ttt1348-dec_2-black_friday_revolt
AFTER BLACK FRIDAY: What’s Next for Low Wage Workers?
This past week brought a happy confluence of two very special holidays: Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. But while happy (and sometimes stressed) consumers feasted and shopped, workers who make our holidays happen and their supporters, demanded an end to poverty level wages.
On Monday, November 25th 5th workers joined supporters from faith and community groups at the Brooklyn Center Walmart to demand an end to retaliation against Walmart workers who speak out for respect in the workplace and better pay.
On Tuesday, the Greater Minnesota Workers Center in St. Cloud protested exploitive labor contracting practices.
On Wednesday, about 100 airport workers and their allies rallied outside the arrivals area of Terminal 1 to show their support for unionization and state legislation to raise the minimum wage.
And on Black Friday itself, unions and social justice organizations came together for two major events: a protest at the downtown Minneapolis Target organized by Centro de Trabajadores Unido en Lucha (CTUL) and The March Against Poverty Wages, a 1000 strong march and rally down University Avenue in St. Paul to Walmart that ended in 26 arrests.
TruthToTell host Andy Driscoll and special co-host, Tom O’Connell, retired professor of Political Studies will talk with participants about the significance of this past week’s events as well as what lies ahead in the struggle for fair wages and workplace justice.
Sources:
PETER RACHLEFF – Labor Historian; Retired Professor of History, Macalester College
ANDREA WILLIAMS – Our Walmart
DARCY LANDAU – Airport Worker
DAN MENDEZ-MOORE – CTUL/SEIU (Service Employees International Union)