Vol. 78/No. 45      December 15, 2014

Militant readers joined these actions and report from several cities.

LOS ANGELES
Some 350 picketers, including many workers from Walmart stores in the area, lined both sides of the street outside the downtown Long Beach Walmart Nov. 28, joined by members of the United Food and Commercial Workers, Service Employees International Union and other unions.

A large group of young people, part of the campaign to raise the minimum wage for fast-food and other service workers, took part.

“Every time you get a raise they cut your hours and take away benefits,” Sandra Jensen, who works at Walmart’s Sam’s Club in Fullerton, told the Militant. “You can’t maintain a family on the pay. If you speak up they threaten you.”

Mary Ann Moreno, a Walmart worker in Rosemead, said, “This fight is about respect. If you complain they tell you there’s 300 other people that want your job, and if you don’t like it you can walk out the door.”

— Wendy Lyons

CHICAGO
Cheered by the crowd, strikers from the Chatham Walmart on the South Side sat down in the street by the downtown Chicago store until they were ticketed by the police.

“About 20 to 30 of us walked out of work on Wednesday on a three-day strike,” Keyon Somthers, 24, one of the Chatham strikers, told the Militant. They visited pickets at other stores on Black Friday. “The cost of living went up, but the wages didn’t. I started at $8.35 an hour. Walmart encourages workers to go to college. I am a college student, and there is no way I can pay for school on the wages.”

— Alyson Kennedy
and Laura Anderson

MIAMI
“We’re on strike since yesterday asking Walmart to stop abuse and bullying of workers,” Oswaldo Alonso told more than 40 people outside the North Miami Beach store Nov. 28. Half a dozen Walmart strikers and about 40 supporters took part in the action.

“After four years I’m getting $9.10 an hour,” said Marie Michel, who works overnight stocking shelves. “I have four kids. With Walmart doing so well I’d like to be paid enough to take care of them. There’s no respect for workers inside the store.”

Desiree Kimbrough, a McDonald’s worker fighting for $15 per hour, told the rally, “We get paid so little and do so much work. I’m here to support you.” She and other fast-food workers will be holding strikes and rallies Dec. 4.

— Naomi Craine

NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY
More than 150 people picketed the North Bergen, New Jersey, Walmart on Black Friday.

“It matters to all of us,” Dennis Hart, 42, a member of Iron Workers Local 40, told the Militant. “This is the baseline on wages. If the hole falls through the floor, we all fall through.”

Members of other unions were present, including the American Federation of Teachers, American Postal Workers Union, Teamsters, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, and Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.

Tiffany Foster, from the American Postal Workers Union, said her union was participating at every Black Friday Walmart protest across the country.

— Jacob Perasso