cherlapalli_jailer Posted November 23, 2012 Report Posted November 23, 2012 [color=#333333][font=Arial, helvetica, sans-serif] NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Hundreds of people -- including some employees -- have taken part in Black Friday demonstrations at Wal-Mart stores nationwide, protesting what they say is the retailer's retaliation against speaking out for better pay, fair schedules and affordable health care.[/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Arial, helvetica, sans-serif] According to organizers from the union-backed group OUR Walmart, workers and supporters rallied in Landover Hills, Md., Miami, Oakland, Calif., Chicago, Danville, Ky., Dallas and Kenosha, Wis. The organizers say the protests will continue throughout the day.[/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Arial, helvetica, sans-serif] One of the bigger protests occurred in Landover Hills, near Washington. Organizers said about 350 people participated, although video of the event showed around 100 participants. Dawn Le, who works for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which backs OUR Walmart, would not say how many of those taking part were Wal-Mart employees.[/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Arial, helvetica, sans-serif] [background=transparent]Wal-Mart[/background] [background=transparent]([url="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=WMT&source=story_quote_link"]WMT[/url], [url="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2012/snapshots/2255.html?iid=EL"]Fortune 500[/url])[/background], in a statement, said there were 26 protests Thursday night, when its stores opened at 8 p.m. to begin Black Friday. It estimated that fewer than 50 Wal-Mart workers participated, and that many of the protests involved no employees at all.[/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Arial, helvetica, sans-serif] Janna Pea, an OUR Wal-Mart organizer in Dallas, said about 40 workers and about 150 supporters took part in a protest Thursday night.[/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Arial, helvetica, sans-serif] One of those with her was Josue Mata, who says he walked off his job as an overnight maintenance employee to protest retaliation against people who want to speak out.[/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Arial, helvetica, sans-serif] "I have four kids and I don't want them to grown up in a society where people disrespect them," he said. "This is a never-ending fight and we're never going to stop."[/font][/color]
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