A Canton, Ohio Walmart is holding a food drive at the store. There’s nothing unusual about it at first, as many stores have food drives to help the needy during the Thanksgiving holiday. However, what made a photo of this food drive go viral was that it was for the store’s own employees.
“Please Donate Food Items Here, so Associates in Need Can Enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner,” a sign stuck on the tablecloth read. The buckets are in an employees-only area. But a group called OUR Walmart (Organization for United Respect at Walmart) has begun circulating two photos of the food drive online, noting that this is evidence that Walmart employees are not being paid enough.
However, in a statement to The Cleveland Plain Dealer, which first reported the news, Walmart spokesman Kory Lundberg defended the Canton store. He called it proof that employees care for each other like a family.
“It is for associates who have had some hardships come up. Maybe their spouse lost a job,” Lundberg said. “This is part of the company's culture to rally around associates and take care of them when they face extreme hardships.”
Lundberg stressed that this was a decision made by the store’s management and is not a company-wide program. He did compare it to the company-wide program called The Associates in Critical Need Trust, in which other employees can make donations through a paycheck deduction. Employees have received up to a $1,500 grant to address needs.
Still, others are pointing to the store’s food drive as more evidence that Walmart employees are not being paid enough. According to the Huffington Post, most Walmart employees make under $25,000 a year, which means that some have to rely on donations and other means.
OUR Walmart has organized protests at the stores around the country, including one recently in Los Angeles that resulted in arrests. More protests may happen on Thanksgiving Day, since many stores will be staying open on the holiday.
image: Wikimedia Commons
