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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Black Friday: Wal-Mart workers revolt | Black Friday: Wal-Mart workers revolt |
| (4 months later) | |
| Black Friday has long been the most important day of the year for the US retail sector. | Black Friday has long been the most important day of the year for the US retail sector. |
| But in a new twist, it is also becoming the most important day for some US workers. | But in a new twist, it is also becoming the most important day for some US workers. |
| For the third year in a row, a group of labour organisers and Wal-Mart workers are planning to stage a series of strikes. | For the third year in a row, a group of labour organisers and Wal-Mart workers are planning to stage a series of strikes. |
| They will be protesting against working conditions at the US's largest retailer, at a record 1,600 locations across the US. | They will be protesting against working conditions at the US's largest retailer, at a record 1,600 locations across the US. |
| Barbara Gertz is one of those Wal-Mart workers who has decided to take part. | Barbara Gertz is one of those Wal-Mart workers who has decided to take part. |
| An overnight stocker in a Wal-Mart in Aurora, Colorado, Ms Gertz started working at the chain six years ago after her husband's concrete business took a hit during the financial crisis. | An overnight stocker in a Wal-Mart in Aurora, Colorado, Ms Gertz started working at the chain six years ago after her husband's concrete business took a hit during the financial crisis. |
| Although she earns $12.40 an hour, her family still struggles to make ends meet. | Although she earns $12.40 an hour, her family still struggles to make ends meet. |
| "I have dental insurance but I can't afford the deductible [minimum payment] so for the last month I've been living in pain because I can't afford to get a filling redone," she says. | "I have dental insurance but I can't afford the deductible [minimum payment] so for the last month I've been living in pain because I can't afford to get a filling redone," she says. |
| She says that for years she tried to bring her concerns about scheduling and promotions to the attention of Wal-Mart management, and the impact on workers at busy times, but has struggled to get a response. | She says that for years she tried to bring her concerns about scheduling and promotions to the attention of Wal-Mart management, and the impact on workers at busy times, but has struggled to get a response. |
| That is why she agreed to participate with Organization United for Respect at Wal-Mart (OUR Wal-Mart), a coalition of Wal-Mart workers. | That is why she agreed to participate with Organization United for Respect at Wal-Mart (OUR Wal-Mart), a coalition of Wal-Mart workers. |
| "We reach out to Wal-Mart every day of the year and we ask them to correct their business practices and they ignore us," Ms Gertz says. | "We reach out to Wal-Mart every day of the year and we ask them to correct their business practices and they ignore us," Ms Gertz says. |
| "Being that Black Friday is the most important shopping day of the year, we felt maybe we could make an impact on that day and they would listen to us." | "Being that Black Friday is the most important shopping day of the year, we felt maybe we could make an impact on that day and they would listen to us." |
| Unrepresentative? | Unrepresentative? |
| A Wal-Mart spokesperson, Brooke Buchanan, said that the company has "an open door policy where associates can share any of their questions or concerns". | A Wal-Mart spokesperson, Brooke Buchanan, said that the company has "an open door policy where associates can share any of their questions or concerns". |
| "Unfortunately the labour unions, who do not represent the 1.3 million associates that work at Wal-Mart in the US, use the holiday season to support their agenda," she adds. | "Unfortunately the labour unions, who do not represent the 1.3 million associates that work at Wal-Mart in the US, use the holiday season to support their agenda," she adds. |
| Wal-Mart says that the majority of those who will be protesting across the country are union workers or supporters. | Wal-Mart says that the majority of those who will be protesting across the country are union workers or supporters. |
| Those unions have been working for many years, largely unsuccessfully, to try to unionise Wal-Mart workers and other low-paid retail employees. | Those unions have been working for many years, largely unsuccessfully, to try to unionise Wal-Mart workers and other low-paid retail employees. |
| Alt-labour | Alt-labour |
| What is different this time around is that unlike those traditional unionisation efforts, the OUR Wal-Mart coalition is part of a new group of so-called "alt-labour" groups that are taking a new approach to arguing for workers' rights. | What is different this time around is that unlike those traditional unionisation efforts, the OUR Wal-Mart coalition is part of a new group of so-called "alt-labour" groups that are taking a new approach to arguing for workers' rights. |
| Instead of immediately pushing for unionisation, the focus is on staging demonstrations and strikes that put pressure on employers to change specific practices. | Instead of immediately pushing for unionisation, the focus is on staging demonstrations and strikes that put pressure on employers to change specific practices. |
| "Labour law has gotten so pro-employer that there are actually benefits to not be a union," says Ruth Milkman, a professor of sociology at the City of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center. | "Labour law has gotten so pro-employer that there are actually benefits to not be a union," says Ruth Milkman, a professor of sociology at the City of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center. |
| "Unions are prohibited from many kinds of picketing unless there is a legal strike possibility [but] these [new] groups can do anything." | "Unions are prohibited from many kinds of picketing unless there is a legal strike possibility [but] these [new] groups can do anything." |
| Occupy roots | Occupy roots |
