Wayfair employees walkout called over alleged furniture sales to US migrant camp

[Gefn]

Wayfair employee walkout called over alleged furniture sales to U.S. migrant camp
Published Tue, Jun 25 2019 7:34 PM EDT
camp@

June 25 (Reuters) - Wayfair Inc came under pressure on Tuesday after hundreds of employees were reported to be planning a walkout over the retailer’s alleged sale of more than $200,000 in bedroom furniture for a Texas detention facility for migrant children.

Shares of the company fell 5.3% to $144.40 on the New York Stock Exchange.

A Twitter account under the handle zwayfairwalkout, created this month with a following of more than 13,000 including high-profile Democratic U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, called for the work stop on Wednesday.

Wayfair, headquartered in Boston, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The zwayfairwalkout account referred Reuters to the company and Reuters was not able to confirm it was created by Wayfair employees.

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren said on Twitter: “I stand with hundreds of zWayfair employees who are planning to stage a walkout at their Boston headquarters tomorrow. The safety and well-being of immigrant children is always worth fighting for.”

An image of a letter to Wayfair leaders from employees said that an order for more than $200,000 of bedroom furniture was destined for a facility in Carrizo Springs, Texas that would house migrant children seeking asylum.

Criticism has mounted this week over the detention of migrant children in overcrowded, squalid conditions.

“In response to a recent letter signed by 547 employees, our CEO said that the company would not cease doing business with contractors furnishing border camps,” zwayfairwalkout tweeted.

It demanded that Wayfair stop selling to migrant detention camps and that it give profits, which they claim amount to $86,000, to a Texas-based non-profit agency offering legal services to immigrants.

Screenshots on Twitter of a letter to employees that said it was from the retailer’s “leadership team” read, ”...We believe it is our business to sell to any customer who is acting within the laws of the countries within which we operate.”

The walkout, scheduled to take place on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. ET in Boston’s Copley Square, is the latest example of employees protesting workplace social issues.

In June 2018, Alphabet Inc’s Google faced internal upheaval over a contract to help the U.S. military analyze aerial drone imagery.

The hashtag ”#wayfairwalkout” was top trending in the United State on Twitter as of Tuesday evening.

“Wayfair workers couldnt stomach they were making beds to cage children,” tweeted Ocasio-Cortez. “They asked the company to stop. CEO said no. Tomorrow, they’re walking out.” (Reporting by Melissa Fares in New York, editing by Peter Henderson and Cynthia Osterman)


https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/25/reuters-america-wayfair-employee-walkout-called-over-alleged-furniture-sales-to-u-s-migrant-camp.html

[Slide Rule]

Yep. Some workers can't stomach work.

:)

[EdJames]

Yeah, I get it....

falls right in to the "no money for any facilities and supplies" camp...

Let's not sell them any furniture so we can point and gasp at how awful the conditions are....  only one 'humane' solution: we have to just set them all free into the country!


I swear that I barely recognize this country anymore....  547 numnutz in MA totally bought in to this lunacy......   

 

[edpc]

Wayfair Inc came under pressure on Tuesday after hundreds of employees were reported to be planning a walkout over the retailer’s alleged sale of more than $200,000 in bedroom furniture for a Texas detention facility for migrant children.


Wait until we hear the stories about how the kids were made to put the furniture together.

[Sanguine]

I just emailed Wayfair.  Said I would have to cancel my membership if the story is true.  We'll see if they even respond.

[thackney]

I just emailed Wayfair.  Said I would have to cancel my membership if the story is true.  We'll see if they even respond.

Cancel the membership over selling the furniture or over the employee walkout?

[GrouchoTex]

Bizarre

The left and the media (I repeat myself) are reporting how terrible the conditions are.

Now, the government comes along and orders new bedroom furniture to make things more comfortable.

Elizabeth Warren says "The safety and well-being of immigrant children is always worth fighting for."

This furniture sounds like it is for the safety and well-being of those in the camp.

They do not want to resolve this issue at all.

They like using it too much.

To Hell with the U.S. citizenry.

For that matter, to Hell with the illegals, too.

That's what they are saying.

[Cyber Liberty]

My understanding is the CEO told the wannabe strikers to go pound sand.  Let's hope he stands firm.

[Wingnut]

Wayfair Inc came under pressure on Tuesday after hundreds of employees were reported to be planning a walkout over the retailer’s alleged sale of more than $200,000 in bedroom furniture for a Texas detention facility for migrant children.


Wait until we hear the stories about how the kids were made to put the furniture together.

