” Walmart shoppers and passersby alike eagerly grabbed flyers from the activists, with some stopping to find out more about how the big-box giant treats its workers.
-report/photo by Chris Garlock

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