Community Corner

Solidarity Vigil Supporting Workers Planned at Walmart in Woodstock

Vigil aims to show support for Walmart workers fighting for better pay.

Members of several local congregations will hold a prayer vigil in Woodstock in support of Walmart employees nationwide fighting for increased "dignity and respect on the job."

Supporters will hold the vigil as well as deliver a letter and petition to the manager of the Walmart Supercenter in Woodstock to show solidarity with the millions of Walmart store and supply chain workers fighting for dignity and respect on the job, according to a press release issued by Ann Legg, of Interfaith Worker Justice.

The group will gather from 3:15 to 5:30 p.m. at the Walmart, 1275 Lake Ave., to hold a prayer vigil and deliver of letter to a manager, Legg said.

Participants include:

  • Ann Legg, Chairperson, Compassion, Peace and Justice Team, Ridgefield-Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church
  • Emmett and Nancy Fleming, members, Holy Family Catholic Church, Inverness
  • Members of other churches in Woodstock, Crystal Lake and McHenry including members of the Social Justice Committee of the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation.  

Through the Organization United for Respect (OUR Walmart), associates have been standing together and speaking up for change. In response, Walmart has retaliated against and attempted to silence those who speak out, according to a press release issued by the supports, Legg said in the release.

But, Walmart workers will not be silenced, she said.

On May 28, hundreds of Walmart workers traveled from their respective cities to Bentonville, Ark., in time for the retail giant’s June 7 shareholder meeting. As the largest employer in the U.S., Walmart has kept far too many families and communities in poverty with jobs that pay an average of $8.81/hour, the release stated.

The National Day of Action and the protest in Bentonville will amplify a long-standing call for Walmart to commit to improving wages and working conditions for its store and supply chain workers, the release stated.

Interfaith Worker Justice, which is supporting the workers in these actions educates, organizes and mobilizes people of faith in support of economic justice and worker rights, the release stated.

Today there are more than 70 affiliated organizations in the IWJ network, including a variety of interfaith groups and more than two dozen worker centers, Legg said.  

For more information, please visit www.iwj.org or contact Ann Legg at 815 338-4838.


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