Walmart Strike on Black Friday

**Pam** · November-21-12, 09:42 PM

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2138871.html

Employees will stage 1,000 unique protests around the country on Black Friday, a United Food and Commercial Workers Union [[UFCW) official said on a conference call Thursday afternoon. The events, most of which will take place at Walmart stores, will include walkouts, flash mobs, and "educating" shoppers on the workers' plight.

**Bad Brains** · November-23-12, 01:46 AM

This will do nothing.

Who the hell shops at Walmart anyways? Apparently a lot of people but fortunately I don't know many. I'm amazed how people can shop at this store and have any kind of self respect. I guess some people don't care. To each their own I suppose.

**oladub** · November-23-12, 02:21 AM

Originally Posted by Bad Brains

This will do nothing.

Who the hell shops at Walmart anyways? Apparently a lot of people but fortunately I don't know many. I'm amazed how people can shop at this store and have any kind of self respect. I guess some people don't care. To each their own I suppose.

I shop at Walmart. It's open 24 hours a day, has a reasonable return policy, and good prices. Walmart is 16 miles from where I live. Target is 60 miles away. I might prefer Target but it is too far. If you start a store that can almost compete with Walmart in my community with unions and generous employee health care plans, I will be glad to shop there instead.

**Zacha341** · November-23-12, 05:24 AM

I avoid WM and shop Meijers when possible... and any form of 'Black Friday' shopping for the most part. Crowds at this level [[pressed against doors, or lined up) are getting more unpredictable these days. No thanks.

**Pam** · November-23-12, 06:54 AM

This will do nothing.

Maybe not, but it's a first step. Good for them for taking a stand.

**Pam** · November-23-12, 07:25 AM

http://bostonglobe.com/business/2012...o4J/story.html

Nearly four years after a Walmart worker was trampled to death by a stampede of Black Friday shoppers, Walmart Stores Inc. continues to fight a $7,000 fine by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that it failed to control the crowd of shoppers.
Walmart has spent millions contesting the fine and a 2011 ruling by an independent administrative judge to uphold the penalty. The appeal is pending.

**Zacha341** · November-23-12, 10:24 AM

Stampede? Great. Another reason why I would not put myself into such a potentially negative position. NOPE.

Originally Posted by Pam

http://bostonglobe.com/business/2012...o4J/story.html

**rb336** · November-23-12, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Bad Brains

This will do nothing.

Who the hell shops at Walmart anyways? Apparently a lot of people but fortunately I don't know many. I'm amazed how people can shop at this store and have any kind of self respect. I guess some people don't care. To each their own I suppose.

Odds are you do, but no one admits to it. odds are you have shopped there every so often. I try to stay away, unfortunately my optometrist moved there

**313WX** · November-23-12, 11:41 AM

I shop where I can get the best value for my dollar. If I can get the best value for my dollar at Wal-Mart, then so be it.

If business owners are going to penny pinch with the wages they pay, then I'm going to do the same when purchasing their goods/services.

**rb336** · November-23-12, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

I shop where I can get the best value for my dollar. If I can get the best value for my dollar at Wal-Mart, then so be it.

If business owners are going to penny pinch with the wages they pay, then I'm going to do the same when purchasing their goods/services.

thus rewarding employers for treating their employees like shit

**Papasito** · November-23-12, 02:10 PM

Do you remember right after 9-11 and the towers fell? Most employers were closed for Thanksgiving and Christmas that year, because for a brief 4 months, humanity came back to America. People saw how fragile and precious life was, and employers felt employees should spend time with their families. Even Wal Mart.

Then everyone went right back to being greedy and uncaring again.

Personally, I don't mind the days when I would go buy everything in advance for Thanksgiving and Christmas so I'd be ready for the Holidays, knowing everything would be closed.

A little inconvenience on my part is worthwhile knowing people at the stores would be home enjoying their families, because life is short, people pass on, relationships end, and people who mean something to you won't always be there. Let the stores close for 2 days a year.

**old guy** · November-23-12, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by Papasito

Do you remember right after 9-11 and the towers fell? Most employers were closed for Thanksgiving and Christmas that year, because for a brief 4 months, humanity came back to America. People saw how fragile and precious life was, and employers felt employees should spend time with their families. Even Wal Mart.

Then everyone went right back to being greedy and uncaring again.

Personally, I don't mind the days when I would go buy everything in advance for Thanksgiving and Christmas so I'd be ready for the Holidays, knowing everything would be closed.

A little inconvenience on my part is worthwhile knowing people at the stores would be home enjoying their families, because life is short, people pass on, relationships end, and people who mean something to you won't always be there. Let the stores close for 2 days a year.

I'm with you on this one.

**coracle** · November-23-12, 03:23 PM

For general shopping I make Walmart my first choice followed by Meijer. They have 3800 stores in USA and employ about 1.3 Million people, so they must be doing something right for everybody involved [[particularly their customers) Their prices are competitive and their employees are helpful and courteous. All their store brand products "Great Value" that I have tried are very good and always better that Meijer brand products. Perhaps those that rail at their success should have got together and pooled their pocket money and put them out of business instead of constantly moaning - but then they're probably in the main only Union Members out to screw success without taking any risk.

