Five Wal-Mart workers arrested while protesting

[Bowden]

Five Wal-Mart workers arrested - Nov. 8, 2013
By Emily Jane Fox November 8, 2013: 1:53 PM ET

Organizers said that 100 workers protested for higher wages in Los Angeles, and five were arrested.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
Five Wal-Mart workers were arrested Thursday night while protesting for higher wages in Los Angeles.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said that the company knows of three current and two former employees who were arrested.
The workers were among 49 other activists arrested, according to OUR Walmart, the union-backed group behind the demonstrations.


The organizing group, including clergy members and community organizers, had been staging a two-day strike, asking the nation's largest retailer for higher pay, better benefits and hours, and the right to speak up without retaliation. OUR Walmart estimated that 100 workers picketed over the course of two days.
Protestors were sitting in the middle of the street in front of the downtown LA store, when police tried to clear the area. Those who refused police orders to clear the street after their permit expired at 6 p.m. were arrested, according to Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Bruce Borihanh.

Wal-Mart's Buchanan said that the company is proud of the opportunity it provides its workers.

"The reason why so few Wal-Mart associates are participating is because they know the opportunity that exists to move up the ladder quickly," she said.

Related: Wal-Mart protestor turns to President Obama for help

The arrests come on the heels of nearly a year of similar protests across the country. The movement began last November on Black Friday. Hundreds of activists and workers demonstrated at about 100 Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) stores nationwide.

In one of the biggest protests of the day, nine people were arrested outside of a Paramount, Calif., Wal-Mart store for failing to disperse. OUR Walmart said at the time that three of those arrested were Wal-Mart workers.
Since then, workers have continued to walk off work, claiming that they can't survive on Wal-Mart wages and get retaliated against for speaking out.

Organizers and workers said that this is not the last of the protests as the holiday season nears, though they would not comment on specific plans.

 

[Bowden]

Wal-Mart protestor turns to President Obama for help - Nov. 7, 2013

Wal-Mart protestor turns to President Obama for help

"The White House did not respond to request for comment."

Chermaine Givens-Thomas has worked at Wal-Mart for eight years.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
By Emily Jane Fox November 7, 2013: 2:21 PM ET

Wal-Mart workers have been striking for nearly a year, asking Wal-Mart for higher wages, better benefits and the right to speak out without retaliation.

But on Thursday, one Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) worker in Chicago is looking to someone else to help make a change: President Obama.
Charmaine Givens-Thomas, a 60 year-old Wal-Mart worker, started an online petition asking the President to meet with the Wal-Mart employees who have been protesting.
"We would like for you to hear first-hand why [workers] are appealing for respect and calling on Wal-Mart to pay them more to feed and support their families," she wrote on the petition.
Givens-Thomas has worked at Wal-Mart in Chicago for eight years as a cashier, door-greeter and now in electronics. She makes $11 per hour, working between 32 and 35 hours per week. It's a struggle to pay her bills, which is why she has joined in on many of the protests.

Related: Worker wages: Wendy's vs. Wal-Mart vs. Costco

As someone who marched with Martin Luther King Jr., she said she feels locked out of their dream of good jobs and equality.
"Like too many Americans, I cannot promise my grandchildren that they will have a brighter future than I had -- in our country a small elite is actively impoverishing the vast majority," she wrote.
Givens-Thomas' petition comes as a handful of Wal-Mart workers went on a two-day strike in Los Angeles. The efforts, backed by the union-backed group OUR Walmart, builds upon nearly a year of similar protests and gatherings that started on Black Friday last November.


Wal-Mart workers protest on Black Friday


The White House hasn't stayed mum on the issue. The "low-wage worker" protests were mentioned in a blog post this summer by the White House economic adivisers Gene Sperling and Alan Krueger. They said that raising the minimum wage was part of President Obama's economic vision.

But Givens-Thomas is looking for more.

"It's time for the President to meet with Wal-Mart workers like me who are standing up to Wal-Mart and hear about the reality of scraping by on Main Street." she said.
Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said that the company encourages employees who have concerns to address them with the company's leadership.
"We will do everything in our power to listen and take action," she said.

The White House did not respond to request for comment.

 

[charley]

 

[Swiper]

it's private property. if walmart doesn't want them on their property they have every right to ask them to leave or they'll be trespassing

 

[Zaphod]

it's private property. if walmart doesn't want them on their property they have every right to ask them to leave or they'll be trespassing

Whatever happened to the 1st Amendment? Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Also, the street, where they were arrested, is not private property.

