Walmart workers win a pay rise!
Walmart has caved in to worker and public outrage and is raising wages for more than 500,000 of its United States employees.
UNI Global Union welcomed the news but warned that Walmart workers were still vulnerable to the whims of management.
UNI Global Union’s General Secretary, Philip Jennings said, “This is positive for the 40% of Walmart’s full and part time staff who should finally receive the US minimum wage. However, we should withhold judgment until we see the details. Until Walmart drops its anti-union stance workers in the US will remain vulnerable. Without union representation and collective bargaining, there will still be thousands of US Walmart workers living in poverty in precarious work. It is only through collective bargaining where workers have a say on pay that we will turn the tide against poverty wages at Walmart. It's not OK for workers to have no say on pay!
Walmart must take the next step and invite unionization if it really wants to show it has changed its spots and is sincere about closing the growing inequality gap in the United States. The jury is yet to be convinced. The struggle for wage justice continues.”
Walmart has announced its set to raise salaries for 40% of its full and part time staff to at least US$9 per hour, which is just above the minimum wage in the US.
Walmart workers with OUR Walmart are winning change. These wage hikes and announced changes are a clear response to the brave actions of Walmart strikers and their supporters. Walmart is feeling the pressure and knows it must change its low-pay, erratic schedule business model. While this is positive and workers are happy that Walmart is starting to hear their voices, it doesn’t provide the kind of wages and hours workers need to keep a roof over their heads and raise their families. Workers continue to call on the company to raise wages to $15 an hour and provide access to full-time hours.
There has been a sea change in the war against inequality recently, with grass root campaigns such as the “Fight for 15” springing up across the country, showing that US workers are no longer prepared to tolerate poverty wages. Walmart remains in the dock.