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| Who are the Walmart workers protesting this Black Friday? | Who are the Walmart workers protesting this Black Friday? |
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| On Friday, as thousands of Americans take advantage of Black Friday deals, hundreds of others will be at work restocking stores’ shelves, ringing up the purchases and cleaning up after excited shoppers. Many of those workers will be busy at Walmart, the world’s second-largest retailer. | On Friday, as thousands of Americans take advantage of Black Friday deals, hundreds of others will be at work restocking stores’ shelves, ringing up the purchases and cleaning up after excited shoppers. Many of those workers will be busy at Walmart, the world’s second-largest retailer. |
| Related: While you shop on Black Friday, I'll be selling you things I can't afford to buy | Lisa Pietro | |
| Some Walmart employees reporting for shifts on Thanksgiving and Black Friday have spend the last few two weeks fasting, as part of a protest to lobby for a $15 wage. Others will spend their holidays protesting outside Walmart stores, demanding that the company pay its employees a living wage and give them full-time schedules. | Some Walmart employees reporting for shifts on Thanksgiving and Black Friday have spend the last few two weeks fasting, as part of a protest to lobby for a $15 wage. Others will spend their holidays protesting outside Walmart stores, demanding that the company pay its employees a living wage and give them full-time schedules. |
| Such protesters say that the wages Walmart is paying are not sustainable and that they and many of their co-workers have a hard time making ends meet. | Such protesters say that the wages Walmart is paying are not sustainable and that they and many of their co-workers have a hard time making ends meet. |
| A Walmart spokesman dismissed such protests as media stunts that have become an annual tradition. Additionally, the company accused the protesters of making “false attacks”. | A Walmart spokesman dismissed such protests as media stunts that have become an annual tradition. Additionally, the company accused the protesters of making “false attacks”. |
| “Our average full-time hourly associate earns more than $13 an hour in addition to the opportunity for quarterly cash bonuses, matching 401k and healthcare benefits,” said the Walmart spokesman. | “Our average full-time hourly associate earns more than $13 an hour in addition to the opportunity for quarterly cash bonuses, matching 401k and healthcare benefits,” said the Walmart spokesman. |
| “Walmart is investing $2.7bn over this year and next in wages, education and training for our associates because we know they make the difference.” | “Walmart is investing $2.7bn over this year and next in wages, education and training for our associates because we know they make the difference.” |
| Here are profiles of five workers who have participated in protests organized by OUR Walmart, a workers organization, this year. | Here are profiles of five workers who have participated in protests organized by OUR Walmart, a workers organization, this year. |
| Nancy Reynolds, 68 | Nancy Reynolds, 68 |
| Reynolds works as a cashier at Walmart store in Merritt Island, Florida. In January, she will turn 69 and the following month will mark eight years since she was first hired. In that time, she has worked her way up to earning $11.20 an hour. | Reynolds works as a cashier at Walmart store in Merritt Island, Florida. In January, she will turn 69 and the following month will mark eight years since she was first hired. In that time, she has worked her way up to earning $11.20 an hour. |
| In the days leading up to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, Reynolds urged Walmart to give its employees a 10% in-store discount on food and asked co-workers to sign a petition outlining that demand. OUR Walmart claims that the lowest-paid Walmart workers sometimes skip lunch because they cannot afford food. | In the days leading up to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, Reynolds urged Walmart to give its employees a 10% in-store discount on food and asked co-workers to sign a petition outlining that demand. OUR Walmart claims that the lowest-paid Walmart workers sometimes skip lunch because they cannot afford food. |
| Earlier this year, Walmart announced it was raising wages for about half a million employees. The retailer now pays alls of its employees at least $9 an hour and plans to increase such pay to at least $10 an hour next year. | Earlier this year, Walmart announced it was raising wages for about half a million employees. The retailer now pays alls of its employees at least $9 an hour and plans to increase such pay to at least $10 an hour next year. |
| Reynolds, who described herself as a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, said that she could not stand to see people go hungry. | Reynolds, who described herself as a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, said that she could not stand to see people go hungry. |
| “My mother grew up during the Depression and she passed along lessons of getting through in difficult times – lessons that I use today while working at Walmart,” she said. | “My mother grew up during the Depression and she passed along lessons of getting through in difficult times – lessons that I use today while working at Walmart,” she said. |
