Walmart’s puny PR campaign

Walmart is making a big deal out of its announcement that the mega-profitable mega-retailer will raise wages in the next 12 months, up to a $10.00 an hour starting wage by February of 2016.

What’s left out of Walmart’s announcement is that statutory minimum wage hikes in multiple states across the country require them to raise wages for their lowest paid workers, so it’s not as though an expanded and new found largesse on the part of upper management is the driving force behind the pay hikes.

What’s also left out of the news is that only 15 months ago Fortune Magazine, not exactly a socialist agitprop rag, argued that Walmart could afford to give its workers a 50% raise. So todays announcement should have been that workers previously making $9.00 an hour will now be making $13.50 an hour in the coming year, not $10.00.

And, of course, the last thing Walmart wants anyone to realize is that it’s the efforts of its workers speaking out and striking on Black Friday and other national days of action that almost certainly pushed the global retailer to attempt to spit shine their tarnished public image.

So if you’re a Walmart worker now is the time to pour it on. Sign on to the declaration demanding that Walmart pay a real living wage, offer affordable health insurance, and guarantee workers who want them full time hours. If you’re not a Walmart worker you can sign this petition as a community ally and let the company know you support the demands of its employees.

Puny PR campaigns don’t pay the mortgage, put food on the table, or pay medical bills. Living wages, affordable health insurance and full time hours will.

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