On Thursday, Walmart workers in more than a dozen cities protested for fair wages. Three strikers — or “cast members,” as one Walmart spokesman called them — have been arrested so far in New York City, and a SWAT team has made arrests in Washington state.
The New York Police Department arrested three Walmart strikers who wanted to meet with an executive on Thursday.
Although there are no Walmarts in New York City, the protesters planned to deliver a petition directly to company board member Christopher Williams' Fifth Avenue office. The petition demands Walmart provide employees with a livable, annual wage of $25,000, and stop punishing workers who stand up for their rights. Walmart fired or disciplined at least 60 strikers who protested in June.
The three arrested were Susan Gulick and Lucas Handy, both former Walmart associates, and Barbara Gertz, a current Walmart employee. The NYPD did not respond to an email from BuzzFeed requesting a reason for the arrests.
Walmart spokesperson Kory Lundberg said that these demonstrations are "just a show," The Huffington Post reports.
"[W]ith very few exceptions, the cast members don't work for Walmart nor are they affiliated with the company in any way," he said.