 

[DOMS]

This one really sums it up. The corporation: "It's a recession so we can't afford to pay our employees a higher wage. Now excuse me while I check the P&L to see that we made a net of $17,000,000,000 last year. Damn, that only makes me ranked 131st place in the list of countries by GDP, if we were on that list. Oh, how ever can I make it through this oncoming year? Oh, woe is me!"

 

[Swiper]

Whatever happened to the 1st Amendment? Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Also, the street, where they were arrested, is not private property.

edit : they were blocking traffic in the middle of the street with an expired permit.

 

[Swiper]

And i think the permit thing is bullshit. why would you need a permit to protest. i don't agree with that. But you can't stay in the middle of the street blocking traffic.

 

[Bowden]

This one really sums it up. The corporation: "It's a recession so we can't afford to pay our employees a higher wage. Now excuse me while I check the P&L to see that we made a net of $17,000,000,000 last year. Damn, that only makes me ranked 131st place in the list of countries by GDP, if we were on that list. Oh, how ever can I make it through this oncoming year? Oh, woe is me!"

Money is tight at Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart is buying back 15 billion dollars worth of stock.

Wal-Mart to buy back $15 B in Shares

That only leaves 2 Billion left over for funding Alice Waltons Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art art work collection additions.

 

[charley]

[h=1]Alice Walton[/h] Net Worth$33.5 B As of September 2013 Follow (357)

[h=6]At a Glance[/h]

• Chairman, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
• Age: 64
• Source of Wealth: Wal-Mart, inherited
• Residence: Fort Worth, TX
• Country of Citizenship: United States
• Education: Bachelor of Arts / Science, Trinity University
• Marital Status: Divorced

[h=6]Forbes Lists[/h] #8 Forbes 400

• #8 in 2012

#16 Billionaires

• #10 in United States

#43 Power Women (2012)

 

[Zaphod]

And i think the permit thing is bullshit. why would you need a permit to protest. i don't agree with that. But you can't stay in the middle of the street blocking traffic.

Gotta protest somewhere and blocked traffic sure garners attention.

 

[KelJu]

it's private property. if walmart doesn't want them on their property they have every right to ask them to leave or they'll be trespassing

I have to agree. The concept of private property is a good one, even if the property is owned by dickheads. I sympathize with the workers, but they had no right to do what they did. They should have thought out their plan more.

 

[LAM]

it's private property. if walmart doesn't want them on their property they have every right to ask them to leave or they'll be trespassing

do you feel the same way about open carry in Walmart since it is private property?

Open Carry Walmart. They freaked!!! - YouTube

 

[Swiper]

do you feel the same way about open carry in Walmart since it is private property?

Open Carry Walmart. They freaked!!! - YouTube

yep. they have every right to kick them out.

on a side note : the guy is just looking for attention. Seems like a moron to me for doing that. trying to stir shit up for no reason other then to be on YouTube.

 

[Swiper]

Gotta protest somewhere and blocked traffic sure garners attention.

yes it does and they got national attention to their cause. overall it was a good move on their part.

 

[ctr10]

And i think the permit thing is bullshit. why would you need a permit to protest. i don't agree with that. But you can't stay in the middle of the street blocking traffic.

Swiper's right, what if the beer store is next to walmart and it's Friday and your thirsty

 

[ctr10]

[TABLE="class: mnytbl StaticTableClass, width: 218"]
[TR="class: first"]
[TD="align: left"]Sales*[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]473.00 Bil[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]Income*[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]17.09 Bil[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]Sales Growth*[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]+5.00%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]Income Growth*[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]+7.80%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]Net Profit Margin[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]3.61%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]Debt/Equity Ratio[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]0.80[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]Beta[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]0.38[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]EPS[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]5.12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]Forward P/E[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]13.12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]P/E[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]14.56[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]Market Cap[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]252.91 Bil[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: first, align: left"]Shares Outstanding[/TD]
[TD="class: last"]3.24 Bil

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[LAM]

What freedom? To be wage-slaves, hired and fired at the will of a soulless corporation

-Elizabeth Gurley

 

[ctr10]

It is a shame as soon as earnings come in short they whack the little guy but keep their inflated salary's

 

[LAM]

It is a shame as soon as earnings come in short they whack the little guy but keep their inflated salary's

and that's exactly why the US economy is tanking when you look at the cumulative effects of stagnant wages, record low personal savings, the lack of benefits and pensions, the shift to a low wage part-time work force and the financialization of the economy. when greed became a good thing in the US it was like giving all the sociopaths in business carte blanche.

 

[Zaphod]

Swiper's right, what if the beer store is next to walmart and it's Friday and your thirsty

Say "Excuse me, but I'm trying to get in there to buy a beer."

