Workers Accuse Walmart Of Exploiting An Agreement To 'Unleash A New Round Of Intimidation'

Neon Tommy via FlickrWalmart workers are striking again for the first time since Black Friday, Josh Eidelson at The Nation reported.

What are they mad about this time?

The workers, part of labor group OUR Walmart, allege that the company is exploiting a recent settlement to "unleash a new round of intimidation against workers," according to Eidelson.

The settlement was reached between the National Labor Relations Board and the United Food & Commercial Workers Union, which backs OUR Walmart, last week. The UFCW agreed to refrain from picketing Walmart for 60 days and clarify that it's not demanding recognition as a union from Walmart.

After that, both sides declared victory. Workers said they won because the settlement didn't limit the right to hold strikes and other forms of demonstrations. Walmart proclaimed vindication, saying that OUR Walmart's protests were indeed illegal.

Walmart managers reportedly read out a memo in mandatory meetings that said that the strikes had been illegal and that the labor group was being dissolved, according to The Nation.

“They said that anybody who associates themselves with OUR Walmart, and the leaders, and the organization as a whole, could face disciplinary actions,” Colby Harris, an employee and OUR Walmart activist, told The Nation.

The activists are not happy about what their employer is doing.

“What we’re hoping to accomplish is that Walmart would come out and recognize us as an organization,” Harris told The Nation. “Because we do exist. And that they would adhere to what they said they would do, which is not violate our federal rights and try to silence workers."