UFCW International Kicks Off "Walmart Workers for Change"

4/28/09 "The associates are afraid," said Cynthia Murray, a Walmart worker in Laurel, Maryland. "They're intimidated and they are afraid. My family and other families have paid the price for freedom. And when you tell me I can't talk about a union, you're taking my freedom from me." The words of this Walmart worker and others marked the kick-off of a UFCW sponsored campaign at more than 100 Walmart stores in 15 states where union representation cards have been signed.

Citing a lack of respect from the company, as well as poverty level wages and sub-par benefits, the Walmart associates have come together to voice their need for union representation on the job. The UFCW campaign comes at a time when workers find their wages stagnant even as the company, founded by the Walton family, continues to report record profits ($13.4 Billion last year). The associates say they are bolstered by UFCW support, emboldened by Barack Obama's election as President and encouraged by the recent introduction of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) in Congress.

But Walmart is maintaining its longstanding record of fierce resistance. "Since we started talking union, the company has been holding meetings, they've flown in people." said Dominique Sloan of Dallas, Texas. "They've even mentioned as far as with the union, there's a possibility that store's may close." Linda Haluska of Glendale, Illinois was called into four mandatory meetings in one week, where she and her colleagues were shown anti-union and anti-EFCA videos. In Miami, Florida Cheryl Guzman was interrogated by a manager about who, among her colleagues, supported a union.

"Walmart Workers for Change" is a new campaign made up of thousands of Walmart workers joining together to form a union and negotiate better benefits, higher wages, and more opportunity for a better future.