In November, six associates at a Walmart in Virginia were killed in a mass shooting. Just two months later, we learned about another attack at a Walmart in Indiana. These tragedies don't stand alone.
Six dead, at least five injured in Virginia Walmart mass shooting
A Walmart employee in Chesapeake, Virginia, opened fire inside of a breakroom, killing six people and injuring at least five others.
Ariana Triggs, USA TODAY
A gunman killed three children and three staff members at a school in Nashville, Tennessee, last week, reopening the conversation – yet again – around the crisis of gun violence in America. There have been more mass shootings than days in 2023, nearly 140 so far.
With so much tragedy, it has become disturbingly easy for the public to be desensitized and move on with their days. But for retail workers like me, these shootings are a reminder of how dangerous our jobs have become, and increasingly, how little our employers value the lives of the people in their stores – both the customers who shop there and the associates who work there.
I’ve been an associate at Walmart for 22 years now, and something that many don't realize is just how many gun-involved incidents have taken place at Walmart stores. Look at these headlines:
►“Man injured after shooting outside Columbia Walmart”
►“Police looking for a man accused of assault at Chandler Walmart”
►“East Memphis Walmart shooting: Gunshots fired inside store, suspect fled, police say”
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Walmart has failed to protect us
In November, six associates at a Walmart store in Virginia were killed on the job in a mass shooting. Just two months later, we learned about another attack at a Walmart in Indiana.
These tragedies do not stand alone. Between Jan. 1, 2020, and last Nov. 22, there were at least 363 gun incidents and 112 gun deaths at Walmart, according to Guns Down America. Before that, in 2019, the Walmart community and our country at large was devastated by the loss of 23 lives during a mass shooting at a store in El Paso, Texas – a racist attack that continues to haunt us today.
In the wake of these incidents, workers like me feel that Walmart executives, including CEO Doug McMillon, have failed to update store safety policies, to increase security, to listen to workers’ concerns or take any the steps necessary to protect associates – and customers – on the job. Company spokespeople are quick to offer thoughts and prayers – and then it’s on to the next incident. How many more people have to die at Walmart before the company makes real changes?
Every person deserves to be safe at work, and every employer has an obligation to implement reasonable safety measures to protect their employees and in turn, our customers, from harm. This is especially true in public-facing positions that come with obvious risks – exposure to illness, violence, physical and mental stress.
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For a company like Walmart, owned by the richest family in the world, the failure to invest in employee safety sends a clear message to associates: For the Waltons, our lives are not assets worth protecting.
The Waltons and Walmart executives seem to forget that thanks to us, the company is the billion dollar money-maker that it is. Thanks to us, our stores are operating because we show up each day. As the people most equipped to report on the effectiveness of the safety protocols in our workplaces, it’s time for them to listen to our solutions.
Employees have solutions. Will Walmart listen?
Alongside my co-workers, I’ve been organizing with United for Respect to call for improved safety measures in Walmart stores. Last year, after the death of fellow associate Janikka Perry, who collapsed during her shift at a Walmart in Arkansas, we introduced the PERRY Policy, which calls for paid sick leave, an equal voice on the job, a real emergency plan, time off to rest and recover, and yearly reviews with shareholders.
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This year, gun violence is on the forefront of our minds. At Walmart’s annual shareholder meeting in June, investors will consider a resolution I filed calling for an independent review of the company’s policies and practices on workplace safety and violence, which would include recommendations for improvement from experts.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the implementation of these recommendations and other solutions presented by associates has the capacity to save lives.
Walmart has more than 5,000 stores across the United States and employs about 1.6 million retail associates. Imagine the effect on our communities if all these workers were safe and respected on the job.
It’s impossible to overstate the incredible ripple effect it would have if we could be happier at work knowing our employers were taking meaningful action to protect us, to prioritize our health and to pay us fairly. Gun violence in retail stores is tragically common. It devastates communities and destroys families. As the largest private employer in the United States, Walmart’s workplace safety policies set standards for other retailers. What if they chose to set the bar high?
Every time I hear about another tragedy at Walmart, I hug my loved ones a little tighter knowing it could easily have been my store. It’s not that we’re holding Walmart executives responsible for gun violence. But they should be held accountable for investing in prevention and emergency protocols, especially given the history of attacks in our stores.
That’s all we’re asking for, and it shouldn’t be this hard for Walmart executives to deliver.
Cynthia Murray is a 22-year Walmart associate and a founding member of United for Respect, a national nonprofit organization seeking better treatment of retail workers.
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