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Union-backed Black Friday protests at Walmart stores

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    Calls for better wages, benefits and working conditions

  • Duration 9:22
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And standing problem I got associates that are actually in there right now we're keenly don't have camaraderie that we use to.

And nobody looks -- -- an individual anymore.

To put it simply we are hoping to hurt wal mart's management's bottom line to show them that this is what happens when they trample on the rights of American citizens.

James -- Live at the protest -- more hi James still no word from the National Labor Relations Board.

That's right Greg and -- and good morning and that absence of a ruling has permitted this picketing to go lowered the pictures tell their own -- and let my cameraman Martin behind follow me around here.

We see here on site about two to 300 protesters.

They were -- in on five charter buses from different parts of the Washington DC in suburban areas.

They are comprised of a group I would say of that is diverse -- terms of boat race gender and age.

There was a bit of speechifying going on we've seen some -- some interesting -- -- and signs that say.

I make 830 an hour and instead of save at Wal-Mart it's a slave at Wal-Mart.

And now they're beginning their march on the -- in this complex.

I'm gonna ask Martin to wheel around.

And show you just how far away Wal-Mart is for where the for where the protesters.

Staged by their staging area if you will.

And this wasn't we were told organized by the united food and commercial workers union.

And a subsidiary group called making change at Wal-Mart.

And then a third group that is said to be independent -- which has as of last year was also subsidiary called our Wal-Mart.

It's unclear to us how many Wal-Mart employees are actually gonna walk off the job.

-- once this protest gets closer to the actual entrance to the store by the organizer from the united food and commercial workers union told us he had no idea.

How many Wal-Mart workers were actually gonna join the picket line today.

Wal-Mart of course has projected the kinda competence you'd expect from a company that logged nearly half a trillion dollars in net sales last fiscal year.

They've said they have one point four million US employees more than million of them they expect to stay on the job -- this heavy shopping season.

What we see if we get a little closer to the protesters -- talk to one or two of them.

As we say there's about two to 300 year.

How you can see flying right there the banner of our Wal-Mart.

And as I say this is diverse crowd.

They just have speeches from folks associated groups like jobs for justice.

We understand there's a reverend here the goal is they're gonna march -- the entrance of Wal-Mart and get as close as they -- into the store.

Until the store security or human resources or some executive personnel from Wal-Mart.

Greet them probably some distance from the entrance they've done this before they know how it goes there's usually the reading of -- -- And some exchange of words and perhaps documents and then it usually ends peaceably we're told let's talk to some folks right now and see.

If they'll talk to us about why they're here memoir you know today.

For the green -- we're told talk to the green shirt that sense rather inscrutable and mysterious.

Let's see we can talk to some folks here.

Can you tell us why you're here today.

We're Clarke the movement.

With the green -- OK here we go here's a green should -- why you're here today sir Barton is out it's -- well.

What we're told -- talk to the people of the green shirt you're agreeing should it.

That I took so far not that -- to the media but a lot of us -- the -- here and we'll be tracking this to see if it stays peaceable.

Right here in suburban Maryland reckon that -- Uncommon eloquence and expressing their demands -- must say James look these Wal-Mart executives.

Hired lawyers who filed a legal complaint with the labor relations board saying hey wait a minute.

A lot of what they're doing here is illegal and -- is.

Interfering with their businesses.

And they wanted to stop to -- right.

But my guess is -- like a labor relations board is simply sat on their hands and so far at least taken no action which.

Renders -- least today's protests rather moot.

That's right what happened was last Friday.

Wal-Mart filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

Saying in essence that the united food and commercial workers union by organizing these protests across more than thirty days is legally required.

To file a petition with the labor relations board.

Not to seek an election to form a union and that without seeking to do that in essence what the UF CW's trying to do here says Wal-Mart.

Is mount a stealth effort to unionize -- Wal-Mart workforce again one point four million people.

Across the United States we expected that we would have a ruling on that complaint of unfair labor practice -- from the national labor relations board.

Sometime yesterday over Thanksgiving so that it would apply to what we're seeing here.

But it never came typically those complaints take six weeks to adjudicate it was filed in little rock and Memphis regional field officers -- But so far no rolling.

And so the National Labor Relations Board apparently keeping its hands off today's activities -- regular podium.

All right James Rosen if you're able to get somebody dared put a subject with a -- to let us know come back to James thanks very much -- All right thank you.

Well as you can see unions are backing these protests aren't they accomplishing anything Charles Gasparino is a Fox Business Network senior correspondent Charles thanks for joining us I will try to put a subject -- a pretty good.

'cause we do.

Do.

They're protesting for higher pay better health insurance and safer working conditions are these protests accomplishing anything.

-- -- Because we're watching it and I am an -- and that's the the sort of that's the end game here to get favorable media coverage and what we'll do a fair balance report about how.

A bold size issue how this is disrupting businesses and no offense the -- these -- Wal-Mart workers is these aren't coal miners risking their lives every day.

Will point that out god the other media probably won't need the mainstream media as it's generally known.

Is -- -- it is very pro union and it doesn't sort of get into these issues -- I should point out.

-- my father will be rolling my gore in his grave right now I am the son of a union ironworker I bid to protests.

I am pro union in that regard but here's the lesson that unions including this union and many -- -- should.

Should -- and it's so the lesson of hostess what went down with a you know the famous.

Maker of the twinkie and and all those other two oh those other what every -- article on unhealthy desserts.

You know.

The union's push too hard.

Got too many concessions.

And basically drove the company had a business and same thing with the auto workers.

They were bailed out.

You know I'm -- say Wal-Mart is is on the verge of of good put out of business -- from you got.

Mr.

Rosen just pointed out just how much money they -- they do pretty well.

But you know that is the whole sort of give and take between unions and the private sector well -- they have to worry that if they push too hard.

Maybe the company does a lot of business but guess what it has the lay people off.

And -- looks you know this is a more interesting twist on this though because what art is not a union shop.

Many of these pro -- right protesters not Wal-Mart employees many of them are union members.

Many boom or bust and right -- wal mart's by the union organizers.

Right I mean this this is why we we're here to provide the outside the store and -- the -- that the whole notion that a union person can't.

Put together a subject -- a predicated and explaining it say why -- there is absurd you know like I said I've been to union protests.

-- -- the construction workers twenty years ago swayed by your goes it would when I was a kid.

-- my -- they would put more than a subject and Freddie get together let me tell you something they were angry and they express themselves it just it's fishy.

That these guys -- pointed to the green shorter ones and who knows where they come from.

And -- talk to them and then they give you some sort of Pavel.

But you know listen I suspect we're gonna see more of the stuff going forward you know this is a very very very weak economy.

Right now workers' wages are going down we should point that out that's why unions.

That's why there's spears -- some -- the people what's going on here.

We have a present the United States that thinks this to solve that that issue it's good to raise taxes on everybody including small businesses -- he's really not taken into account the the economic impact of what's going on in the country right now which wages are going down so you have to have sympathy for these folks.

But what they should remember they should heed the example of host this.

And the auto -- -- -- auto makers you push too hard.

They are economic consequences job consequences and company wide consequences briefly the controversy over -- working on Thanksgiving.

Well -- a joke I mean -- was that you take this job.

My dad was a bartender I watched issues as a kid.

We worked Easter okay east is a big Italian American -- -- by the way but we did it because those were the conditions of the job I mean.

Like I said these are not coal miners they're not risking their lives over Wal-Mart.

You know they work in retail and guess what.

Black Friday is a big retail day are right that -- Charles Gasparino Fox Business Network thank you so much for joining us got --

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