Activists and Walmart employees rally on Black Friday

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- Walmart workers, backed by a supporting cast of civil rights and labor activists, protested at store locations throughout the country on Black Friday.

The number of protesters and their origin -- whether they were labor activists or actual Walmart employees -- was unclear, with the company and organizers giving wildly different accounts. Representatives of OURWalmart claimed Thursday 200-300 people would attend their Washington, D.C., march and demonstration, and protesters nationwide would number in the "thousands."

Brooke Buchanan, a spokeswoman for Walmart, said the company expected "few demonstrations" and "fewer than 1,600" protesters nationwide. Buchanan also stated that, as of Friday afternoon, "no Walmart workers have walked off their jobs to participate," admitting some workers had "worked their shift and then joined" the rallies.

Also unclear was the proportion of activists to Walmart employees at the protests. OURWalmart claimed that, at least in the case of the Washington march, the proportion would be about 10 activists per employee. The company downplayed the idea of mass employee participation entirely, accusing labor unions of using the holidays to further their own goals.

"Unions are trying to crush the holiday spirit," Buchanan said.

Organizers claim the marches are not designed to disrupt the retailer's services, rather to "raise consciousness" of Walmart workers' relatively low earnings. Shomani Lewis, a Walmart associate protesting at a Dallas location, said Friday on a conference call his $9.70 per hour earnings are only enough for him to subsist on "ramen and mystery meat."

Lewis also claimed he had been denied accesss to the store where he was protesting by police and Walmart employees, "even to make a purchase."

Another incident in a Chicago location resulted in police intervention, but it was not immediately clear whether arrests were made. Protesters at the Chicago location said the crowded urban setting of the store made it impossible for them to avoid interrupting sidewalk traffic.

Buchanan said the company was taking no special security measures, adding that "police make the ultimate decision on what to do about public safety." She also noted that the company is "focused on providing opportunities for real job growth."

While protests have not hit Walmart's retail operation, they have been damaging both legally and in terms of public relations. In 2013, the National Labor Relations Board accused Walmart of punishing or intimidating workers who considered taking part in strikes. Walmart contested the claims and the case has not yet been resolved.