Exclusive: U.S. and Chinese labor groups collaborated before China Wal-Mart strikes
▻http://www.reuters.com/article/us-walmart-china-idUSKCN0ZY0SV
OUR Walmart, the American worker group, has taken the unusual step of collaborating with a group of Chinese Wal-Mart workers trying to fight work schedule changes and low wages.
OUR Walmart and the Wal-Mart Chinese Workers Association (WCWA) discussed strategy for recent strikes in China on a Skype call last month using a translator, both groups told Reuters.
“They asked for our support,” said Cantare Davunt, OUR Wal-Mart’s leader from Minnesota, who participated in the Skype call.
The U.S. organization is keen to maintain the relationship with the WCWA and believes such partnerships can boost the clout of the retailer’s global workforce.
“We can use this to collectively press Wal-Mart on issues,” said Dan Schlademan, co-director of OUR Walmart.
Wal-Mart declined to comment on the collaboration among worker groups in both countries, though the company did address the scheduling dispute in China.