To: Walmart Board of Directors
Walmart: End Your Double Standard
Dear Walmart Board of Directors:
I am deeply troubled that Walmart recently fired two workers and disciplined a third who were speaking out in favor of improved working conditions and better business practices at Walmart. What's worse, your top executives have been handsomely rewarded with promotions and bonuses, instead of being punished for the reported bribery of public officials and the cover-up of the scandal.
Walmart's own Ethics Statement calls on all employees to "follow the law at all times" and "reveal and report all information truthfully, without manipulation or misrepresentation.ť" Your actions to punish hard-working Associates and protect executives involved in the bribery scandal and cover-up have exposed a disturbing double standard at Walmart.
This double standard is causing the company to lose the public trust and is dividing our country. We should all play by the same rules—hourly Associates and rich, powerful executives. I call on you to immediately
1) Demand the resignation of Walmart Chairman S. Robson Walton and CEO Mike Duke due to their role in the bribery and cover-up scandal and
2) Reinstate the jobs of Angela Williamson and Wessa Milien and discontinue your disciplinary actions toward Carlton Smith. Workers' fundamental civil right to speak out for better working conditions must be protected.
Why is this important?
America used to promise that working hard and playing by the rules would in turn bring a paycheck that could support a family, opportunities to advance and build a better life for your kids.
But today, America’s promise to provide equal opportunity and reward hard work has been hijacked by companies like Walmart and the richest 1% of Americans who practice a double standard that treats workers one way and rich executives another.
On the one hand, Walmart fired me and another worker and disciplined a third who spoke out for better work conditions. I was fired for taking sick days to care for my ailing grandmother and have since been evicted from my home – despite the fact that my manager approved the leave.
It turns out, we all have one thing in common – we’ve been speaking out publicly about uniting our co-workers across the country for fair wages, full time hours and most of all, respect and dignity at Walmart - America’s largest private employer.
On the other hand, despite its own ethics statement calling on employees to “follow the law at all times” and “reveal and report all information truthfully, without manipulation or misrepresentation,” Walmart rewarded top executives with promotions and bonuses – despite the fact they ignored and covered up the bribery of public officials.
Something isn’t right.
We need to come together to end this double standard that is dividing America. Even super-rich-and-powerful executives need to play by the same rules as the rest of us.
Tell Walmart that CEO Mike Duke and Chairman Rob Walton must resign for their roles in the bribery and cover-up scandal and demand that hard working associates their jobs back.