Walmart is one of the most powerful businesses on the planet. The Walton family is wealthier than the bottom 42% of U.S. families combined. The Walmart empire is the biggest employer in America—and the world.
But thanks to you, Walmart can no longer hide how it profits from forced labor.
When eight brave guestworkers joined the National Guestworker Alliance (NGA) and exposed forced labor at Walmart supplier C.J.’s Seafood last month, Walmart tried to cover it up. But you wouldn’t let them. Nearly 150,000 of you signed the workers’ Change.org petition. And thanks to your support:
- Walmart was forced to admit to labor violations at C.J.’s in the pages of the New York Times and to suspend its contract with the supplier.
- The Department of Labor slammed the Walmart supplier for serious and willful violations of federal labor law, demanding over $248,000 in back wages, fines, and penalties.
- Literally millions of people learned how Walmart profits from forced labor from stories on the New York Times editorial page, in The Guardian, on National Public Radio, and many other places.
Ana Rosa Diaz, the NGA guestworker member who started the petition, said:
When I decided to go on strike to stop C.J.’s from holding us in forced labor, I never imagined that almost 150,000 Americans would join our cause. Now I know that with your support, we can make a change at Walmart that will improve the lives of thousands and thousands of workers.
What’s next?
The C.J.’s workers are now meeting with other workers on the Walmart supply chain to expose other cases of forced labor by Walmart suppliers—and to end it.
This Labor Day, Sep. 3, we’re planning a nationwide action that will let ordinary people around the country will help do what Walmart refuses to: reveal the guestworkers on its supply chain.
You can help!
Sign up here to learn how you can help end forced labor on Walmart’s supply chain this Labor Day!
