Black Friday got off to a bumpy start for one of the region’s largest retailers.
Instead of being behind the counter, hundreds of Macy’s workers picketed in front of stores across Western Washington. All of them were advocating for worker rights.
They chanted loudly with signs in hand. From dawn to dusk, workers at the Macy’s in Southcenter Mall were calling attention to their fight for better rights Friday.
“You need to show us that you value us and that we’re important and that you respect us,” said Azia Domingo, who’s worked at the Southcenter Macy’s for 21 years.
Domingo and her colleagues want more safety measures in place after a Macy’s Alderwood employee said she was retaliated against for calling 911 when she witnessed someone shoplifting.
The UFCW 3000 said she was put on unpaid leave because of it.
“What we are asking from Macy’s is to provide a clear, concise policy on what to do when a security threat arises and when we can call 911,” Domingo added. “We don’t feel safe in our stores. This leads to short staff, us being stretched thin, and creating more of a security threat because there’s not enough coverage.”
With the busy holiday season, they believe many workers aren’t getting paid enough.
“A lot of the coworkers are making minimum wage and they’ve been here for 10 years plus,” said Jeanne Peterson, who worked there for more than 30 years. “They can’t afford to pay for insurance, they can’t afford to pay for food on the table.”
Macy’s responded to KIRO 7 in a statement:
At Macy’s, we respect the rights of our colleagues. As always, our top priority is to ensure the safety of our colleagues and customers in-store. Our stores remain open to serve our valued customers as we continue to work through contract negotiations with the union.
But even with a picket line of workers, shoppers packed into the store and the mall for one of the biggest retail days of the year.