La Quinta, CA Workers at La Quinta Walmart have not been able to hold any major picket lines or one-day strikes since Black Friday because of an injunction against the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. Managers harass workers and treat them badly again, but workers are continuing to organize around their two main demands: 1) Failure of Walmart’s CEO to fulfill his promise to convert part-time workers to full-time, and 2) Discrimination as to which workers are selected to be converted to full-time. Some workers are being passed over because of their organizing activities.
Why is becoming a full- time worker so important? It’s not just because of the added vacation days health insurance benefits. When the top pay after many years is only $12 per hour, an extra 5 hours per week can make a big difference in the household budget. They are also struggling to overcome unfairness in how the bonus which is paid to workers every three months is calculated. Workers at the La Quinta store often receive only $100, when workers at other nearby stores with lower sales received $300-$400.
Despite these temporary setbacks, workers are holding more visible actions after the court injunction expired. Continued community support will be vital. Please join in this effort to change Walmart. Visit us at: www.changewalmart.org.
