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Walmart warehouse workers walk in California, Illinois

SEPT. 18 UPDATE:  From AP — Walmart warehouse workers strike in Illinois on heels of California walkout — The walkout by roughly 30 employees of a labor agency in Elwood, Ill., near Joliet, mirrors another strike, begun last week, by another group of 30 warehouse workers in Mira Loma, Calif. Both the Illinois and California facilities handle products headed to Walmart stores throughout the country, although none of the workers in question are directly employed by the retail giant.


The following news and Action Alert was distributed by the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (Sept. 13) — Following months of high tension, high temperatures and extreme pressure in a major Walmart-contracted warehouse, courageous workers — without having a recognized union — walked off the job Wednesday morning to protest retaliation they have faced at work. They are calling for safe working conditions and that Walmart take responsibility for working conditions in the warehouse.

According to warehouse worker Limber Herrera, “When we spoke out to change these things, some of us were suspended, some of us were demoted and some of us were fired. They spied on us and bullied us, all because we are fighting for dignity.”

Read Limber’s personal story below, then take action by signing the petition today.


My name is Limber, and I work at a warehouse moving goods for Walmart in Southern California. Right now temperatures top 100 degrees daily and inside the metal containers we unload it can reach 120 degrees. Our pay is low and injury is common. We face pollutants, inadequate access to clean drinking water, little ventilation and intense retaliation if we speak up about our working conditions.  I have seen workers fired if they are injured on the job.

We need your help to improve jobs for warehouse workers. This month warehouse workers and supporters are marching on a 50-mile pilgrimage from Riverside to Los Angeles to win respect and basic improvements to our working conditions.

We want humane working conditions and we want Walmart to sit down with warehouse workers to hear about our experiences moving Walmart goods.  Up until now Walmart has ignored us.

Sign our letter to Walmart asking Walmart executives to meet with warehouse workers and live up to their own Standards for Suppliers!

It may seem like a small thing, but because we work for subcontractors, Walmart thinks it can look the other way and pretend like it has nothing to do with illegal working conditions we face. Not anymore.

We are delivering the letter to Walmart executives in L.A. when we arrive at the end of our pilgrimage, and we would like to have your support.

Will you join us?

CHECK OUT THE UNION DIFFERENCE in Washington: higher wages, affordable health and dental care, job and retirement security.

FIND OUT HOW TO JOIN TOGETHER with your co-workers to negotiate for better wages, benefits, and a voice at work. Or go ahead and contact a union organizer today!