Mayday On May-Day: “Unprecedented Strikes” Planned At Amazon, Walmart On Friday As Working-Poor Snub Rent Payments 

The economic crash unfolding in 2020 is a much different breed of a monster than the turmoil a little more than a decade ago. There’s a major social component to the 2020 crash versus the financial crisis of 2007–08. Hence, why the Trump administration has quickly told the US Treasury to print hundreds of billions of dollars in universal basic income checks for the working poor, so they don’t erupt in anger and protest. But it appears not even socialism checks will stop the unrest that could be nearing, with more than 26.5 million folks out of jobs in 5 weeks. And let’s not forget, wealth inequality was already at extremes before the pandemic, as it seems a perfect storm of chaos is about to unfold. 

So, here’s what we’ve found. And truly it could part of the beginnings of a much larger social disturbance period: 

On Friday, the working poor are combining forces on several fronts, and at several companies, to conduct unprecedented strikes and stand up against mega-corporations who neglect to give them safe working conditions and hazard pay during the pandemic. Simultaneously, another strike across major cities is unfolding, that is a rent strike, folks are planning not to pay their rents in a collective manner that could produce economic problems for landlords. Combine this all together, and the working poor are about to strike back with vengeance. 

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday – that is the distress call coming from a nation imploding from within – as economic depression has severely damaged the economy, eliminated millions of jobs, plunged households into financial turmoil, and disrupted food supply chains, which could be a recipe for social instabilities. 

A report from The Intercept notes that workers from Amazon, Walmart, and FedEx are set to strike as they seek better health and safety standards as well as hazard pay. Demonstrations are expected this Friday. Workers from Instacart, Target, and Whole Foods are expected to protest as well.

Email Chrismalls21@gmail.com it’s time to join up! Protect all workers at all cost we are not expandable or replaceable enough is enough TAKE THE POWER BACK! #techsolidarity #solidarity #ChrisSmalls pic.twitter.com/7UKyS1mgtV

— Christian Smalls (@Shut_downAmazon) April 22, 2020

“Protect all workers at all cost,” former Amazon employee Christian Smalls tweeted, adding, “we are not expendable or replaceable enough is enough TAKE THE POWER BACK!”

Smalls led an Amazon strike in late March at a Staten Island warehouse. Amazon immediately fired him. 

“We are acting in conjunction with workers at Amazon, Target, Instacart, and other companies for International Worker’s Day [May 1] to show solidarity with other essential workers,” said Daniel Steinbrook, a Whole Foods employee and strike organizer.

Vanessa Bain, an Instacart worker and co-founder of the Gig Workers Collective, which has more than 17,000 members, told The Intercept that “workers are coming together and building power.” 

“May Day is not just a one-time symbolic action, but also about building real, vast, and broad sweeping networks of power.”

May 01 could be the day when the social contract among the working poor breaks. Turmoil is ahead.