Today Walmart is celebrating their fiftieth anniversary at their shareholders meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Not everyone will be joining the party.
Angela Williamson was recently fired by Walmart. Angela’s misdeed? Following doctor’s orders and being a caring granddaughter. The company claimed she had taken too many sick days, even though her absences for her own illness and to care for her ailing grandmother had been approved by her manager.
Without a job, Angela was evicted from her home. Her story reminds us of the consequences when workers lack paid sick time, especially in this tough economy.
Says Angela: “While Walmart tells me that I’m being fired for taking time off to care for my sick grandmother, CEO Mike Duke and Chairman Rob Walton still have their jobs despite their role in a reported bribery scandal and an alleged high-level executive cover-up of the incident!
“Walmart executives’ disregard for the law hurts those of us who are trying to work for a living. We all need to play by the same rules – even the 1% richest Americans.”
Angela happens to be a member of OUR Walmart, (Organization United for Respect at Walmart,) a group of associates setting the agenda for how to approach Walmart as an employer and work together to create opportunities to improve their work environment and their lives.
Angela and the other leaders have a simple request of us: Sign a letter to the Walmart Board of Directors telling them that their double standard is unacceptable.
Walmart workers are working hard to organize and be heard.
After 50 years, it’s high time the Board started listening.
