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Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to defeat Walmart Inc.'s annual meeting of shareholders next month, but will not receive VIP treatment that the retailer typically applies to celebrity guests.
Sanders, a long-time critic of labor practices at the country's largest private employer, will present a shareholder proposal at the June 5 meeting in Rogers, Arkansas, a spokesperson for his campaign said. The proposal, which has no chance of passing, requires Walmart to give its hourly workers a seat on the board of directors.
Sanders also introduced a bill last year to improve wages and sick leave at Walmart and other major companies. He will be speaking as agent for Cat Davis, the Walmart employee who initiated the latest lawsuit, according to United for Respect, a workers' rights organization. The senator and aspiring Vermont president, from Brooklyn, may have little more than the proverbial minute of New York to speak on behalf of the workers. Last year, Walmart reviewed all shareholder proposals in less than half an hour.
"Walmart is trying to silence people," said Taylor Campbell, spokesperson for United for Respect. "We do not expect that to happen; it's more about creating a conversation about this issue. "
"Constructive opportunity"
It is unclear whether Sanders will meet with Walmart's directors or officers at this event.
"If Senator Sanders attends the meeting, we hope that he will approach his visit not as a stop to the campaign, but as a constructive opportunity to discover the many ways we work to provide more opportunities." economic, mobility and benefits to our associates, "said company spokesman Randy Hargrove said in an e-mail statement.
The proposal that Sanders will submit is buried at the end of Walmart's annual proxy statement under "Other Matters". In the power of attorney, Walmart stated that even if the plan was "properly submitted", it would be rejected. Walmart has separated the shareholder proposals and other formalities from its annual meeting in recent years, leading them a few days before the grand "celebration event" at the University 's Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas, which featured performances by Katy Perry and Jamie Foxx.
Sanders cited Walmart as an example of inequality in America, comparing the huge wealth of the Walton family, which holds the majority of Walmart shares, to the low income of its employees, some of whom benefit from the same. government benefits such as vouchers and Medicaid. He regularly asserts that the Walton family collectively possesses more wealth than the poorest 40% of Americans.
& # 39; Sick and tired & # 39;
"Walmart workers are fed up with poor wages, while the Walton family is worth more than $ 170 billion," Sanders said in a message posted on Twitter on Tuesday. "I am honored to have been invited by Walmart workers to demand that they sit on the company's board of directors."
The compensation ratio of $ 23.6 million for Walmart CEO Doug McMillon last year versus the median partner was 1,076 to 1.
Last November, Sanders introduced the Stop Walmart Act, a bill that would prevent large corporations from buying stock if they did not pay all employees at least $ 15 an hour and allowed workers to earn as much as $ 15 an hour. seven days of paid sick leave. Walmart has raised its minimum starting salary several times in recent years to reach $ 11, which is still lower than competitors like Target and Costco Wholesale Corp. pay.
Walmart has reorganized its paid sick leave policy to include up to 48 hours of paid leave, while expanding benefits for new parents. The company explains these movements and others have reduced the turnover rate by more than 10 percentage points in the United States.
This is not enough for critics like Sanders. But the Democratic presidential candidate may not have much time in the gallery.
"We have warned Walmart correctly, but what they are doing now is their business," said Campbell.
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