Canada's union for Walmart workers joins global protests for decent work at Walmart

TORONTO, Nov. 19, 2014 /CNW/ - Today, UFCW Canada activists are joining with workers from around the world to protest for better working conditions for Walmart workers. November 19 is the Global Day for Decent Work at Walmart. Hundreds of Walmart workers and their supporters will be demonstrating in Canada, the United States, Mexico, India and South Africa.

Walmart workers are calling on the world's largest employer and its owners – the Waltons - to provide living wages and full-time jobs. The Waltons family is worth $150 billion and grows that wealth by more than $8 million a day. Fed up with barely scraping by on low-pay, part-time work and illegal treatment of workers, Walmart workers are calling on the Waltons to address issues in their stores, warehouses and supply chains.

November 19, 2014 also marks the announcement of Walmart's nomination for the "Lifetime Worst Corporation Award." Walmart receives this nomination primarily because of its abysmal failure to adequately address the safety concerns of workers in Bangladesh and to compensate the families whose loved ones perished more than 18 months ago in the Rana Plaza building collapse, where it is believed that Walmart was sourcing garments during the time of the disaster. 

Coordinated actions will take place in more than 10 countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico and the U.S. UFCW Canada will be conducting protests at a number of sites in the Greater Toronto Area. For images and updates throughout the global action day, please follow #WalmartGlobal and visit ActionNetwork.org to view a global map of all activities.

"As the world's richest corporation, Walmart needs to start paying living wages and offer secure, safe, full-time work," says Paul Meinema, UFCW Canada National President, "Whether it is a store associate in Canada or a garment worker in Bangladesh, Walmart workers deserve to be treated with respect and that means no retaliation for organizing collectively."

UFCW Canada is the nation's leading union for food, retail and supply chain workers, representing more than a quarter million workers across Canada. UFCW Canada is the only union to have successfully negotiated a collective agreement for Walmart workers in Canada.

SOURCE: United Food and Commercial Workers Canada

Kevin Shimmin, National Representative, UFCW Canada, 416-806-7039