During Black History Month, we will be profiling past and present leaders in the intersecting movements to protect and expand the rights of African Americans and working families. We'll highlight both important leaders of the past and those who are continuing the legacy of those strong leaders who laid the foundation for the present. Today, we take a look at members of OUR Walmart.
Courageous members of OUR Walmart have been standing up against the world's largest private employer for its unfair treatment of workers. In June 2011, several OUR Walmart members presented a Declaration of Respect to Walmart executive management, which, among other things, calls on Walmart to commit to workplace rights, higher wages, dependable work schedules, affordable health care and full-time jobs for associates.
OUR Walmart members have partnered with working families, labor organizations and community groups to raise awareness of and protest Walmart’s mistreatment of workers, while facing constant illegal retaliation from Walmart. OUR Walmart members and their supporters have made huge progress in improving conditions for workers at the retail giant. For instance, the efforts of Tiffany Beroid, one of OUR Walmart’s female African American members, and the Respect the Bump group have led Walmart to improve its pregnancy policy. In addition, responding to OUR Walmart members’ growing calls for the retailer to improve access to hours, Walmart came up with a new system that would allow workers to sign up for open shifts online, and after the protest for higher wages by workers in New York and Washington, D.C., Walmart also has committed to eliminate minimum wage jobs.
We will continue with Black History Month labor profiles throughout the month. Don't forget that you can win one of the 100 Black History Month posters by texting the code “BLACK” (for Black History Month) to 235246.