| “I always try to keep a couple dollars on me for my co-workers if they need food and I can’t afford to buy lunch at the store that isn’t bad for my diabetes. | “I always try to keep a couple dollars on me for my co-workers if they need food and I can’t afford to buy lunch at the store that isn’t bad for my diabetes. |
| “I’ve gone to food banks and churches for food, where I’d run into many of my co-workers who told me about them. Hunger is an urgent crisis at Walmart – we all deserve more and we’re asking for no less than $15 and full-time this Thanksgiving and Black Friday. The discount is something the corporation can do now.” | “I’ve gone to food banks and churches for food, where I’d run into many of my co-workers who told me about them. Hunger is an urgent crisis at Walmart – we all deserve more and we’re asking for no less than $15 and full-time this Thanksgiving and Black Friday. The discount is something the corporation can do now.” |
| Reynolds celebrated Thanksgiving earlier in the week, sharing a small turkey dinner with a neighbor. She would be working at Walmart on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. During her shift on Friday, she was set to hand her petition to her store manager. | Reynolds celebrated Thanksgiving earlier in the week, sharing a small turkey dinner with a neighbor. She would be working at Walmart on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. During her shift on Friday, she was set to hand her petition to her store manager. |
| Jasmine Dixon | Jasmine Dixon |
| Jasmine Dixon, 22, is a single mother of two boys. She works as an optician at a Walmart in Colorado. After working for Walmart for three years, she earns $12.95 an hour. In the days leading up to Black Friday, she joined a fast for a $15 wage. | Jasmine Dixon, 22, is a single mother of two boys. She works as an optician at a Walmart in Colorado. After working for Walmart for three years, she earns $12.95 an hour. In the days leading up to Black Friday, she joined a fast for a $15 wage. |
| Related: 'Poverty pay' leads Walmart employees to skip lunch – or steal it from coworkers | Related: 'Poverty pay' leads Walmart employees to skip lunch – or steal it from coworkers |
| “I’ll be fasting with my mother to bring attention to the struggle of working moms everywhere who can barely put food on the table with Walmart’s low wages. My situation is no different than the hundreds of thousands of other working moms at Walmart,” she said. | “I’ll be fasting with my mother to bring attention to the struggle of working moms everywhere who can barely put food on the table with Walmart’s low wages. My situation is no different than the hundreds of thousands of other working moms at Walmart,” she said. |
| When she became pregnant with her second son, Dixon said, she had to take an early unpaid maternity leave. | When she became pregnant with her second son, Dixon said, she had to take an early unpaid maternity leave. |
| “Without my income, my children and I became homeless. I’m now employed at another Walmart location, but constantly live with that experience and fear of losing my job and the income that my family depends on,” she told the Guardian. | “Without my income, my children and I became homeless. I’m now employed at another Walmart location, but constantly live with that experience and fear of losing my job and the income that my family depends on,” she told the Guardian. |
| “If it weren’t for food stamps and government programs for my kids, I don’t know what I would do. Too many times, I have had to go to food banks just to try and scrape up some rice and beans for my kids to eat.” | “If it weren’t for food stamps and government programs for my kids, I don’t know what I would do. Too many times, I have had to go to food banks just to try and scrape up some rice and beans for my kids to eat.” |
| This Thanksgiving will be a third Thanksgiving in a row that Dixon has had to work. | This Thanksgiving will be a third Thanksgiving in a row that Dixon has had to work. |
| “My kids are still small so don’t really understand. It’s sad to leave them,” she said. | “My kids are still small so don’t really understand. It’s sad to leave them,” she said. |
| Emily Dehart | Emily Dehart |
| Three months ago, Emily Dehart gave birth to Rylan. Before getting pregnant, Dehart worked as an associate in the jewelry department at a Walmart store in Cocoa, Florida, for four years. She hoped to go back to her job after giving birth but was recently hospitalized for a blood clot in her leg. | Three months ago, Emily Dehart gave birth to Rylan. Before getting pregnant, Dehart worked as an associate in the jewelry department at a Walmart store in Cocoa, Florida, for four years. She hoped to go back to her job after giving birth but was recently hospitalized for a blood clot in her leg. |
| “Since Rylan’s birth, I’ve been very sick. I tried to get on Walmart’s health insurance and was denied coverage – since I wasn’t working enough hours to qualify,” said Dehart, whose husband Andrew works at the same store on overnight maintenance. He works 40 hours a week and earns $9.50 an hour. | “Since Rylan’s birth, I’ve been very sick. I tried to get on Walmart’s health insurance and was denied coverage – since I wasn’t working enough hours to qualify,” said Dehart, whose husband Andrew works at the same store on overnight maintenance. He works 40 hours a week and earns $9.50 an hour. |
| Worried about her health, Dehart recently made a decision not to return to her job, which paid $9.70. | Worried about her health, Dehart recently made a decision not to return to her job, which paid $9.70. |
