—ON THE PICKET LINE—

Maggie Trowe, Editor

 

Walmart workers in California, NY and Washington fight firings

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Some 30 supporters of Mary Watkines, who was fired by Walmart here a few months ago, accompanied her into the store as she delivered 5,000 petition signatures to management Dec. 5 demanding she be reinstated. The manager told the delegation to leave, threatened to call the police but eventually accepted the petitions.

Watkines is a founding member of the workers group OUR Walmart and has twice been fired for her organizing activity. Participants in the protest included members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 21, the Socialist Workers Party, OUR Walmart and others.

“I won’t be bullied, I won’t be scared,” Watkines told the Militant. “I will continue to fight for my job.”

“We won’t stand for intimidation or retaliation,” said Pat Scott, who has worked at the store here for 17 years.

— John Naubert

ALBANY, N.Y. — Thomas Smith, 52, a worker at the Walmart store in nearby East Greenbush, was fired Nov. 6 for redeeming $2 worth of empty cans left in a shopping cart in the entryway of the store. Smith was terminated for “gross misconduct,” Walmart spokesperson Aaron Mullins told the Albany Times Union.

Smith, an African-American, has a good work record and has received a lot of support. This year’s annual Black Friday protest, demanding $15 an hour and regular schedules, was held at the East Greenbush store to bolster support for Smith. More than $4,400 has been raised in a GoFundMe online campaign. OUR Walmart, the Capital District Area Labor Federation and others have launched an online petition to have Smith reinstated, which nearly 62,000 people have signed.

“Walmart has been getting away with mistreatment of workers for a long time,” Smith told the Militant in a phone interview. “We need a union.”

— Mindy Brudno

OAKLAND, Calif. — “I’m speaking out for all the employees inside,” Roachelle Logwood told some 85 workers at a rally in front of the Walmart store here Dec. 3. Logwood said she was fired from her cashier job three weeks earlier for attendance issues, but decided to fight back with the support of co-workers and the labor movement.

Logwood introduced Josie Camacho, executive secretary-treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council, and California State Assemblyman Rob Bonta. The three then went into the store to demand Logwood’s reinstatement while supporters chanted, “Bring back Roachelle!”

Management called the next day and scheduled a meeting the following week.

A few customers joined the protest, which was called by the United Food and Commercial Workers/Making Change at Walmart. Walmart workers from several Bay Area stores stood behind Logwood at the rally and some of her co-workers embraced her as Walmart security looked on.

UFCW Local 5 members from throughout the area turned out, along with organizers of fast-food workers from the East Bay Organizing Committee, members of Service Employees International Union Local 1021, the Faith Alliance for a Moral Economy and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance.

— Eric Simpson