Retail workers in America struck on Friday 29 November, the “Black Friday” shopping day when stores offer huge discounts, as part of an ongoing movement against low pay.
In the run-up to Black Friday, workers held protest to build for the strike, with one sit-in at a Los Angeles Walmart resulting in 23 arrests. Strikes are organised locally by community action groups and workers' centres, backed by the United Food and Commercial Workers union.
The strike follows similar walkouts called on “Black Friday” in 2013 and 2012, coincided with a consumer boycott called in protest at the Grand Jury's decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson for killing black teenager Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
There has already been significant crossover between America's growing low-paid workers' movement and the protests against police brutality and racism in Ferguson. Many Ferguson fast food workers involved in the “Fight for $15” movement also participated in protests following Mike Brown's killing in August, and workers from the local branch of fast food chain Chipotle delivered over $1,000 worth of food to demonstrators.
The fast food, retail, and service sectors are significant employers of black workers, and the convergence of the movements against low pay and against police brutality and racism highlight the twin struggles of America's black community against class exploitation and racist oppression.
