Creative Actions
Build a Growing Movement to Change Wal-Mart
In less than three months, the UFCW’s WakeUpWalMart campaign has involved more than 50,000 activists in direct actions to make Wal-Mart live up to basic American values. Union members, community groups, and elected leaders are joining together through WakeUpWalMart in a nationwide grassroots movement to make the world’s largest employer respect workers and communities. Go to wakeupwalmart.com to join the growing movement.
 |
| Former Miss America Carolyn Sapp pledged her support for WakeUpWalMart's campaign to "Love Mom, not Wal-Mart" |
On Mother’s Day, 51 members of Congress along with 22,000 Americans sent Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott an eight-foot tall Mother’s Day Card saying: “It’s time to respect and honor women. This Mother’s Day, Wal-Mart should stop discriminating against women. Happy Mother’s Day, from wakeupwalmart.com.” More than 1,000 activisists in 76 cities held rallies at Wal-Mart stores demanding the company respect women.
Wal-Mart is currently facing charges for discriminating against women in the largest class action lawsuit in U.S. history affecting more than 1.6 million women. The suit documents Wal-Mart's systematic discrimination against women for lower pay and unequal promotion. In a recent study, women made up 72 percent of Wal-Mart's hourly workforce, but accounted for only 33 percent of managers and only 15 percent of store managers. In addition, women earned from 5 percent to 15 percent less than men for doing the exact same work. This equates to nearly 40 cents less per hour for female hourly workers or nearly $5,000 less per year for female managers.
Congress Calls On Wal-Mart to Release Wage and Hour Data
Following her public support for WakeUpWalMart’s Love Mom, Not Wal-Mart action, Representative Rosa DeLauro, joined by 50 Members of the U.S. House, sent a letter to Wal-Mart calling on the company to address its worrisome record on gender discrimination and disclose wage data so Congress can “further understand why Wal-Mart pays its women associates less than men and promotes its female workers less frequently than their male counterparts.”
Wal-Mart Invokes Nazi Images in Campaign
Wal-Mart placed a full-page newspaper advertisement in an Arizona newspaper featuring a photo of Nazis burning books, attempting to create an impression that the company was being victimized at the hands of local elected leaders who had restricted the company’s efforts to build a store in Flagstaff, AZ. Like so much of Wal-Mart’s conduct, the ad ignited a strong negative reaction from Jewish, veteran, local and national activists.
WakeUpWalMart activists flooded the company with emails demanding Wal-Mart immediately condemn the ad, while pointing out how frighteningly un-American it is to use Nazi images in an attempt to demonize those who oppose Wal-Mart. Within hours, Wal-Mart responded with an apology.
For the full story on all WakeUpWalMart actions, as well as info on how you can get involved, go to: www.wakeupwalmart.com
 |
 |
