Progressive organizations and coalitions around the country are mobilizing Walmart workers to call for a Black Friday Jubilee, involving prayer vigils, flash mobs, and public letters delivered to store owners to bring workers’ concerns to store owners. Led by Making Change at Walmart and Interfaith Worker Justice, the extent of the organizing has thus far been enormous, with stores from all over the U.S. set to raise awareness on November 23rd.
More than 1.4 million Walmart workers in the United States are earning poverty wages and work in dangerous environments with limited access to insurance and benefits at Walmart. Interfaith Worker Justice is involved with the Making Change at Walmart Campaign and calling for Jubilee at Walmart. While customers enjoy low prices, it comes at a cost to Walmart Associates and Walmart warehouse workers. The working conditions for the warehouse workers are dangerous and inhumane. Walmart’s median worker annual pay is $22,700 and many are given less than 40 hours a week so Walmart doesn’t have to pay for insurance and benefits.
While workers struggle to get by, the Walton family owns more than $100 billion – more than the bottom 30 percent of American families combined. IWJ is calling on Walmart executives to redistribute corporate wealth back to the hard working workers by providing them with living wages, benefits and safer working conditions in the spirit of Jubilee.
Walmart associates, along with labor, community and faith leaders are organizing actions around the country, calling for respect at work from the nation’s largest retail employer. Join us today!
How to Contribute
- Adopt a Walmart and organize a Black Friday action including prayer vigils, flash mobs or delivering a letter to a manager at a local store.
- Join faith advocates in your community at a Black Friday prayer vigil or flash mob
- Visit the IWJ Resource center to learn about how to host or participate in an action
- Sign the petition calling for Jubilee at Walmart on Black Friday
- Join IWJ’s online Walmart Action team to receive special updates about this campaign
- Follow the MakingChangeAtWalmart Twitter Feed for up-to-the-minute updates on recent activity.
