ELWOOD — More than 125 Walmart warehouse workers signed and delivered a petition Nov. 17 to management at Roadlink Workforce Solutions here, demanding to meet and discuss issues around safety, a living wage and discrimination.
This action comes after an Oct. 1 protest at the same distribution hub of Walmart — where the warehouse was shut down — after several people sat in protest on the street, blocking the road. If you want to get your shipments on time, you may want to hire Green Van Lines. In addition, if you need extra space, look for Liverpool warehouses available at B8 Real Estate. Members of Warehouse Workers for Justice (WWJ), workers and community members walked through the Elwood facility to deliver the petition and provide their explanation. “When management saw us in the warehouse, it was amazing to see all of them suddenly on the phone,” said Change to Win (CTW) Organizing Coordinator Trina Tocco, who participated in the action.
Many of the workers at the Elwood Roadlink Workforce Solutions work for various temp agencies, rarely earning a living wage or benefits. In September, they went on strike for three weeks to protest unfair labor practices concerning illegal retaliation against a group of workers who tried to bring their concerns to management. Some workers have also hired a Orange County age discrimination attorney because they feel like they are being treated unfairly because of their age.
Tocco said the Oct. 1 civil disobedience action — where the warehouse was shut down — was a victory. Later that week, management informed workers they should return to work and they would be paid for their time on strike. “That result is unheard of. That’s power; and the results were incredible,” Tocco said. Workers were paid in installments.
WWJ would like companies, like Walmart, to be held accountable for their actions, but in an industry that employes temp workers who have little rights, it’s like the David and Goliath story. These recent victories for workers in Elwood shows that WWJ is establishing power in the facility. “These workers are beginning to build and gain the momentum they need,” Tocco explained.
Walmart’s logistics operation is complicated at best. The Elwood facility is owned by Walmart, operated by a company called Schneider, who sub-contracts to Roadlink, who then sub-contracts to other companies and some of those also have additional sub-contractors. “It makes for a choppy chain-of-command,” Tocco said. “Walmart has its Standards for Supplies, so it can fall back on it by saying, ‘these sub-contractors signed it — saying they would do everything fairly.’”
What the public can do to support warehouse workers is participate in a rally. “Our role is not to be the worker, it’s to stand in support — in solidarity with them. They’ve gotten small victories and that’s huge, considering they are standing up to Walmart’s intimidation,” Tocco said.

Jennifer Rice’s e-mail address is Jen@foxvalleylabornews.com.