Walmart boycott organiser urges supporters to ‘hold the line’ in new video: 'Without us they are nothing’
“We are holding these companies accountable so they finally step up and pay their fair share of taxes,” John Schwarz of the People's Union USA said.
The organiser of the week-long boycott of Walmart in the United States that started on April 7 has urged supporters to "hold the line” in a video message. The ‘Walmart Blackout’ was organised by People’s Union USA, a grassroots campaign group that mobilises its followers online via social media.
In a video message on Instagram, captioned “@walmart you’re on deck!,” founder John Schwarz told shoppers to withdraw their custom from Walmart stores. He has accused the company, as well as other retailers, of not paying enough taxes, putting a burden on American citizens.
‘We are the economy and without us they are nothing’
"The Walmart Blackout is on,” Schwarz said in the video. “From today, the 7th to the 14th, absolutely no Walmart shopping. No in-store Walmart, no online, no Sam's Club, nothing Walmart. We [will] show them, like we are showing other major corporations and the politicians, that we are the economy and without us they are nothing.”
"We are holding these companies accountable so they finally step up and pay their fair share of taxes to alleviate federal income tax from the working class citizen. We are boycotting these companies so they hold corporations and manufacturers to a profit margin cap [...] and we are fighting for equality, without question, across the board. Hold the line, my friends. No Walmart! [...] We are not stopping my friends,” he added.
The Walmart boycott is the latest in a series of economic blackouts targeting key corporations that have rolled back their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programmes. Walmart recently issued a statement in response to the boycott, telling Newsweek, "Serving communities is at the heart of Walmart's purpose to help people save money and live better. As one of the largest corporate taxpayers in the country, not only do we pay our fair share, we are an economic force multiplier strengthening communities nationwide through job creation, supplier growth, and over $1.7 billion in cash and in-kind donations last year, equal to 8 percent of our profit before tax, supporting local charities and causes such as disaster response, hunger relief, workforce development, and conservation.”
It added, "We remain dedicated to earning the business of all Americans and giving our time and resources to causes that uplift and unite communities who rely on us every day."
