Sanders hands over his social media accounts to Walmart before attending the annual Employee Rights Defender meeting

Senator Bernie Sanders entrusted his social media accounts to Walmart workers on Tuesday – a day before the Democratic presidential candidate prepares to attend the retail giant's annual meeting, at the invitation some employees, to advocate for higher wages and submit a shareholder proposal that aims to ensure that hourly workers are represented on the board of directors of the company.

Sanders is a long time supporter of the development of labor rights and Walmart criticism. During the last session of Congress, Sanders (I-Vt.) And Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) Introduced the Stop WALMART Act, which would prohibit large American companies from not paying employees $ 15 an hour, but also from buying back their own stock.

"What the workers want, it's a seat at the table," said the senator in a video presentation posted on Twitter on Tuesday. "My message to the Walton family will be this: we're tired of subsidizing you and paying a decent wage to your workers."

Walmart workers shared their stories in other videos posted on the presidential candidate's Twitter profile and Facebook page.

Adriana Bautista, who lives in Texas and has been with Walmart for 14 years, said in Spanish: "I am the mother of four beautiful girls and they are the ones who suffer when my employer only gives me 15 hours of work a week."

"It's time for workers like me," continued Bautista, "to be heard at the Walmart management table".

Cynthia Murray, a 19-year-old Maryland-based Walmart associate, has pointed to shareholder profits, particularly of the Walton family, over "workers who can not even afford to buy food at the same time." end of the day".

"It's a pity," Murray said. "The greed of the Waltons must stop."

Calling on politicians to "stand with those who elected them," added Murray, "join Bernie Sanders and I to demand that the wealthiest family in America pay all its workers a salary of base of 15 dollars at the hour. "

The shareholder proposal that Sanders plans to introduce was filed by Cat Davis, a Walmart employee and leader of the United for Respect labor rights group. The annual meeting of Walmart shareholders is scheduled to begin Wednesday in Bentonville, Arkansas, at 10 am local time. According to a press release, the meeting will be broadcast on the company's website here.