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WALMART STRIKE

Will You Boycott Walmart on Black Friday?

Or how about the 'Buycott'?

Next>

by Mary Noble

Senior Editor t

Image: KQED

Thousands of internet users are planning a Walmart boycott to support the Black Friday workers' strike.

The boycott is the brainchild of Robert Reich, former labor secretary under Clinton, who cites average pay of $8.81 and one third of employees without benefits as reasons "Why You Shouldn't Shop at Walmart on Friday."

On Reddit Reich's boycott call is widely supported but highly controversial: it's garnered 16,027 up votes and 13,240 down votes.

Revelations about Walmart's pay structure are fueling calls for the boycott. Employees are paid a starting salary of $8 per hour and receive raises in $0.20 and $0.40 increments, a leaked document has revealed. "A 'solid performer' who starts at Walmart as a cart pusher making $8 an hour and receives one promotion, about the average rate, can expect to make $10.60 after working at the company for 6 years," the Huffington Post reports.

Meanwhile a Tea Party group in San Diego has called on conservatives to start a Walmart "buycott" - in other words, to shop at Walmart more than usual as a gesture of support for the store.

Via Robert Reich, MSNBC, and Reddit.
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Will you join a Walmart boycott this Black Friday?

Comments (view in Forum)

  • jamie91
    !
    I never shop on Black Friday, full stop. There is no deal out there worth waiting in those lines for. I value my time, and hate crowds. I don't shop at Walmart unless I have a really lazy and weak moment and I hate myself for it afterwards.
  • DogLady_1
    !
    Ditto that... besides, Black Friday is extended to web stores... shop online, free shipping, have some more egg nog, relax...(personally, I think the period between Halloween and New Years Day should be called "Black Season")
  • Bobolinsky
    !
    I'm one of those people who avoids grocery shopping on the weekends because I don't like crowds. So it goes without saying that on Black Friday the last place I can be found is in a retail establishment.

    That said?... I may have to stop into Wal-Mart tomorrow and buy a pack of gum.
  • marine1
    !
    you know,it's not just walmart. Damn near every retail store in this country sell crap from china,mexico and everywhere else outside of the U S and we the greedy consumer continue to make it all worth their effort. We regulate everything in this country and drive manufacturing over seas to avoid those regulations and THEN our wonderful goverment allows the product to be shipped right back What difference does it make if we pollute in the U S or china/mexico? Answer $$$$$$$$$$
  • PNWest
    !
    I support unions. But Walmart is free to pay their employees as little as they want as long as they are in compliance with existing labor laws. It would be unAmerican to force them to do otherwise. Walmart has been in the forefront of pushing some pretty good ideas like the CFL lighting, smaller product packing, naturally lighting in their stores, concentrated detergents and other efficiency ideas. All of these save energy and are good for all of us. That being said I will of course not be shopping at Walmart tomorrow. Haven't you seen those pictures at PeopleOfWalmart.com ?
  • Bobolinsky
    !
    It's the UFCW, an unskilled labor union, that is leading the charge against Wal-Mart. Speaking from experience I can say that the typical wage of UFCW workers is minimum wage plus union dues... IOW- After union dues are involuntarily confiscated, UFCW workers typically work for minimum wage... In return, UFCW members get to give up all their negotiating power with management in favor of the collective. Everything from wage, scheduling and vacation to promotions and grievance resolution is dictated by the union contract.

    To top it all off? UFCW members get to have a confrontational disposition with management and a union that spends money on politics that they may not agree with. How grand.

    Now... on to the rest of your comment...

    ...How utterly elitist of you.

    "Walmart has been in the forefront of pushing some pretty good ideas like the CFL lighting, smaller product packing, naturally lighting in their stores, concentrated detergents and other efficiency ideas. All of these save energy and are good for all of us. That being said I will of course not be shopping at Walmart tomorrow. Haven't you seen those pictures at PeopleOfWalmart.com ?"

