Macy’s workers have decided to go on strike at the worst possible time for the company, after a lack of security in stores has seen a rise in employee assaults. “They’ve worked us to death,” one employee revealed.
Macy’s Workers Take a Stand
Around 400 Macy’s employees in Washington state started a Black Friday strike, citing unfair labor practices and a stalled contract negotiation.
Picketing on Black Friday
On Friday morning, workers from UFCW 3000 gathered outside Alderwood, Southcenter, and Bellis Fair Macy’s stores, signaling the start of a three-day strike.
Unfair Treatment Claims
Liisa Luick, one of the employees, alleged intimidation and retaliation by Macy’s, sparking the unfair labor practice strike.
Employee Assaults Rise
“We’ve had assaults in our stores, and we’ve had shootings out in our parking lots at the time when we have to walk out to our cars with no consideration at all,” said Luick.
“They’ve Worked Us To Death”
“They’ve worked us to death on skeletal staffing, and it’s just not fair,” said Luick before adding, “When we see that they’ve made all these billions when they pledged to put money back into the business, they’re establishing 30 new stores.”
“We’re Angry”
“They have the Macy’s Day Parade, they have the fireworks. We’re angry, and even our customers comment on it,” Luick revealed.
A Call for Increased Security
Azia Domingo joined the protest, urging the need for better store security and Macy’s to share profits by increasing worker wages.
A Lack of Employee Care?
“We work long hours. Our job titles keep getting longer and longer, and Macy’s isn’t wanting to invest in their employees and invest in keeping them long-term,” said Domingo.
A Call to Share the Wealth
“Macy’s CEO gets $11m per year while a lot of his workers rely on food banks, and some can’t even afford to see doctors because of the low wages and the expensive healthcare,” Domingo said.
The Retail Giant
Macy’s, a major US retailer with hundreds of stores, faces criticism for handling labor issues during the Black Friday shopping frenzy.
Overwhelming Support for Strike
In October, 96% of Macy’s workers voted in favor of the strike, criticizing the company’s resistance to wage increases despite healthy financial performance.
Macy’s Financial Snapshot
Macy’s reports profits exceeding $1 billion in 2021 and 2022, allocating substantial funds to stock buybacks and shareholder dividends.
Union’s Wage Grievance
The union spoke of the disparity between Macy’s financial success and starting pay, hovering near Washington state’s hourly minimum wage.
Macy’s Response and Negotiations
Macy’s responded to the strike, “Macy’s seeks to reach a deal that is mutually beneficial to the colleague, company and union,” they said.Krakenimages.com
The post Macy’s Faces Black Friday Strike as Workers Decry Low Wages and Poor Security first appeared on Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Jacob Lund. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
