Fifteen people arrested at Walmart protest in Roseville

Fifteen people arrested at Walmart protest in Roseville

by Dan Bacher

Over 100 people including Walmart Associates, labor union leaders and community activists converged on the Walmart on Pleasant Grove Boulevard in Roseville Friday as part of a national day of protest against Walmart's labor policies.

The Roseville police arrested 15 people for failure to disperse while blocking a street near the store at the end of the protest that began at 10 am. As each person was arrested, other protesters yelled, “Our Heroes!”

The protesters, including Bill Camp, Executive Secretary of the Sacramento Central Labor Council, were issued court dates and released. Over 30 police in 21 vehicles were in involved in making the arrests, according to Bob Saunders, a legal observer with the National Lawyer’s Guild.

“We're standing with Walmart Associates across the nation today,” said Meisha Bradley, who works at the Florin Road Walmart and is a member of OUR Walmart, an organization working for higher pay and better treatment of the retail giant's workers. “I consider this protest to be a big success - we got young and old people here today and we’re going to win this fight together.”

Bradley, who wasn’t arrested, said this was the second protest that she helped to organize – the previous one was at the store on Florin Road.

She said she wants to receive $25,0000, in contrast to the approximately $12,000 per year that she receives now for working 27 hour weeks.

Rick Guerrero, a member leader of SEIU 1000, said he was encouraged by the positive response that he received from people entering the parking lot as he handed them leaflets. Some honked their horns in support.

An estimated 1500 protests were held against Walmart across the nation on Black Friday 2013, according to OUR Walmart.

“Workers are calling for an end to illegal retaliation, and for Walmart to publicly commit to improving labor standards, such as providing workers with more full time work and $25,000 a year,” a statement from OUR Walmart explained. (http://forrespect.org/2013/11/21/walmart-workers-community-allies-to-hold-1500-protests-across-country-on-black-friday/ )

Dorian Warren, associate professor at Columbia University emphasized, “Fifteen hundred protests against Walmart is unprecedented. Working families are fighting back like never before – and have the support of America behind them."

"OUR Walmart works to ensure that every Associate, regardless of his or her title, age, race, or sex, is respected at Walmart," according to the OUR Walmart website "We join together to offer strength and support in addressing the challenges that arise in our stores and our company everyday." (http://forrespect.org/)