Wal-Mart Flash Mob Protest Occupy Ann Arbor, Saline Michigan Black Friday 2011

[wundermaus]

Run time: 07:51 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqBaXZQmGAk   Posted on YouTube: November 26, 2011 By YouTube Member: LindsayStone Views on YouTube: 89   Posted on DU: November 27, 2011 By DU Member: wundermaus Views on DU: 6494

 
Attention Wal-Mart shoppers:

We are here/ to acknowledge/ that low prices,/ come with a high cost,/ both locally and globally:

750 thousand women/ work as "sales associates"/ in Wal-Mart stores.

These women /are paid wages/ well below the poverty level

Half of those women /qualify for federal assistance.

*Wal-Mart drives down wages/ in urban areas,/ with an annual lost/earnings of at least $4.47 billion dollars/ for retail workers.

A "full-time" Wal-Mart employee/ must work / 1646 years/ in order to accumulate/ what the Wal-Mart CEO/ receives for one year.

Wal-Mart's refusal to pay American's living wage costs Taxpayers over 1 billion dollars to Support its Employees

1 Wal-Mart store with 200 employees costs federal taxpayers over 400 thousand dollars per year.

Wal-Mart's health care plan fails to cover nearly 700,000 employees.

Thousands of employees and their children across the nation are on Federal and State health insurance plans.

Women who work for Wal-Mart make up more than two-thirds of its hourly employees, but hold only one-third of managerial positions.

Only 15 percent of Wal-Mart store managers are women.

Wal-Mart has played a major role in the outsourcing of American jobs overseas.

Wal-Mart now imports over 50 percent of its merchandise from overseas.

Wal-Mart has used its tremendous power in the marketplace to bully American firms into moving their production facilities overseas and are required to keep prices low at all costs, even if it requires forcing employees to work in sweatshop conditions.

Women who make pants in El Salvador earn 15 cents for each pair; Wal-Mart sells these pants for about $16.

Women in Central America who make clothes for Wal-Mart live in shacks lacking running water or plumbing.

Women in China live nine to twelve to a room in government-provided dormitories.

A new Wal-Mart destroys jobs by putting local merchants out of business, in return Wal-Mart creates fewer jobs with lower pay and mostly part-time.

We the 99% encourage you to as a shopper to be aware, of where your money is going, to support local business which tend to offer better working conditions, and chance for advancement.

To the employees of Wal-Mart, please know you are not to blame, know that you have a voice, you have the power to take a stand, and know that we are the 99% and stand behind you.

((( I just love this!!!)))

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. It is beautiful, isn't it? nt

[markmyword]

29. ATTENTION WAL-MART SHOPPERS!!

That was FANTASTIC!

A small group of 99%ers, but did they PACT A PUNCH.

We need to go out in groups and do the small thing, at as many
Wal-Marts as possible.

I have had my own personal boycott of Wal-Mart for several
years, ever since they lied about buying only American
products for their stores.

Since then, a documentary came out about Wal-Mart and how they
deal with their suppliers. They ACTUALLY will fight with a
supplier over ONE PENNY! You either make the product for the
price that they want or else they'll find a company that will.

That's why many U.S. companies had to relocate overseas to be
able to get the price points Wal-Mart wanted. Also, Wal-Mart
becomes a companies ONE and ONLY customer, so they can break
you, if they cancel their orders.

We the People can bring democracy back to this country. 

[ZombieHorde]

2. That was awesome. nt

[James48]

3. man... I wish i knew....

please let me know next time- I am within driving range of here and woud have loved to participate.

[jimlup]

19. Me too and yes I would participate

:kick:

[SunSeeker]

4. Now THAT's what people should be doing in Wal-Mart,

instead of rioting over $10 videogames.
:yourock:

[AntiFascist]

5. Wow! I think they've spelled out the global economics more than adequately!

Walmart is what economic fascism looks like. Enjoy your low prices.

[Enthusiast]

12. Our government is spending billions

keeping right wing dictators in power in third world nations only to make favorable sweatshop conditions for Walmart and others. This is fascism in action. Recognize it now or watch your nation disappear.

The most ironic thing of all was how 58,000 Americans died to protect Vietnam from communism. When we failed to stop communism Vietnam voluntarily transformed their nation into a giant sweatshop shrine to capitalism.

