Marta Medina, eight monthes pregnant, must meet her Walmart quota or lose her job. Translated:
My name is Marta Medina and I am a warehouse worker. I've been a warehouse worker for 5 years now. The work at the warehouse is tough and dangerous. I've injured my back because the boxes I'm lifting wegh 50-75 lbs. I hurt my knee while pushing a pallette into a narrow aisle.
Working for Walmart is the toughest work we have. They ask for things by the second. And not in small quantites. They ask for thousands of boxes. When you're working, you don't think about the long-term consequences on your body. And you can't speak up or you'll get fired.
About 4 years ago I was pregnant. I thought that they would respect that I was pregnant, but it didn't matter to them. I had to work as usual. [Her eyes fill with tears.] I remember the day I received a huge Walmart order. About two thousand boxes. I received the order at 10 AM and it was expected to ship in and hour. Two thousand boxes! I couldn't take it anymore.
All I could do was hold my stomach and ask God for help. Because [She begins to weep.]...I'm sorry...[and wipes her eyes and composes herself.] I was thinking of my baby, but also my family in El Salvador. My little boy is there. He is eleven years old. I reminded myself I was here to provide for my children. And I had to continue as usual.
The ones that become pregnant and stop producing work get fired. They use excuses to lay you off. But not me, my baby was important to me. So I continued working as usual. As if nothing changed.
I was saying to myself, "Please, baby, stay in there." [And the tears spill over.] I felt like he was going to come out because I was eight months pregnant. But they didn't care. When I was 40 weeks pregnant. Because of the tension, I had a Cesearean.
When I returned to work, I had to wear a special support belt. They asked why I had one. And I told them I had a surgery. They laughed and said, "I don't care what you had. You're here to work and if not then you have to leave. There is plenty to replace you and do the job better."
And that is a humiliation that I can never forgive.
I got involved with Warehouse Workers United because the agencies that employ us gave us no support. When I tried to speak up about the needs of the workplace, I wouldn't be heard at all. When no one listens to you it's difficult to find that support.
People from Warehouse Workers United helped the community. They made me want to join so we can be heard and have a safe working environment. So my co-workers know that we have rights as well. And if we come together along with Warehouse Workers United, we can make a change and find more support for our cause. And help us change these unfair work environments.
The Strike: Day 3
The March: Day 2
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It will be delivered when the marchers reach Los Angeles on Tuesday.
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