Walmart Protestors Plan Boycott for Black Friday in Little Rock
By: Marci Manley, KARK 4 News
Updated: November 21, 2012
A national group of employees and local activists, planning a protest outside the Walmart at Bowman and Chenal in Little Rock is prompted they say by unfair treatment of employees in Arkansas and across the country.
"Walmart wants to wrap itself in family values but when it comes to extending those values to employees it doesn't seem to be concerned with that," said Javier Ybarra of OUR Walmart, a national Walmart employee association.
According to OUR Walmart organization, a desire for a living wage, affordable healthcare, and more stable work schedules are some of the issues pushing the protest.
"We have some of the best jobs in the retail industry. Our compensation our benefits are competitive with other retailers in the industry. They have to be, otherwise we wouldn't be able to staff our stores," said David Tovar of Walmart Corporation.
Walmart doesn't anticipate the protests will have any impact on Black Friday for stores or customers. The local protest in Little Rock will be held from noon until 2:00 p.m.
"Walmart wants to wrap itself in family values but when it comes to extending those values to employees it doesn't seem to be concerned with that," said Javier Ybarra of OUR Walmart, a national Walmart employee association.
According to OUR Walmart organization, a desire for a living wage, affordable healthcare, and more stable work schedules are some of the issues pushing the protest.
"We have some of the best jobs in the retail industry. Our compensation our benefits are competitive with other retailers in the industry. They have to be, otherwise we wouldn't be able to staff our stores," said David Tovar of Walmart Corporation.
Walmart doesn't anticipate the protests will have any impact on Black Friday for stores or customers. The local protest in Little Rock will be held from noon until 2:00 p.m.