| On Friday, Deharts will travel to New York with OUR Walmart and join the protest in front of Walmart heiress Alice Walton’s residence. | On Friday, Deharts will travel to New York with OUR Walmart and join the protest in front of Walmart heiress Alice Walton’s residence. |
| “We’d like Walmart to pay enough for one person to be able to work and take care of bills without worrying if we will have enough food to get us through the end of the month,” said Dehart. “We’ll rely on Andrew’s income, food stamps and Women, Infants and Children [WIC] supplemental benefits to survive.” | “We’d like Walmart to pay enough for one person to be able to work and take care of bills without worrying if we will have enough food to get us through the end of the month,” said Dehart. “We’ll rely on Andrew’s income, food stamps and Women, Infants and Children [WIC] supplemental benefits to survive.” |
| Lisa Pietro | Lisa Pietro |
| Lisa Pietro, 57, works as a produce associate at a Walmart in Winter Haven, Florida. She has worked at the store since April 2013. | Lisa Pietro, 57, works as a produce associate at a Walmart in Winter Haven, Florida. She has worked at the store since April 2013. |
| “After a recent raise, I earn just $9.90 an hour and it’s hardly enough to survive on,” she said. | “After a recent raise, I earn just $9.90 an hour and it’s hardly enough to survive on,” she said. |
| “I want to work full time and be able to care for myself and my family but instead Walmart is cutting workers’ hours across the country. Even though I’ve asked repeatedly for full-time hours my hours drop as low as 28 hours some weeks. No one can live like that.” | “I want to work full time and be able to care for myself and my family but instead Walmart is cutting workers’ hours across the country. Even though I’ve asked repeatedly for full-time hours my hours drop as low as 28 hours some weeks. No one can live like that.” |
| Pietro said that she likes her job and loves Walmart customers, but is constantly afraid that she might lose her job for speaking out about her low pay. | Pietro said that she likes her job and loves Walmart customers, but is constantly afraid that she might lose her job for speaking out about her low pay. |
| “I’ve already been homeless and I’m not willing to go back to those days,” she said. “I work hard to put a roof over my head and food in my stomach and clothes on my back. Unfortunately, at the end of the month, there is nothing left over for my family.” | “I’ve already been homeless and I’m not willing to go back to those days,” she said. “I work hard to put a roof over my head and food in my stomach and clothes on my back. Unfortunately, at the end of the month, there is nothing left over for my family.” |
| This week, Pietro had to work on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. As a result, she missed spending Thanksgiving with her mom. | This week, Pietro had to work on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. As a result, she missed spending Thanksgiving with her mom. |
| “My mother is in a nursing home and I won’t get to see her, which is really unfortunate since this is one of the few days we’re able to bring her home to spend time with the family,” she said. | “My mother is in a nursing home and I won’t get to see her, which is really unfortunate since this is one of the few days we’re able to bring her home to spend time with the family,” she said. |
| Denise Barlage | Denise Barlage |
| Related: Walmart protesters bring labor demands to Clinton campaign headquarters | Related: Walmart protesters bring labor demands to Clinton campaign headquarters |
| Denise Barlage, 56, will also spend the Friday morning outside Walton’s New York City condo. Barlage used to work as a sitting room operator at a Walmart in Pico Rivera, California. She is one of about 530 associates who were laid off earlier this year, when the retailer closed five stores in order to fix problems with plumbing. According to Walmart, about 75% of displaced workers from the five stores were placed at nearby locations. | Denise Barlage, 56, will also spend the Friday morning outside Walton’s New York City condo. Barlage used to work as a sitting room operator at a Walmart in Pico Rivera, California. She is one of about 530 associates who were laid off earlier this year, when the retailer closed five stores in order to fix problems with plumbing. According to Walmart, about 75% of displaced workers from the five stores were placed at nearby locations. |
| Before being let go, Barlage had worked for Walmart for nine years. At the end of that time, she was earning $12 an hour. | Before being let go, Barlage had worked for Walmart for nine years. At the end of that time, she was earning $12 an hour. |
| Barlage was also part of the group that visited Hillary Clinton’s campaign headquarters last week. | Barlage was also part of the group that visited Hillary Clinton’s campaign headquarters last week. |
| “Clinton was a Walmart board member for six years, and was reportedly paid $18,000 annually in addition to $1,500 for each meeting she attended as a board member,” Barlage said. | “Clinton was a Walmart board member for six years, and was reportedly paid $18,000 annually in addition to $1,500 for each meeting she attended as a board member,” Barlage said. |
| While Barlage is in New York protesting about the low wages at Walmart, her family will be at home, enjoying Thanksgiving. | While Barlage is in New York protesting about the low wages at Walmart, her family will be at home, enjoying Thanksgiving. |