Walmart Black Friday: Worker Threats To Walk Out Are Mounting

Walmart’s legal troubles and a growing number of disgruntled workers are allegedly placing the stores Black Friday sale in jeopardy. Should workers in multiple states walkout during the busiest shopping day of the year, the financial results could be devastating for the retail giant.

Workers have not been shy about letting both Walmart and potential Black Friday shoppers know about their angst. Striking employees in several cities warn of a “mass” walkout the day after Thanksgiving. Although millions of customers eager for door buster deals and holiday bargains used to line up at 2 am to get inside the store, that practice was altered significantly last year.

The discount retailer joined a host of other big-box stores and opted to start their massive Christmas sale on Thanksgiving evening. A worker walkout on Black Friday might not have the impact it would have in past years, but the loss of revenue from the millions of Americans who still go shopping the day after enjoying a hearty Thanksgiving will still impact Walmart’s bottom line.

A class action lawsuit was recently filed against the company by part-time and temporary workers in Chicago area stores. The employees claim that Walmart broke minimum wage and overtime laws. The Black Friday ultimatum would allegedly prompt chaos in the stores and possible protests by angry workers.

Some store employees claim they have been targeted for joining the worker support organization, OUR Walmart. The group has aided unhappy staffers file more than 20 lawsuits against the retailer. In 2011, the store generated approximately $258 billion in revenue, according to CBS News.