- A Filipina employee of Walmart is demanding fair compensation after being injured while on duty
- The woman broke her hip but has not received ample assistance from the retail giant
- Walmart has been criticized due to its unfair labor practices and hazardous working conditions
A Filipina living in California who worked for 16 years at Walmart is demanding fair compensation from the retail company after she suffered an injury while on the job.
The 63-year-old Maria Umali broke her hip when she slipped in a backroom while on duty. She recalls that the managers had to make her wait for almost two hours before she was allowed to leave the store to get medical attention.
She is asking to be fairly compensated for her medical expenses, including medical equipment and home health care, due to her work-related injury.
“I was a dedicated Walmart employee for 16 years. I liked my job but I don’t think I will ever be able to work again after my injury. I just want Walmart to do the right thing,” the now wheelchair-bound Umali told GMA News.
Umali, as well as others like her, insist that the retail giant, which is currently one of the largest private employers in the United States, has not done enough to extend assistance.
Walmart has been criticized for its “low” standards in worker relations, as thousands of its employees working full time have been found to be living in poverty due to low wages, as well as for unsafe working conditions in its subcontracted warehouses.
“As the largest private employer in the United States and the world, Walmart is setting the standard for jobs. That standard is so low that hundreds of thousands of its employees are living in poverty—even many that work full time. The problems extend to workers who toil in unsafe working conditions in subcontracted warehouses. And also to workers in developing countries such as China and Bangladesh who make incredibly low wages while manufacturing the goods on Walmart’s shelves. That pulls down standards for workers in the United States and around the globe,” explained advocacy group Making Change at Walmart.
Workers at Walmart like Umali has gained support in California’s State Assembly as members of the state legislature have rallied behind their cause.
“A responsible company provides safe working conditions for its employees. A responsible company provides fair compensation for its employees in those unfortunate conditions where accidents do occur,” said California Assemblyman Bill Quirk.
For her part, Umali simply wants workers like her who has dedicated their time and effort for the company to be simply treated with respect “as a human”.
“As a human, I need at least respect for 16 years working for them. I risked my life working in the customer service, dealing with some rude customers and I don’t know…how come they treat me just like rag,” she told ABS-CBN News.
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