Protestors march outside local Walmart

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) - If you plan on hitting the sales at Walmart this Black Friday, you may see more than just lines of customers. Workers at the superstore are protesting against the superstore’s policies.

Workers across the nation are protesting wages and the fact some of them had to work on Thanksgiving. A Walmart spokesperson called the protest a union-funded publicity stunt.

About two dozen people protested outside of the Walmart store in Cheektowaga. Police were called to the scene to make sure protesters maintained a sense of decorum. They were only there for about ten minutes, and there were no problems.

Protesters were chanting, carrying signs and marching to the store on Walden Avenue Friday morning. The protesters had a message that was twofold, to maintain the benefits at the store and to pay the workers more. Union workers were there showing their solidarity.

Much of the protest is over the wages Walmart employees are paid, so little they say, that it’s impossible to support a family. Protests like the one in Cheektowaga are happening all across the country Friday.

Grace Sheedy of the Make Change at Walmart Campaign said, “There are thousands of  associates across the country who are stepping up and calling for change at the company and when they have done that, the company has tried to silence them.”

New York State Senator Tim Kennedy said, “Nothing is going to happen if nobody stands up and we are standing up today with the workers, not only here in western New York but across the country against Walmart.”

No Walmart workers from the Cheektowaga store were part of the protest.