A National Day of Action has been called for Thursday, November 21, 2002 (one week before Thanksgiving Day), to kick off the People’s Campaign for Justice at Wal-Mart. Thousands of American workers, supporters, and organizations will gather at selected Wal-Marts and Sam’s Clubs between 4 and 7 PM to be a collective voice for change in a country where giant corporations like Wal-Mart rake in profits at the expense of employees, neighborhoods, and all fair-minded citizens. Among the sponsoring groups are the United Food & Commerical Workers, and the National Organization for Women. NOW has labeled Wal-Mart it’s “Merchant of Shame” this year for how its treats its workers, both in this country, and in third world sweatshops. At the Day of Action locally, groups will make the following 7 demands of Wal-Mart: WE DEMAND THAT WAL-MART: 1.Pay their associates a living wage so they can afford basic living expenses such as a home, health insurance, and modest savings for children’s college and retirement. 2. Provide affordable health care. 3. Treat injured workers fairly and provide prompt and complete medical attention for workers injured on the job. 4. Stop illegal interference with associates’ right to organize, cease all coercive, threatening and bullying tactics to discourage organizing, and let the workers freely decide. 5. Adopt less cut-throat, more cooperative policies that respect established commercial districts and avoid pricing out small businesses. 6. End employment practices that discriminate against workers who are women, people of color, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. 7. Truly respect all associates as individuals irrespective of race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. 8. Respect the environment. The groups are calling on Wal-Mart to “Restore the Wal-Mart spirit of company founder Sam Walton, of being a decent neighbor and good employer. Today’s Wal-Mart is not the Wal-Mart of Sam Walton. Today’s Wal-Mart may be a sales leader, but has lost its moral compass. Wal-Mart must restore the integrity and respect for the individual that were hallmarks of Sam Walton. ”
Sprawl-Busters is a national cosponsor of this event. Al Norman will speak at a local Wal-Mart in Springfield, MA on November 21st. For more informatin about events in your area, go to: www.walmartdayofaction.com/index.shtml.