**rb336** · November-23-12, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Papasito

Do you remember right after 9-11 and the towers fell? Most employers were closed for Thanksgiving and Christmas that year, because for a brief 4 months, humanity came back to America. People saw how fragile and precious life was, and employers felt employees should spend time with their families. Even Wal Mart.

Then everyone went right back to being greedy and uncaring again.

Personally, I don't mind the days when I would go buy everything in advance for Thanksgiving and Christmas so I'd be ready for the Holidays, knowing everything would be closed.

A little inconvenience on my part is worthwhile knowing people at the stores would be home enjoying their families, because life is short, people pass on, relationships end, and people who mean something to you won't always be there. Let the stores close for 2 days a year.

This may be the first time I've ever agreed with you on a post.

**stanman13** · November-24-12, 07:17 AM

New poster here. I do not and will not shop at Walmart. I have been making a concerted effort to avoid the big box chain stores altogether. I get my food at a locally owned grocery store, my hardware at a hardware store, lumber at a lumber yard, etc as much as possible. Clothing has actually proved to be one of the more difficult items to source at a small business. We aren't perfect with it yet, but are getting closer.

So it means I have a little bit less stuff. <Shrug> I'm ok with that. The stuff we have is better, and I am supporting local business owners, many of whom I know. That minor amount of inconvenience is completely worthwhile to me.

**coracle** · November-24-12, 07:57 AM

I saw the Protesters outside the Dearborn Walmart on the TV News. The camera had to take a low down narrow angle not to show the crowd was small. I couldn't help wondering who payed for their regular existence and who payed for them to turn out for the photo op. as they were gone in about 10 mins. after the photo according to the Reporter. They didn't look like Walmart Strikers; they looked like a rent-a-crowd of agitators. Wonder how much they were paid for the "job" and who coached them.

**Pam** · November-24-12, 08:19 AM

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021875581

Pics from a protest in California.

**Gistok** · November-24-12, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by coracle

I saw the Protesters outside the Dearborn Walmart on the TV News. The camera had to take a low down narrow angle not to show the crowd was small. I couldn't help wondering who payed for their regular existence and who payed for them to turn out for the photo op. as they were gone in about 10 mins. after the photo according to the Reporter. They didn't look like Walmart Strikers; they looked like a rent-a-crowd of agitators. Wonder how much they were paid for the "job" and who coached them.

Maybe they were foreign workers flown in to protest inhuman working conditions?

**coracle** · November-24-12, 04:28 PM

I see Walmart are reporting they made record PROFIT over Black Friday. Customer Service sells. Makes the agitators look out of touch and stupid. I wonder how many of them slipped back in after the agitate to use their Bridge Card?

**Gistok** · November-24-12, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by coracle

I see Walmart are reporting they made record PROFIT over Black Friday.

Yeah.... they're probably doing "high fives" in China.....

**Kevgoblue** · November-25-12, 02:32 PM

Well get ready to jump for joy or pull your underwear out of your butt, depending on your opinion of the store. The king of low cost Chinese goods and undocumented immigrant labor is looking to open a new store in Southfield.
The site of the old St. Bede Catholic Church is in their crosshairs.
http://www.candgnews.com/news/plans-...and-southfield

**oladub** · November-25-12, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Kevgoblue

Well get ready to jump for joy or pull your underwear out of your butt, depending on your opinion of the store. The king of low cost Chinese goods and undocumented immigrant labor is looking to open a new store in Southfield.
The site of the old St. Bede Catholic Church is in their crosshairs.
http://www.candgnews.com/news/plans-...and-southfield

I thought President Obama was the king of undocumented illegal labor. The solution, in any case, is for you to shop elsewhere and buy US cameras, toys, tv's and whatever other Chinese goods Walmart sells...and stop voting for politicians who encourage undocumented workers and trade agreements such as NAFTA and TPP.

**Gistok** · November-26-12, 02:11 AM

Originally Posted by coracle

I see Walmart are reporting they made record PROFIT over Black Friday. Customer Service sells. Makes the agitators look out of touch and stupid. I wonder how many of them slipped back in after the agitate to use their Bridge Card?

Hey Coracle... check your Walmart purchases... maybe you have some clothes made at this Bangladesh Walmart supplier.... who needs safety... not Walmart?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2...tory-fire.html

And before you buy any more Chinese imported foods at a Walmart [[or even a dollar store)... you might do what President Teddy Roosevelt did when he read Upton Sinclair's book "The Jungle"... about century old Chicago meat packing conditions... and threw his sausages out the window...
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2...t_15253129.htm

So before you start complaining about others looking out of touch and stupid... do your homework...

**noise** · November-26-12, 09:15 AM

I haven't shopped at Walmart in well over 10 years. I do not like their business practices, I do not like how they treat employees, and I am a supporter of small, local businesses.

I am not lazy or apathetic, so I can find alternatives.