That would be IKEA.  Most Wayfair's stuff comes assembled!

[Cyber Liberty]

That would be IKEA.  Most Wayfair's stuff comes assembled!

Not the stuff we got from them....Living Room furniture.

[Wingnut]

Not the stuff we got from them....Living Room furniture.

I ordered end tables and some accent furniture (all wood stuff) and they came fully assembled all the way from Viet Nam!   I did have to assemble the King Size bed head board.  But that was only 6 or so bolts.   

[Sanguine]

Cancel the membership over selling the furniture or over the employee walkout?

Employee walkout.   

[edpc]

That would be IKEA.  Most Wayfair's stuff comes assembled!

My king sized storage bed arrived in pieces. It was a lot easier to assemble than the IKEA garbage.

[mystery-ak]

Wayfair to donate $100,000 to Red Cross after employee protest over furnishing border facilities
https://thehill.com/latino/450493-wayfair-to-donate-100000-to-red-cross-after-employee-protest-over-furnishing-border

[thackney]

Employee walkout.   

I'm trying to figure out the complaint you have with Wayfair.  A group of employees demanded they stop selling to the contractors running the detention centers.  Wayfair stood up to the employees, said they would continue the business.  And you will quit using them because they did not prevent the employee walkout?  What did you want them to do?

...“In response to a recent letter signed by 547 employees, our CEO said that the company would not cease doing business with contractors furnishing border camps,...

[Smokin Joe]

Yep. Some workers can't stomach work.

:)

Nah. THat wad of humanitarianish idiots wants the kids to sleep on the ground/floor so they feel more at home.

[Smokin Joe]

I just emailed Wayfair.  Said I would have to cancel my membership if the story is true.  We'll see if they even respond.

You want the kids to sleep on the floor?

I'm sure lots of folks in the Northeast could use jobs.

Walk out? Keep on walking. We'll take it you quit and send your final check in the mail.

[Smokin Joe]

Yeah, I get it....

falls right in to the "no money for any facilities and supplies" camp...

Let's not sell them any furniture so we can point and gasp at how awful the conditions are....  only one 'humane' solution: we have to just set them all free into the country!


I swear that I barely recognize this country anymore....  547 numnutz in MA totally bought in to this lunacy......   

 

If it was up to me, it'd be 547 recently unemployed numnutz.

Have a Wayfair job fair!

[berdie]

This whole "walk out" made so little sense it made my head spin.

[Smokin Joe]

Wayfair Inc came under pressure on Tuesday after hundreds of employees were reported to be planning a walkout over the retailer’s alleged sale of more than $200,000 in bedroom furniture for a Texas detention facility for migrant children.


Wait until we hear the stories about how the kids were made to put the furniture together.

Job skills! (Righty tighty, lefty loosie!)

[EdJames]

If it was up to me, it'd be 547 recently unemployed numnutz.

Have a Wayfair job fair!

Indeed!

[dfwgator]

Fire 'em all!

[Sanguine]

I'm trying to figure out the complaint you have with Wayfair.  A group of employees demanded they stop selling to the contractors running the detention centers.  Wayfair stood up to the employees, said they would continue the business.  And you will quit using them because they did not prevent the employee walkout?  What did you want them to do?

I don't have a complaint with Wayfair.... now....after they stood up to their employees.   

[Cyber Liberty]

I'm trying to figure out the complaint you have with Wayfair.  A group of employees demanded they stop selling to the contractors running the detention centers.  Wayfair stood up to the employees, said they would continue the business.  And you will quit using them because they did not prevent the employee walkout?  What did you want them to do?

Wayfair has been on thin ice with me because they pulled their advertising from Laura Ingraham's show on Fox because they didn't like something she said.  They were instantly replaced by another advertiser.  We stopped buying stuff from there for over a year, and only bought things recently because we needed Living Room furniture at the Castle.

If the CEO holds firm I'll be happier with them.  He's donating the profits from the sale to DHS but the idiot employees bitching about "profiting from helping Trump" don't like where it's being donated.  I didn't catch who that is.

[Fishrrman]

Folks, you gotta forgive me, because I'm so thick-headed, but...
Let me get this straight...

The government needed furniture for these illegal detention centers, do I have that right?

So... they went and bought the furniture from Wayfair, right?

And paid Wayfair for said furniture, is that correct?

Well... isn't that the way things are supposed to work?

Is Wayfair supposed to GIVE the goods away?
And stay in business?

There's sumthin' I'm just not gettin' here.
What is it...?
Why are the employees angry?