Walmart Black Friday Walkout Threatened

The Walmart walkout widened to include a dozen states on Tuesday, with claims that a Black Friday walkout may occur. Employees at approximately 28 stores in 12 states are now protesting against alleged mistreatment of employees and subpar working conditions.

United Food and Commercial Workers’ Making Change At Walmart campaign director Dan Schlademan confirms that walkouts at the world’s largest retailer have occurred in Miami, Dallas, Orlando, Seattle, Washington DC, San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Sacramento, according to the San Diego Free Press. Schlademan also noted that reports of Walmart walkouts at stores in Minnesota, Kentucky, and Missouri are also surfacing.

A walkout on Black Friday could levy a stiff blow against the retail giant. The official kick-off to the Christmas shopping season turns the discount department store into one of the most crowded venues on the planet. Instead of seeing long lines before dawn the day after Thanksgiving last year, shoppers lined up in droves just hours after digesting their turkey dinner. Walmart has not yet released its Thanksgiving weekend sales brochure indicating which day would boast the massive door busters which draw eager consumers to their doors for holiday bargains this year.

Disgruntled Walmart workers may be joined by community and labor union groups to stage a Black Friday protest, according to the New York Times. A news release issued by the United Food and Commercial Workers’ group indicates that employees are angry about alleged company attempts to silence and retaliate against workers who have called for job improvements.

Colby Harris, a striking Walmart worker from Dallas, stated that if Walmart does not address employee demands, workers will make Black Friday “memorable” for the company, according to Salon. The Black Friday walkout threat may include flash mobs, strikes, and leafleting to customers.