Walmart Employees Protest Retail Giant On Biggest Shopping Day Of Holiday Season
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — As customers race to Walmart for Black Friday deals, some of the store's employees are walking off the job. Demonstrations spark up in Maryland and across the county.
Monique Griego was there as protesters made their voices heard.
Sky Eye Chopper 13 was there as a line of hundreds of protesters stopped traffic with a March against Walmart in Prince George's County.
"Walmart, Walmart you're no good. Treat your workers like you should!" protesters chanted.
The demonstration continued in Laurel.
"Oh how sad it is our plight to work for crappy pay," protesters chanted.
Walmart workers and their supporters are demanding the retail giant improve working conditions.
"Better wages respect from the managers," one employee said.
Employees are taking a stand on the busiest shopping day of the year.
"It's when Walmart makes the most profits, and we want to send a strong message to the community and consumers that we expect better for them," an employee said.
The demonstrations here in Maryland were part of a bigger movement nationwide.
In California, as shoppers lined up for Black Friday deals outside, angry workers formed a picket line.
Greg Fletcher is among the workers demanding cheaper benefits.
He's worked at Walmart for six years and makes $10.70 an hour.
"Unfortunately for my wife and two kids, we can't afford the benefits package from Walmart. If we bought it, we couldn't afford a roof over our heads, so it's frustrating," Fletcher said.
Union-backed groups helped organize these protests, and representatives told us this is just the beginning of a pressure being put on Walmart.
A Walmart spokesman called the protests a union publicity-stunt and says many of the demonstrators don't even work at Walmart.