Ever get the idea that the ones running this nation need their fucking heads examined? I guess they made money on the Vietnam war and now they are making a fortune on cheaply produced Vietnam made goods. It's all good from their perspective.

[ellisonz]

6. I like how they keep trying to cover the camera...

...it keeps recording, employees of Wal-Mart.

[a2liberal]

7. K&R but

the Walmart in Saline was also the only place I could find a decent bandana for my hippie costume for Halloween at 10pm Sunday night. I wish we had superstores that also treated employees well.

[SalviaBlue]

25. Pretty soon Walmart will be the only place to buy ANYTHING.

[Hubert Flottz]

8. #$%%$#@&*^%$# Santa Clause!

When you buy it cheap, cheap is what you get! Slaves take no pride in their work.

[johncoby2]

9. Am I the only one that thinks this was stupid?

[XanaDUer]

10. Why do you think that?

There might be shoppers there in WM who have no clue about this. At least they're not piling up shopping baskets with junk for the WM workers to put away later.

[The Wielding Truth]

11. It takes guts, but it was not stupid. It was straight up truth!

[Enthusiast]

13. The truth has become so rare that

we require stealth operations to expose people to it. This nation has truly become 1984-like.

[brewens]

14. I would say they need a bigger mob if anyone does this.

It's cool but not impressive enough.

[efhmc]

15. I wish it were not true but it will not make one shopper

stop shopping there if they think items are cheaper there than elsewhere.

[johncoby2]

16. So what did this accomplish?

[The Midway Rebel]

17. On a personal note:

It accomplished educating me to the specific abusive and predatory practices of the Walmart corporation as outlined in the OP. Not all actions have direct consequences.

[TheEuclideanOne]

20. Not all actions have direct consequences

Good point. I think that is what this is all about and why the media and 100% of all republicans are trying to destroy this. They can claim that the 99%ers have no idea of what they are trying to achieve. The reality is that they do know, but they know that it is a monumental task because the corporations have their claws in deep. But, little by little, it will make a difference.

On a semi-related note, a friend of mine who is a die-hard right-winger said something in passing the other day. He said that "What do you think we should do, just give them all jobs?". My response was "Who is this WE??!?!??!". When the corportations make record profits, they are not giving you didly squat. You may think that just by supporting the top 1%, you are on the same team, but they ain't giving you nuthin! Call me when Lehman Bros sends you that check thanking you for all of your hard work.

[AllyCat]

18. I doubt anyone walked out without buying anything, but maybe they have cause to think

about what is happening. Took me a long time to understand it, but once someone pointed it out to me, I mulled it over for awhile and then realized what was happening. Now I avoid these stores like the plague and try to get things locally whenever possible. Many communities have visible "buy local" movements. Hearing something like this just might get a few more people to pay attention to these movements and think more about their purchases.

[johncoby2]

21. It just seems like their time would be better spent

....on something with a little more impact. Obviously setting WalMart on fire would get more impact, but that is on the opposite end of the spectrum with this event being on the other end.

This isn't a game we are playing, or maybe that is what people think this is. Events like this make it look like a game and nothing more.

If this is what you want to do with your time, then give em hell.

[Left Coast2020]

22. Imagine what it would have been like if there were 50 protestors?

Amazing the store did not have police in riot gear to toss them out.

[bowens43]

30. what you seem to have missed

is that this movement and these tactics have already changed the conversation and political tone in this country. This , despite your belief that it is stupid, has done more to bring about change in this country then any reagent election.

[rhett o rick]

24. These actions are catching on across the nation. This is a movement.

This action alone may not have "accomplished" anything, but collectively the movement will. Please get on board.

[Miss_Underestimated]

27. the footage is powerful and is now on youtube; I'll bet more people have seen it than what

it shows under "number of times viewed"

[rhett o rick]

23. No, I am guessing that most republicons would agree with you.

No insult intended. You didnt give much explanation of why you consider it stupid.

[japple]

26. This is beautiful and brilliant on so many levels. I applaud the

courageous participants of this flash event. You are true patriots!!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

[Bozita]

28. Fantastic! ... Loved seeing the reactions of the Walmart employees.