On Black Friday, brave Walmart employees will be joined in solidarity by thousands of union members to stand up to the insatiable greed of the world’s largest private employer and to demand a living wage and economic fairness.

The Walton family, which owns Walmart, has amassed more wealth than the bottom 42% of Americans combined, while the average Walmart employee earns only $8.80 per hour – not nearly enough to survive. Walmart’s theory is clear: why pay workers more when the company can use their billions in excess profits to further line the pockets of big money investors and corporate executives?

In an incredible showing of solidarity, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO joined with Walmart workers, union members, community partners, UFCW locals, and the OUR Walmart coalition in front of Walmart stores in Secaucus and Cherry Hill to demand respect and fair wages for workers. These events were two of over a hundred protests held around the nation to combat the race to the bottom for wages and working conditions being perpetuated by the world’s largest retailer.

This Black Friday, November 29, 2013, workers, union members, and community partners will convene outside of Walmart stores all around the nation to protest the company’s poverty wages, workers’ rights violations, ruthless greed, and shameful business practices that undermine worker safety in our New Jersey communities and around the globe.

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, a Walmart store in Ohio decided that the best way to show its appreciation for their employees was to hold a food drive for them. A number of bins were placed out with signs asking customers to donate to employees so that they could enjoy Thanksgiving dinner. It is outrageous that one of the world’s most profitable corporations – which made $15.7 billion in profits last year alone – is paying their workers so little that they are unable to provide their families with a decent Thanksgiving meal.

Good riddance. Those are the two words we have for Walmart, which vows to cancel plans for at least three of six stores being built in Washington D.C. if the city requires them to pay a living wage. Walmart’s actions are in response to a city council approved ordinance requiring large retailers to pay a living wage of at least $12.50 per hour to employees.