| The new strategy is a result of the Occupy movement, whose success was viewed as a model for agitating for change. | The new strategy is a result of the Occupy movement, whose success was viewed as a model for agitating for change. |
| In addition to the Wal-Mart coalition, retail workers have also banded together to stage nearly a dozen one-day "Fight for 15" strikes and walk-outs over the past two years. | In addition to the Wal-Mart coalition, retail workers have also banded together to stage nearly a dozen one-day "Fight for 15" strikes and walk-outs over the past two years. |
| Fight for 15 is the name of the movement that has asked fast-food workers to walk off the job for one day to demand that the minimum wage be raised from $7.25 per hour to a so-called living wage of $15 per hour. | Fight for 15 is the name of the movement that has asked fast-food workers to walk off the job for one day to demand that the minimum wage be raised from $7.25 per hour to a so-called living wage of $15 per hour. |
| While the various groups' demands are different, they have been working together. | While the various groups' demands are different, they have been working together. |
| "We support each other, we co-ordinate with each other and we learn from each other," says Dan Schlademan, the director of the Making Change at Wal-Mart campaign, which is supported by the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW). | "We support each other, we co-ordinate with each other and we learn from each other," says Dan Schlademan, the director of the Making Change at Wal-Mart campaign, which is supported by the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW). |
| In particular, the two campaigns have been able to co-ordinate the building of so-called protest infrastructure - the social media Facebook pages and Twitter feeds - that can be put in place and then immediately rolled out to capitalise on individual issues. | In particular, the two campaigns have been able to co-ordinate the building of so-called protest infrastructure - the social media Facebook pages and Twitter feeds - that can be put in place and then immediately rolled out to capitalise on individual issues. |
| "For a long time there were things that people cared about but there wasn't a pathway for them to engage - now those walls are falling down," says Mr Schlademan. | "For a long time there were things that people cared about but there wasn't a pathway for them to engage - now those walls are falling down," says Mr Schlademan. |
| "Five years ago the campaign we're moving probably wouldn't be possible." | "Five years ago the campaign we're moving probably wouldn't be possible." |
| Perfect storm | Perfect storm |
| This strategy of single issue, one-day engagement that is focused on maximum publicity, and helped along by social media, is perfectly timed for the media maelstrom surrounding Black Friday. | This strategy of single issue, one-day engagement that is focused on maximum publicity, and helped along by social media, is perfectly timed for the media maelstrom surrounding Black Friday. |
| That has been particularly true in recent years, as competition has forced retailers into ever earlier opening times. | That has been particularly true in recent years, as competition has forced retailers into ever earlier opening times. |
| "Black Friday has been brought into a certain amount of controversy," says Nelson Lichtenstein, the director of the Center for the Study of Work, Labor and Democracy at the University of California, Santa Barbara. | "Black Friday has been brought into a certain amount of controversy," says Nelson Lichtenstein, the director of the Center for the Study of Work, Labor and Democracy at the University of California, Santa Barbara. |
| Wal-Mart and other retailers have asked workers to come into stores ever earlier - eating into time spent with families on the Thanksgiving public holiday. | Wal-Mart and other retailers have asked workers to come into stores ever earlier - eating into time spent with families on the Thanksgiving public holiday. |
| "Now, when you think about Black Friday, the American population thinks not just about good deals but also, what about the people who work there?" Mr Lichtenstein adds. | "Now, when you think about Black Friday, the American population thinks not just about good deals but also, what about the people who work there?" Mr Lichtenstein adds. |
| He notes that if Wal-Mart was forced to change its scheduling practices, that would represent a huge victory. | He notes that if Wal-Mart was forced to change its scheduling practices, that would represent a huge victory. |
| "It [would] set a precedent that the retailers can't schedule their workers at any time they want," he argues. | "It [would] set a precedent that the retailers can't schedule their workers at any time they want," he argues. |
| The US is still suffering from the scars of the financial crisis, when many Americans like Ms Gertz were forced to go in search of low-paying work just to make ends meet, | The US is still suffering from the scars of the financial crisis, when many Americans like Ms Gertz were forced to go in search of low-paying work just to make ends meet, |
| OUR Wal-Mart says it is simply trying to draw attention to how the explicit consumption of Black Friday seems increasingly at odds with the needs of many workers. | OUR Wal-Mart says it is simply trying to draw attention to how the explicit consumption of Black Friday seems increasingly at odds with the needs of many workers. |
| This year, they hope to put a black mark on Black Friday. | This year, they hope to put a black mark on Black Friday. |
| Will you be out looking for a bargain in the Black Friday sales? Send your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Will you be out looking for a bargain in the Black Friday sales? Send your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Share your pictures with us, email yourpics@bbc.co.uk, upload them here, or tweet @BBC_HaveYourSay. | Share your pictures with us, email yourpics@bbc.co.uk, upload them here, or tweet @BBC_HaveYourSay. |
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