Photo Credit: Dawn Littman
This week, 38 Walmart warehouse workers and supporters from faith and community groups rallied in front of an Elwood, Illinois Walmart distribution center to protest the horrendous working conditions workers there endure. The workers have been on strike since mid-September.
Much like the Mira Loma workers who protested a couple weeks ago, the subcontracted workers spoke out this week, against insufferable heat, exposure to chemicals and unhealthy air, unstable working hours which sometimes require them to work up to 19 hours a day, and heavy lifting up to 250 pounds without any support or equipment. Despite all of these offenses, these warehouse workers’ wages aren’t enough to even make ends meet.
Source: Buzzfeed
But instead of facing the workers, or attempting any sort of resolution, Walmart called riot police on the peaceful gathering. The police streamed into the area in full riot gear, as though they were preparing to do battle with a vicious, angry mob rather than a peaceful group of spiritual leaders and community supporters. With batons at the ready, the militarized forces stood inches from each placid protester as they sat down in the road, singing songs and chanting for solidarity and justice.
However ludicrous Walmart’s reaction to the rally was, workers and supporters together succeeded in drawing attention to the unfair treatment of Walmart’s subcontracted warehouse workers, like their brothers in sisters did in southern California. We are seeing more and more groups come together to support one another in the fight for fair treatment and workers rights, as demonstrated by the support of the warehouse workers by the Chicago Teacher’s Union, which of course recently were on strike as well.
To see video of the protest, including the arrival of the riot police, click here.