    So it doesn't if Walmart is environmentally conscious... what's more important to you is that you aren't seen in the same retail establishment as those PeopleOfWalmart.com people.
  • PNWest
    !
    @Bobolinsky You really don't understand humor do you bobo? Did they get a pic of you up there? Now if you'll excuse me I must get back to reading the New Yorker and drinking my mocha cafe latte light with soy milk.
  • dances-weebles
    !
    @Bobolinsky without the unions the workers have absolutely no bargaining power. without the power to shut a business down, then the worker is nothing at all and if the unions were ever gotten rid of, then labour would slip right back to what it was in pre-union days... child labour, sweat shops, and horrid, unsafe working conditions as well as extremely low pay. the unions got those all for you... you owe them everything you've got.
  • u
    Lorth
    !
    @Bobolinsky - You usually post links to back up your statements. Where's the backup for UFCW members working for barely above minimum wage? I just dont buy that.
  • LGRepublican
    !
    @dances-weebles Blah blah blah blah. My god. No one is forcing people to work at Walmart or anywhere else for that matter. If they think they're worth more, please feel free to seek out employment elsewhere.....
  • View all 17 replies >
  • NormalFlora
    !
    "I oppose greedy powerful labor unions." I do too. But I wholeheartedly support unions that are not greedy, that listen to the voices of their members, and stand between these defenseless employees and greedy powerful corporations.
  • u
    IMAQT
    !
    @NormalFlora "defenseless employees" Why are the forced to work there? Are they not free to look for another job? Aren't they free to go and learn more marketable job skills? Are they being denied to start their own business? Would they be better served if their employer like Hostess closes the door due to being unprofitable?
  • NormalFlora
    !
    @IMAQT In Wal-Mart's case, there is no other place to work because when Wal-Mart moves into a small town, it's slash and burn until they are the only retailer left in a 25 mile radius. No more hardware stores, optical shops, appliance stores, tire stores, shoe stores, clothing stores, gas stations, or grocery stores. And who can "go learn better job skills" when tuition is $500 a semester, books are $200 a semester, and they're getting only 20 hours a week at $7.25 per? BTW Hostess gave away $300M in bonuses to executives in the month before the bankruptcy.
  • u
    IMAQT
    !
    @NormalFlora "In Wal-Mart's case, there is no other place to work " You are right, there are no other opportunities like plumbers, teachers, accountants, law enforcement, engineers, health care providers, truck drivers, carpenters, farmers, UPS, city or county work, railroad, city or county employee, or even start their own business. You are right, Walmart has created an economy where there is no where other place to work or have an opportunity to advance. With folks like you, there is always an excuse.
  • DARSB
    !
    Black Friday is just another workday this year. But I do my best to avoid Walmart the other 364 days anyhow, owing mostly to the mismatch between customer physique and clothing styles. Maybe if there was a three day waiting period to buy Spandex shorts...
  • jessejaymes
    !
    Yup. I joing the Walmart Boycott every single day of the year. I simply do not understand how people can complain about socialism and then rush off to buy Chinese Communist crap from Walmart. Did you people know that Walmart is China's single largest customer?
  • NormalFlora
    !
    I will not shop at ANY of the stores that make their employees come in at oh-dark-thirty on the morning after Thanksgiving, thereby ruining their rare family time. And how cruel to make people camp out for days in front of the store in a bizarre marketing stunt so these shoppers can, if they're really fast and really lucky, be one of two or three shoppers to get a few hundred $$$ off a TV or video game that will be marked down after Christmas anyway.
  • Real4WheelDrv
    !
    If they have a problem with the hours they agreed to work, they can find another job, and if the shoppers choose to be morons that's their choice too.
  • NormalFlora
    !
    @Real4WheelDrv You missed my point. Is it HUMANE to force vulnerable people who desperately need to keep their jobs to sacrifice their Thanksgiving evening with family? Is it HUMANE to bait shoppers into performing stunts in order to get these and more shoppers into their stores at this unreasonable hour? Why can't these corporate owners show some respect and compassion for their employees and customers instead of sitting back and watching the TV coverage of the circus at their stores over a Cognac and $100 cigar?
  • jessejaymes
    !
    @Real4WheelDrv How would you feel if you went into a store where your chair wouldn't fit down the aisles and instead of the American Disabilities act you were told "if you don't like it find another place to shop"?
  • Real4WheelDrv
    !
    @jessejaymes most of the stores in my town have exactly that problem, and that includes some aisles and ALL upper shelves at Walmart being inaccessible to me, which is why I won't be able to work there. You know what, the ADA says they don't HAVE to change for me either.
  • Fishbone345
    !
    I won't be shopping on Friday, but it has more to do with the fact I hate shopping and I hate big crowds. Neither of which have anything to do exclusively with Walmart.
  • u
    Dallas_TX_Demz
    !
    I been boycotting Walmart since 2007. I don't like how they pay their hardworking employees and every single Walton is in the top 10 of the richest people in the country. Mr. Walton is probably turning in his grave. I'm not implying that Walmart should pay its employees $100K annually. But at the same time, these are the people who keep the greedy executives in the lavish lifestyle. It is really something terribly wrong with the people in this country if we defend and see nothing wrong with people working for the world's largest retailer and can't even make enough to pay the bills. My question to all you so called Christian (Note: I'm an Athiest) What would Jesus do?
  • PNWest
    !
    The Walton family are rich not because they are greedy executives, they are rich because they own enormous amounts of Walmart stock. As to what Jesus would do that is a good question. He'd probably shop at COSTCO. He could get the fish and loaves in bulk there and wouldn't have to work so hard on the miracles.
  • u
    Dallas_TX_Demz
    !
    @PNWest Make since... Maybe I should shop a Costco. But I'm still not shopping at Walmart until their employees are paid way better than what they are now. Some many people at Walmart struggle to even afford they groceries that the in fact sell
  • PNWest
    !
    @Dallas_TX_Demz COSTCO treats their employees very, very well. They show that you can pay the employees well and run a successful business at the same time.
  • acchokiefan
    !
    If I freaking live to be 500 I will never understand the mentality of the tea party. I never have and I never will. I can talk to their types and its like we are from two different worlds. 6 members of the Walton Family have as much money as 193 million Americans and they squeeze their employees to death. Now, they don't want unions, but what do they want. D they expect to love off of the wealthys teat forever? A good tea party member is one that is so empoverished that he can't afford to watch Fox News or purchase a Wall Street Journal. I'd like to see one starve on live TV. No offense
  • dances-weebles
    !
    Revelations about Walmart's pay structure are fueling calls for the boycott. Employees are paid a starting salary of $8 per hour and receive raises in $0.20 and $0.40 increments, a leaked document has revealed. "A 'solid performer' who starts at Walmart as a cart pusher making $8 an hour and receives one promotion, about the average rate, can expect to make $10.60 after working at the company for 6 years," the Huffington Post reports.

