United for Respect
100 signatures reached
To: Gregg Scanlon, Senior Vice President, PetSmart Store Operations and Services
No one should get fired for speaking out
We demand that PetSmart (Store 7422) reinstate Shaheim Wright with enough hours to survive and never violate another employee’s right to speak out ever again.
Every single worker has the right to speak out and organize at their workplace. PetSmart violated Shaheim’s right when they fired him after testifying about the company’s erratic scheduling policies at the Philadelphia City Council hearing in favor of fair workweek legislation.
Why is this important?
My name is Shaheim Wright and I’ve been organizing with an amazing group of retail workers standing up for fair schedules in Philadelphia based on my own experience at PetSmart with last minute changes to shifts, no input on schedules from employees, not enough hours each week, and totally unpredictable and erratic hours every week.
After I spoke to the press about my erratic work hours and why I support fair workweek legislation, I experienced retaliation for speaking out. My manager Kathy started to only schedule me for the 6:30AM shifts.
There isn’t reliable public transportation available that early in the morning, so I had to take expensive cabs or leave at 5 AM to walk to work. I asked my manager if I could get any later shifts – and she told me she’d accept my “resignation.”
I was nervous to lose my job but I knew I had an entire movement supporting me to continue speaking out for what’s right. That’s why I testified at the Philadelphia City Council about the impacts of these abusive scheduling practices on us and our community and why we need change.
The day after the hearing, I showed up for my 6:30AM shift and I was not allowed to work. I’m completely devastated – I need this job. I support a household of seven. I did everything right, and I was fired simply because I stood up for what I believe in. I need my job back, but we also need a #FairWorkweekPHL because 130,000 fellow Philadelphians just like me shouldn’t be at the whims of our managers to get the hours we need. And I know we can win because we’re stronger together in a movement that’s unstoppable.
Thank you for supporting our movement and continuing to speak out for what’s right. They can’t stop us.
