Union Threatens Walmart Over 2,200 Layoffs

04.20.2015 | Surge Wire |

Union officials plan to file an injunction Monday against the retail giant Walmart for firing 2,200 employees despite the store saying they will do all they can to rehire the workers.

Last week, Walmart announced they had to close five locations in the Los Angeles area which resulted in thousands of employees losing their jobs. In response, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) threatened to file an injunction with the National Labor Relations Board to get the workers rehired, reports Reuters.

Though Walmart has blamed plumbing issues, the union has accused the store of retaliating against increased protests. Despite all of this, the store has promised to do all they can to get the employees rehired once the work is complete.

“Walmart has targeted this store because the associates have been among the most active associates around the country to improve working conditions,” the labor board claim stated, according to The New York Times.

“We don’t believe there is a basis for an injunction that would interfere with our efforts to repair the serious plumbing issues at the five stores,” Lorenzo Lopez, a Walmart spokesman, told The New York Times.

Officials for the store have also argued those workers will have access to 60 days of severance pay and options to help get their jobs back once the stores reopen at the same or better pay.

The UFCW filed the complaint on behalf of the group “Our Walmart” which has led previous protests against the store, reports Retail Dive.

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