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| Right to left in front row: Wes Coleman, UE Local 1177; Eveleyna Washington, WWJ Interfaith Action Committee and Joliet Coalition of Black Trade Unionists chair; Susan Hurley, director of Chicago Jobs With Justice; and Elce Redmond of the South Austin Coalition. |
On Wednesday, February 15, Walmart warehouse workers were joined by members of Chicago Neighborhoods First as they rallied at a Walmart Express store in Chicago, to demand that Walmart reverse the firing of 65 workers, an action that was inconsistent with two official company policies titled "Standards for Suppliers" and "Statement of Ethics."
Over 100 people attended the rally, which was organized by Warehouse Workers for Justice and UE. A delegation of workers and community representatives presented the store manager with a copy of an ethics complaint filed against Walmart earlier the same day. Several workers and community members then addressed the crowd outside the store. Demonstrators then picketed the store for an hour, chanting "Wage theft is a crime, pay your workers or do the time!"
The unjust firings occurred on December 29. On that day, after they worked a full shift at the massive Walmart warehouse in Elwood, Illinois, 65 workers were informed they would lose their jobs immediately. After the workers had sued to recover stolen wages, Walmart's warehouse operator Schneider Logistics cancelled the contract with Eclipe Staffing, the temp agency that directly employed the workers.
"Walmart says in its policies their contractors and suppliers must 'compensate workers with wages, overtime premiums and benefits that meet or exceed legal standards,'" said Leticia Rodriguez, a former worker at the Walmart Elwood warehouse. "Yet when we sued Eclipse for wage theft, we were fired. We want Walmart to keep their word and make this right."
Elce Redmon of the South Austin Coalition and Chicago Neighborhoods First, also spoke at the rally. "Now that Walmart has moved into our neighborhood, we must demand they follow their own ethical standards policies. If Walmart wants to be part of Chicago, then Walmart must ensure workers are paid what they are owed and that no retaliation takes place." He added, "We at Chicago Neighborhoods First are standing up for our local economy and the people who make it work."
On the same day as the Chicago protest, workers and their allies in n Mira Loma, California, delivered a similar complaint to Walmart there, where workers also experienced retaliation after filing wage theft and safety violation lawsuits. The California workers recently won a court order barring the retaliatory firings.