Workers from corporations are planning a walkout Friday, including employees from Amazon, Walmart and FedEx.
The workers are seeking better health and safety standards as well as hazard pay while working during the coronavirus pandemic.
Former Amazon employee Christian Smalls, shared a flyer on Twitter last week that included other prominent company names participating in the demonstration on May 1, such as Instacart, Target and Whole Foods, according to a report from The Intercept.
Email Chrismalls21@gmail.com it’s time to join up! Protect all workers at all cost we are not expandable or replaceable enough is enough TAKE THE POWER BACK! #techsolidarity #solidarity #ChrisSmalls pic.twitter.com/7UKyS1mgtV
— Christian Smalls (@Shut_downAmazon) April 22, 2020
“Protect all workers at all cost,” Smalls tweeted, adding, “we are not expendable or replaceable enough is enough TAKE THE POWER BACK!”
The Friday demonstrations will also request protective and cleaning equipment and full disclosure on the number of infected cases in company facilities.
The protest would result in employees of the listed businesses calling in sick from work or stepping out during their lunch break. At the same time, some union members will reportedly join workers outside warehouses and storefronts in support of the strikes.
“We are acting in conjunction with workers at Amazon, Target, Instacart, and other companies for International Worker’s Day [May 1] to show solidarity with other essential workers,” said Daniel Steinbrook, a Whole Foods employee and strike organizer.
Smalls was fired by Amazon in March after organizing a walkout and has said he will take legal action against the company.
The company has said Smalls was fired not for organizing the walkout but for coming to work despite being told to quarantine himself after coming into contact with a worker who tested positive.
The strikes slated for Friday are one of many fronts led by union and nonunion workers amid the pandemic, as Instacart workers previously organized a strike in late March, along with several other demonstrations from Amazon and Whole Foods workers around the same time.
