We just got off our first ever national conference call with Wal-Mart associates from across the country. It was amazing to hear the courage and determination of associates from Texas to Maryland to Illinois to Arkansas.

Today, Wal-Mart associates are starting to sign a petition calling on Wal-Mart to implement the following changes and reverse a series of ant-family policies. Associates are calling on Wal-Mart to:

- End Wal-Mart’s “Open Availability” Policy [also known as peak-time or demand scheduling] that has caused chaos in the lives of our 1.39 million Associates and their families;
- Institute “Family Friendly Scheduling” that provides stable work schedules and permits Associates to have normal lives and spend time with their children;
- Reverse Wal-Mart’s “New Attendance Policy” that punishes Associates who need to take a day off to care for a sick child or family member;
- End Wal-Mart’s “New Salary Caps” and allow hard-working Associates to be rewarded for their loyalty, not punished.

Wal-Mart associates can sign the petition online and Download file download the petition to pass around to other associates.

We'll send out some of the transcripts from the call tomorrow when we get a chance to breathe. Our phones are ringing off the hook right now with requests for the petition.