After Associates delivered more than 20,000 petition signatures to dozens of stores around the country, Walmart implemented a new process for scheduling shifts.
Associates from stores around the U.S. are reporting that when they clock in for a shift, a new screen asks them if they would like more hours. We're told managers are being instructed to provide Associates with more hours when requested.
This is a major victory for Walmart Associates who've spent years speaking out about Walmart's scheduling practices, which left many workers without enough hours to pay their bills.
We are calling on Walmart to follow-through on its public commitment to provide Associates with more hours and more clearly defined full-time positions to be permanently added to our schedules.
Why is this important?
As Walmart Associates, we want to do the best job we can. We come to work every day and are proud of the job we do. We are the people helping customers, stocking shelves, moving inventory, getting carts and other items to their proper places, and making sure we run the store in the best way possible. However, as we continue to carry out this work, we are finding it difficult to keep food on the table, pay our rent, provide for our family, put gas in our cars, and make ends meet due to the lack of hours in our schedules.
Today, we stand before you, asking Walmart to follow-through on its public commitment to provide Associates with MORE HOURS and MORE CLEARLY DEFINED FULL-TIME POSITIONS to be permanently added to our schedules.
We believe this will help ensure that every store is running to the best of its abilities and that Associates will not be going home hungry, avoiding medical care because we are worried about the high cost, living paycheck to paycheck and choosing between rent and food.
We believe more hours and full-time work is a more viable and successful strategy than continually hiring and firing temps and letting go of longtime Associates with invaluable experience. We believe these changes will benefit customers, as when hours and positions are cut, we are no longer able to carry out the necessary work in a timely, safe and efficient manner. It is the right thing to do; for the store, for the customers, for all Associates.
One year ago, Walmart said it would provide Associates the opportunity to work more hours and make available more full-time positions. With $17 billion in profit per year, we believe there is no viable reason why Walmart can't follow-through with its commitment and provide these much needed changes.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: UFCW and OUR Walmart have the purpose of helping Wal-Mart employees as individuals or groups in their dealings with Wal-Mart over labor rights and standards and their efforts to have Wal-Mart publically commit to adhering to labor rights and standards. UFCW and OUR Walmart have no intent to have Walmart recognize or bargain with UFCW or OUR Walmart as the representative of Walmart employees.
OUR Walmart
