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An Asda worker in the UK would need to work for a staggering 6.5 million years to amass the same amount of wealth as the supermarket’s owners, the Walton family - this is just one of the findings of new research by UNI Global Union ahead of worldwide protests against the family’s role in global inequality today.

Protests are calling on the Waltons – who own Asda’s parent company Walmart – to provide decent wages and jobs and to fix the appalling labour practices used in the company’s stores, warehouses and supply chain.

“Walmart workers around the world are fed up with barely scraping by on poverty pay, precarious contracts and terrible working conditions” said Head of UNI Global Union Commerce, Alke Boessiger.

“The gross inequality between the earnings of an Asda worker and the Walton family underscores the injustice of the Walmart business model. Workers in the U.K and the rest of the world believe this is unacceptable. And that is why Walmart workers and their supporters will be out in force from Sao Paulo to South Africa, from Bentonville to Bombay and beyond.”

• The Walton family is worth $150 billion – a wealth that grows by more than $8 million a day. 
• Coordinated action will take place in more than 10 countries including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico, and the U.S.
• The workers’ message to Walmart and the Waltons is simple: Walmart must pay its 2.2 million workers at its stores and countless more in its supply chain a living wage and treat them with dignity.

Workers, along with members of the UNI Walmart Global Union Alliance, will be taking their grievances to the street, calling on the Walton family who controls Walmart to use their power and wealth to change the company’s culture.

In Gurgaon, India an estimated 300 protesters will assemble outside of Walmart’s headquarters in India to call on Walmart to respect the rights of street vendors across India by ensuring fair competition.

In Miami, USA an estimated hundred people, including Walmart workers that are members of the Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart), are gathering outside Walmart’s Latin American headquarters to ask Walmart and its billionaire owners, the Waltons, to pay its workers $15 an hour and provide full-time, consistent hours. They are standing with other Walmart workers around the world in the Global Day for Decent Work at Walmart and will deliver petitions backing their call for $15 per hour and full-time work. Outside the headquarters, Walmart workers will speak about their experiences under Walmart working conditions.

In Mexico City, Mexico more than 200 people will protest at the Walmart headquarters to denounce the company’s handling of the corruption allegations and for treatment of workers.

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 address adequately 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 collapse.  Online voting is available at www.publiceye.ch/case/walmart.

UNI’s global demands of Walmart are simple:

• Living Wages: Extremely low wages along with inconsistent scheduling makes it difficult for workers in many countries to support their families.  Fair pay and more hours would allow them to pay their bills and have enough associates in the store to take care of customers.
• Employment Security: The imposition of part-time work, casual employment contracts or – as in the case of Walmart’s 1.4 million U.S. workers – no contracts at all, means that many have no employment security.  We are asking that full time, permanent work be the rule rather than the exception.
• Respect: Workers who assert their freedom of association in an attempt to resolve issues or improve working conditions frequently face retribution from the company.  They are harassed and intimidated by management when they try to voice concerns.  We are asking for respect, safety and job security when we speak out.

For images and updates throughout the global action day, please follow #WalmartGlobal and visit ActionNetwork.org to view a global map of all activities.

Notes to editors

Asda base pay: £7 per hour (11 USD per hour) = 22957 USD per year

Estimated Walton family wealth = 150 billion USD

= 6.5 million years