Warehouse Workers Shut Down Walmart Warehouse in San Bernardino County
north america / mexico |
workplace struggles |
press release
Saturday May 23, 2009 23:45
by anarcentric - WSA (personal capacity)
There is a growing movement of workers fighting for justice and good jobs in the warehouses of California's Inland Empire. On May 14th, they took the fight to America's largest private employer: Walmart.
The Inland Empire has some of the highest rates of foreclosures and unemployment in the country, but the main industry of the area, warehousing for national retailers, is built on bad, low paying jobs. Most of these jobs are through temp agencies and, in addition to low pay and no benefits these jobs do not allow workers to have any job security. Jobs in the Inland Empire need to be good jobs with a living wage and affordable health care; this is the best way the region has to pull itself out of the Great Recession.
On May 14th, warehouse workers, clergy, community members, and area students staged a nonviolent civil disobedience outside a Walmart warehouse in San Bernardino County. The protest ended with the arrest of 7 people, including 4 clergy members, who had literally put their bodies on the line by blocking the truck entrance to the warehouse.
Over 200 people gathered in front of the Walmart warehouse, carrying signs with messages such as Warehouse Workers Want the Freedom to Form a Union. They were protesting Walmarts vicious anti-worker and anti-union policies and highlighting the need for the Employee Free Choice Act. Past attempt by workers at this warehouse to form a union were thwarted by managements harsh tactics of fear and intimidation.
The Valley Boulevard warehouse is completely dedicated to products destined for Southern California Walmart stores. The facility serves Walmart stores and supplies a significant percent of non-food goods to Walmart stores in the region. The facility operates 7 days a week, with three shifts running 24 hours a day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2sRWZP8HgY
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Comments (3 of 3)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3Just wanted to clarify the fact that I simply submitted the above article to anarkismo and am not the author of the original piece.
anarcentric
Why do people work at a place that is so horrible and treats them so badly? Why not put in a year or so for work experience and then move on to something bigger and better? If they cannot get anyone to work for them, wouldn't they have to change? It seems odd that 2.2 million people would allow themselves to be abused by their employer.
As a cleric with 40 years service in a mainline church, I support the efforts of clergy to help organize Walmart.
However I think clergy protesting the lack of a union should at least be members of a union themselves .
Many clergy are oppressed a lot worse by their congregations than any walmart folks. In spite of this many clergy still resist forming any type of professional organization.
The good news is that Walmart will be organized then later so will clergy.
Rev Casey
www.clergysupport.ca