Dozens of protesters rallied outside of the Walmart on North Broadway in the Lakeview neighborhood. Some stood in the middle of the street, locked in arms, blocking traffic.
Myron Byrd said he’s a full time associate at the store and earns $16,000 a year. He said after expenses, he’s left with $20 in his pocket.
“I’m standing out here to make sure we’re going to get justice, make sure we don’t get bamboozled, and make sure we’re going to have a living wage before it’s all over with,” Byrd said.
OUR Walmart is the group behind the Black Friday protests that’ve been taking place from coast to coast. Organizers are looking for a minimum $25,000 yearly salary for employees. The federal poverty level for a family of four in the U.S. is $23,550.
Activists have long criticized the nation’s largest retailers for low wages and labor practices. Recently, a Cleveland Walmart came under fire for holding a holiday food drive for its employees. And Walmart’s CEO Bill Simon has said more than half its hourly employees make less than $25,000 annually.