    omg... now that's a living wage.
  • LGRepublican
    !
    Cart pusher. The job that many places hire special needs kids to do and you think Walmart's cart pushers should be paid more? How about developing some skills WORTHY of making more money? I've said before, if the only skill set you've managed to acquire is the same as a trained ape, it's not the company's fault you're not making more. A job with no required experience and no skills are SUPPOSED to pay minimum wage!
  • dances-weebles
    !
    @LGRepublican and yet in 1980 a floor sweeper at g.m. in michigan was starting at nearly 30.00 an hour and g.m. was still raping the public to the tune of millions of dollars in profit.

    pay those people to develop those skills and feed their families in the meantime... oh, and give them full health and retirement benefits while you're at it.
  • LGRepublican
    !
    @dances-weebles The same GM that's been bankrupt, bailed out, and bought by the taxpayer? Could go along way to explaining how GM got to where they are.
  • Thegrif
    !
    I stay away from shopping when all the people behave like animals. But, NO, I would not boycott wall mart. They agreed to work for the pay they get, now it aint good enough, well hit the bricks then, see if they like zero better.
    People need to stop crying and play with the hand they got.
  • DARSB
    !
    As an aside from the main topic, I'm a little bit fascinated by the behavior of the wealthy, then and now.

    In the Guided Age enormous fortunes were made in steel, shipping, banking, journalism, and so on. These millionaires did things with their fortunes, like build great homes that are mostly in the public domain today or endow universities or create a string of public libraries across the country.

    In modern times we don't see such a sense of noblesse oblige. Billionaires like Donald Trump, the Walton clan and the Koch brothers, all of whom inherited their fortunes, seem more intent on enhancing their wealth and power than leaving a lasting legacy.
  • Kptpredsfan
    !
    Donald Trump is leaving a legacy, he will be the most crazy right wing man on television as long as clint eastwood doesn't find anymore empty chairs anywhere. :-)
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