After just over a year at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center, which we call DC's. I was injured at work when I attempted to clear a jam on a conveyer belt. I was initially dragged then was thrown around like a rag doll for approximately 65 feet doing approximately 30 miles per hour. I had rubber embedded on my arms and legs. Honestly, I am lucky to be alive today!

I was taken to the Wal-Mart clinic and given a bag of ice and told to sit out the rest of my shift. After complaining every day for a week about severe pain in my shoulder, I was then told by the head of Loss Prevention that it was company policy to put you on light duty for seven days and then take you to the doctor. It was ten days before I was finally allowed to go to the doctor, which was done during my shift.

Wal-Mart attempted to blame me for the accident. I was told by a manager that the incident could have been prevented if I had followed what is known as the Lock Out/Tag Out procedure. That manager knew that I was never trained to do this procedure in that department! What OSHA found when they fined Wal-Mart $4500 was six serious safety violations for not performing the procedure!

Why, you might ask? Wal-Mart does not perform lock out/tag out because doing so would cause a "loss of Production” for them! Wal-Mart risked my health, my life, my future because it wanted to save money and boost profits. They put profits over people, as they do so many times.

The worst part of my story is that Wal-Mart refuses to admit it was wrong. Refuses to make it right!

I have spent the last year fighting the workers compensation only to have Wal-Mart deny my claim. They continue to blame me for an accident they know they caused!

I am fighting back! And I will continue fighting... for my work-comp, for justice at Wal-Mart, and for people to know the truth!

When my husband Ollie and I spoke at the press conference in Orlando, we were proud of what we were doing because we knew it was the right thing to do. There are many other Wal-Mart workers at our DC and around the country that feel the same way we do- that Wal-Mart needs to change and that we deserve more, we deserve better! I know that had Wal-Mart had a union, I would not be going through this today. My husband and I know that the best thing we can due is join the Workers Association and become involved. We can no longer allow this huge company to bully us and treat us with disrespect.

Only by speaking out can we give other workers in our DC and workers everywhere the courage to speak out as well. And only by continuing to let workers across this country know that there are people who care -- people like all of you in this room, who care and will stand behind them and will be there for them -- will we ever change Wal-Mart!

Some day they will right their wrongs... But only because we stood together!

Thank you.