DEARBORN — Approximately 100 people gathered in front of the Walmart store on Ford Road on Friday, June 7, to demand better wages for employees.

The demonstration was attended by Walmart employees, along with community members and leaders. 

“We gathered to stand in support of Walmart employees,” said Community Liaison for “Good Jobs Now” Pastor W. J. Rideout.  “They deserve better pay, better hours and a safer work environment.” 

Dearborn police were also present at the demonstration and asked protesters to relocate to a grassy area, so as not to disturb customers.

“They called the police, but that did not budge us,” said Rideout. “We kept it peaceful and received a lot of cheers. Cars were honking their horns in support, as they drove by.”

The protest against Walmart on Ford Road on Friday June 7.

Walmart has been criticized by national labor organizations for not allowing its employees to form unions, while paying most of them close to minimum wage, $7.40 an hour, and giving them less than 40 hours of work weekly.

A report by the Democratic staff of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce concluded earlier this month that Walmart’s low wages force employees to go on welfare and seek financial aid from the state.

According to the report, on average, a 300-employee Walmart store costs taxpayers $904,542 per year in governmental aid to workers who live below the poverty line, which is $23,050 in yearly income per household of four people.

Rideout said that minimum wage is not a living wage and does not allow a person to support a family, even if they work full-time.

“Good Jobs Now” and the D15 Campaign, who were among the organizers of the protest, demand that minimum wage get raised to $15 an hour, more than double than what it is now.

When asked if $15 an hour is an unrealistic figure, Rideout said, “It is not unrealistic when you see that Walmart’s CEO Mike Duke gets $18 million a year. That’s $8,000 an hour.” 

Rideout said that “Good Jobs Now” will continue to regroup and demonstrate against Walmart and other businesses that pay their employees minimum wage, until they “stop paying slave wages.”

The pastor says that he has met with members of Congress in Michigan, including Debbie Stabenow and John Conyers, who agree that the minimum wage should be raised significantly.

He said that Walmart can legally pay its employees poorly, but the community can also legally protest it.

Walmart’s local and corporate management could not be reached for comment.