Walmart workers speak out at annual meeting: ‘I cannot survive like this’

[kpete]

Walmart workers speak out: 'I do not earn enough. I cannot survive like this'
Workers from the world's largest retailer are meeting in Bentonville, Arkansas – but an increasingly unhappy workforce at home and abroad are planning to make a splash

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Dulce Garcia works at a gigantic warehouse in the Inland Empire region of southern California. It is an area of America rapidly becoming known as a hub for the supply chains of Walmart and other major retailers.

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Garcia, 20, has worked in a warehouse since February 2012. Though she dreams of college, she struggles to get by on just $8 an hour, with no benefits. That means she has to take tough choices as she raises her two-year-old son, Christian. “Gas is so expensive. Sometimes I feel that I am only earning enough to pay for the gas that allows me to drive my car to my job,” she said. “I do not earn enough. I cannot survive like this.”

Garcia, whose warehouses packs goods for Walmart and other stores, has also been injured packing and unpacking goods. She was hit by two boxes – each containing three suitcases – and damaged her neck. “The pain was serious, but it was the end of the shift and no one offered to call an ambulance or to find out what had happened, so I drove myself to the hospital. I am supposed to go to therapy because there is still a lot of pain, but I can’t afford it and it’s not like the warehouse is going to pay for it,” she said.

Now she sometimes sees examples of the luggages that hit her on Walmart shelves. “I see the luggage that I move in the warehouse. They are selling it for a lot more than I get paid and treating me really bad,” she said.


more:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jun/06/walmart-workers-speak-pay-conditions
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/06/walmart-workers-speak-out-at-annual-meeting-i-cannot-survive-like-this/

[Skidmore]

1. Walmart employs a lot of people.

I know that other DUers frown upon shopping there. While I go to Costco once or twice a month, I also go to Walmart. Why? Because, I personally know a lot of the workers there. They are good people who need jobs and some of them drive from 20 some miles away from rural communities to work those jobs. I support any efforts the Walmart workers make in confronting that corporation, but Costco can hire everyone. We need to push to make the current Walmart business practices obsolete and demand a living wage from all employers. Walmart is as good a place as any to start working for change.

[Bay Boy]

2. Dulce doesn't understand...

...that injuries on the job are covered by the employer? Somebody should mention that to her.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. My thought exactly

That's a workers comp case. She shouldn't HAVE to pay for her physical therapy at all . . .

[bullwinkle428]

4. Most honorable employers are quick to let their employees know this. Mine certainly does.

[Bay Boy]

5. That is certainly true...

...but we don't know what or if any supervisor was aware of what happened to her.
Is it possible that she is her illegally and is afraid to assert herself?

I also find her comment about the expensive luggage odd. Odd that she would say it and odd that it would be include by the reporter. What does the value of what hit you have to do with anything?

[Rex]

6. Revolution in the Walmart air conditioned empire?

Price so low, they caused a revolution.

[Bay Boy]

7. Was this person an actual Walmart employee?

n/t

[bluedeathray]

8. Until we change where we spend

All the talk in the world won't affect Wal Mart one fucking bit.

[Dreamer Tatum]

9. I just don't get why the bastards can't give every hourly employee a 20% raise

Greedy country fucks.