DEVASTATED
Jamie Way - MoveOn
I’m devastated.
I’ve worked at the Pico Rivera Walmart store near Los Angeles, California for 8 years. For me, it’s not just a job. My coworkers are like my family, and together we have been at the forefront of the movement of workers who are standing up to Walmart for change.
That’s why I was shocked when this week, Walmart gave us just a few hours’ notice that the store would be closing indefinitely due to reported “plumbing issues.” 530 of my coworkers and I were laid off with no guarantee that we can be transferred to a nearby store or get the same pay if we are. They’re telling us, even when the store opens, we’ll have to reapply to get our own jobs back as if we never worked there.
The Pico Rivera store was home to the first-ever Walmart strike. Together with others around the country, we have been winning positive changes at the world’s largest private employer. But now, Walmart is trying to get rid of us. We are one of five Walmart stores around the country that have closed due to these mysterious plumbing issues, leaving more than 2000 workers unemployed. Meanwhile, the city of Pico Rivera says that Walmart hasn’t even applied for any permits to do plumbing work.
It’s clear Walmart didn’t like that we were standing up and winning, so it’s targeting us to try to quiet us down. It’s not going to work.
I don’t know how I’ll pay rent, keep up with bills, or even put my next meal on the table. Too many of my coworkers are in the same position. The only thing that’s certain is we are ready to fight back. We need answers, we want our jobs back and we want our coworkers around the country to be put back to work.
Sincerely,
Venanzi Luna
Walmart Worker
Pico Rivera, CA