 |
| Mary Watkines |
This post is inspired by all those very cool black women who have made or are making history that Jamie posts about regularly on facebook. I always re-share them because I think it is important to see how far we’ve come and those women inspire me to be intentional with my life’s work. Another black woman I have come to know and admire is Mary Watkines. I would like to share a bit about her story.
Mary was not first black woman astronaut or the first black woman to be a senator in her state. You might not have even heard of her before, unless you live in Federal Way, Wa
Tomorrow, May 30, Mary, along with 21 members of O.U.R. Walmart from WA State will join hundreds of other associates on a journey across the country. Their destination is Bentonville , AR
For Mary, her call to activism came after the death of her co-worker Kia. “She was a cashier, an older lady. She was by herself, but she had a lot of friends at work. Over time she developed some health problems. As you know of course Walmart doesn’t provide adequate or affordable insurance. So she couldn’t afford insurance or to take off from work,” recounted Mary.
Kia was ill, but she couldn’t afford to miss work and she couldn’t afford to go to the doctor. Even when she did try to call in, like many other employees at Mary’s store she was told that she needed to come in. “They didn’t say you can’t but they said we need you here, you have to do what you have to do and we all know what that means.” Workers felt like their jobs were at risk. They chose to work rather than call in for fear of management retaliation. Kia came in one morning complaining of a headache. She had tried to call in. Mary herself fielded the call and was surprised when Kia came in. Shortly after arriving, Kia collapsed and was transported to Harborview where she passed away.
“I just couldn’t imagine someone needing to work so bad that they put their life on the line instead of calling in. People shouldn’t have to think like that when it comes to taking care of themselves and their families,” said Mary. “Needless to say I was very angry and I decided to put a stop to it. I started talking to everyone and anyone who would listen to me.”
But Walmart did not like this. Mary was wrongly terminated. After three months of fighting, her job was reinstated, but her managers did their best to make it uncomfortable for her. “When I came back they put me way in the back with this little phone with all these cameras on me. They took me away from what I really liked to do, working with the people.” She was isolated from her coworkers and customers for weeks before managers decided to move her to another position, but the punishment continued. Mary was given many different jobs, none of which was the job she had done before and so enjoyed.
“I love my job,” Mary said. “I get to see the people everyday. I watch kids grow up. It’s an everyday thing because their parents shop and buy all their clothes at Walmart. It’s become a second family as far as the customers to me.” What Mary doesn’t like is disrespectful treatment from her managers.
“We just want to work. We want benefits for our children. We want to be able to live with out having to live in your car in the parking lot. We’re sleeping in our cars because we can’t make rent,” she said in reference to some of her co-workers. She explained that Walmart no longer gave employee’s advances on their paychecks and that management encouraged associates having difficulty making ends meet to go on Welfare and to get foodstamps.
“I want answers. I want to know why people have to die on this job. I want to know why people have to live in their cars,” Mary plans on making these demands when she gets to Bentonville. “We want to make a change in our workplace. We are human beings too and we have rights and we’re going to hold Walmart accountable for all they’re saying and for how they’re treating other human beings.”
I have so much respect for Mary and her colleagues. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to do what they’re doing. One person’s choice, one woman’s decision to take a stand is something we have seen repeatedly make a difference in the course of the history of this country. As workers prepare for Bentonville, I predict that we will look back on this time as another historic turning point because given the economic force that Walmart has become, if you change Walmart you change the world.
Reagan Jackson is a writer, artist, YA fiction aficionado, afro-punk, international educator, and community organizer based in Seattle, WA. You can find her most Tuesdays at the Seattle Poetry Slam or maybe just being nerdy at her favorite bookstores.
Reagan Jackson is a writer, artist, YA fiction aficionado, afro-punk, international educator, and community organizer based in Seattle, WA. You can find her most Tuesdays at the Seattle Poetry Slam or maybe just being nerdy at her favorite bookstores.
