Jean -- I wanted you to see this now because this is an important moment for Walmart workers across the country, who will hold an unprecedented 1,500 protests this Black Friday, organized by our friends at Making Change at Walmart. Thanksgiving weekend is the biggest retail weekend of the year. Its also a time when employees of big box chains are notoriously overworked. Many of them are expected to sacrifice spending the holiday with their family in order to maximize corporate profits -- even though the amount of money they take home for their efforts is painfully low. We think they deserve better than that. If big box retailers arent willing to pay their workers a livable wage, Congress needs to make them. Tell Senators they need to raise the minimum wage now. Want to know more? Check out Karlis email below and share it with your friends. -- Eden James, Political Director ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Karli Wallace, Democracy for America Date: Tue, Nov 19, 2013 at 6:01 AM Subject: What Walmart just did Jean -- It has actually come to this: on Monday, news broke that a Walmart in Ohio has set up a donation box asking employees to donate desperately needed food -- to struggling, hungry Walmart employees. Thats right. Walmart raked in $15.7 billion in profits last year alone, but apparently they dont feel any need to share that wealth with their millions of workers. Instead, they stick them with poverty wages, then send them off to ask government, food banks, or even each other for help. If it wasnt clear before, it should be clear now -- Walmart is never going to do right by its employees. It is up to us to make them pay a fair wage. Senate Democrats just introduced a bill that would increase the minimum wage. President Obama publicly supports it, and it could pass the Senate in a couple of weeks, bringing us that much closer to having fairer wages for all -- but it will only happen if Republicans listen to the American people and get out of the way. Tell the Senate that we are done letting corporate America off the hook when it comes to wages. Raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour NOW. Raising the minimum wage might be the most popular policy ever proposed. More than 80% of Americans say they think wages should go up. And it isnt a partisan thing, either -- more than 60% of Republicans agree. The numbers dont lie -- Republicans who try to stop a minimum wage increase from happening are acting directly against the will of the majority of their own constituents. But rich executives of big corporations like Walmart benefit greatly from a super low minimum wage -- and they are prepared to spend lots of cash supporting politicians who pledge to keep it low. This minimum wage increase can pass in the Senate -- the votes are already there. But if Senate Republicans listen to big money donors instead of the vast majority of Americans and choose to unfairly filibuster, this legislation will die and millions will lose their chance to rise out of poverty. Tell the Senate that obstruction is not an option -- we want a $10 minimum wage now. Thank you for fighting for hard-working people everywhere, Karli Karli Wallace, Campaign Organizer Democracy for America
Posted on: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 17:24:48 +0000