Labor, Faith & Community Leaders stage local Black Friday rally

GLENMONT, NY (11/28/2014)(readMedia)-- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local community members, labor, and faith leaders will join activists at nearly 2,300 Walmart stores across the country as part of a national Black Friday Protest. This event is in response to Walmart employees with the group OURWalmart who have called for a day of action standing up for improved working conditions, fair treatment and fair compensation. Workers striking and rallying this Black Friday are demanding a commitment from the Walton family and Walmart to pay at least $15 an hour and to provide consistent, full-time employment.

The Waltons, Walmart's owners who have reportedly amassed $150 Billion in wealth, can certainly afford to meet the basic needs of their workers. Worth more than 43% of American families combined, the Waltons add over $8 million to their wealth each day while their employees, many of whom struggle to get by, rely on over $6 billion a year in support from taxpayer subsidized safety net services for necessities like healthcare, housing, and food. Walmart is America's largest private employer and this gross abuse of social safety services for corporate gain hurts not only workers who have to struggle to survive, but communities and taxpayers as well. It needs to stop- and hardworking Walmart employees across the country are standing up with support form their communities to say that "enough is enough!"

"Walmart's employment practices hurt families and communities. Consistent schedules, full-time work and fair pay are not too much to ask of the nation's largest employer." Said Sara Niccoli, Executive Director of the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition.

Frank Natalie, Executive Vice President of the Capital District Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO added "All workers, union represented or not, deserve dignity and respect in the work place. It's no question that the Waltons and Walmart can afford to deliver- and there's little respect to be felt from an employer who pays hardworking employees wages so low that even full-time workers can't meet their families' basic needs. Housing and healthcare assistance, food stamps, state-funded childcare programs- our social safety net exists to catch Americans when they stumble, not to subsidize insultingly low wages from an employer who can afford to do better."

WHO: Capital District Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO

Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State

Citizen Action of New York

WHAT: Black Friday rally in support of Walmart workers

WHEN: Friday November 28, 2014 at 11:00AM

WHERE: Near Glenmont Walmart

311 Route 9W

Glenmont, New York 12077

NOTES: This event begins at 11:00AM, key press time is at 12:00pm. Please check the weather

beforehand and dress appropriately- we will be outdoors!

For more information about Black Friday protests around the nation, please visit: http://www.blackfridayprotests.org/