Everyone is becoming too chickenshit to say "excuse me" anymore. They will stand and wait forever, eventually walking away from what they want, because they can't say two simple words.

 

[oufinny]

Money is tight at Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart is buying back 15 billion dollars worth of stock.

Wal-Mart to buy back $15 B in Shares

That only leaves 2 Billion left over for funding Alice Waltons Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art art work collection additions.

Typical, raise the stock price so executive pay skyrockets at the lowest possible tax rate. Fuck WM I hate those Walton slave traders.

 

[LAM]

Typical, raise the stock price so executive pay skyrockets at the lowest possible tax rate. Fuck WM I hate those Walton slave traders.

there is a tax loophole that ties corporate tax rates to executive compensation, it's one of the drivers of exploding executive pay in the US.

 

[Swiper]

with all the shit that's been talked about walmart I'm surprised people still fill out the application and accept the job fully knowing the pay and lack of benefits. unless you're a teenager, college student or stay at home mom looking for a 4-5 hours a day for some extra income. I can't imagin someone wanting to make working at Walmart a career choice.

 

[LAM]

with all the shit that's been talked about walmart I'm surprised people still fill out the application and accept the job fully knowing the pay and lack of benefits. unless you're a teenager, college student or stay at home mom looking for a 4-5 hours a day for some extra income. I can't imagin someone wanting to make working at Walmart a career choice.

this is why.

Google Search - low wage service sector jobs leading recovery

https://www.google.com/search?q=low...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

 

[Zaphod]

with all the shit that's been talked about walmart I'm surprised people still fill out the application and accept the job fully knowing the pay and lack of benefits. unless you're a teenager, college student or stay at home mom looking for a 4-5 hours a day for some extra income. I can't imagin someone wanting to make working at Walmart a career choice.

And then people bitch about unemployment rates and how many are on welfare. Unemployment benefits run out eventually.

Unfortunately, Sam Walton died. When he died so did the company's dedication to its employees.

 

[LAM]

with all the shit that's been talked about walmart I'm surprised people still fill out the application and accept the job fully knowing the pay and lack of benefits. unless you're a teenager, college student or stay at home mom looking for a 4-5 hours a day for some extra income. I can't imagin someone wanting to make working at Walmart a career choice.

Careers Are Dead. Welcome To Your Low-Wage, Temp Work Future - Forbes

 

[Bowden]

with all the shit that's been talked about walmart I'm surprised people still fill out the application and accept the job fully knowing the pay and lack of benefits. unless you're a teenager, college student or stay at home mom looking for a 4-5 hours a day for some extra income. I can't imagin someone wanting to make working at Walmart a career choice.

The dynamics in the job market have changed.
It started when companies for profit moved manufacturing jobs offshore that provided middle call wages and benefits to Americans.

Not everyone is suited for jobs that require a college degree.
Many people working at Wal-Mart are adults with no options except to take low wage, low or no benefit jobs that have pay scales that meet the criteria of a working poor economic class.
These are the people that are being downsized into the working poor.
They also are the ones that are in -part causing an increase in big government socialist programs like, food stamps, section 8 housing ect.

Wal-Mart knows they hire a large number of adults that are not a "teenager, college student or stay at home mom looking for a 4-5 hours a day for some extra income".
That is why they indicated in their employee handbook the directions to the nearest government office in the states that they operate in as to where their employees could apply for welfare benefits.
.

 

[Bowden]

Regardless if someone is conservative or liberal, hates or likes free markets and big government socialism all they have to do is look at the economic data as to what kinds of jobs have been created since the great recession in 2007 started to understand the changing dynamics in the job markets as to what kinds are jobs are being created at what wage scales and associated benefits packages.

We now have a case in which due to the changing dynamics of the job market the largest employer in the U.S. Wal-Mart, has the largest number of employees on welfare of any corporation in the U.S.
Their employees, are the working poor.

 

[oufinny]

Regardless if someone is conservative or liberal, hates or likes free markets and big government socialism all they have to do is look at the economic data as to what kinds of jobs have been created since the great recession in 2007 started to understand the changing dynamics in the job markets as to what kinds are jobs are being created at what wage scales and associated benefits packages.

We now have a case in which due to the changing dynamics of the job market the largest employer in the U.S. Wal-Mart, has the largest number of employees on welfare of any corporation in the U.S.
Their employees, are the working poor.

The Great Recession, it's laughable compared to what was seen in 1929-1932 when you look at what economic indicators are used to identify recessions, it was 1/10 what the real depression was. It's disgusting that the fed couldn't even so much as look at basic data knowing what they clearly had access too. Talk about corruption.