Wayfair Employees Will Protest Decision To Sell Goods To Migrant Detention Camp
BOSTON (CBS) - Some employees at Boston-based Wayfair are planning a walkout Wednesday over the company's decision to sell furniture to a detention camp for migrant children.
The Twitter account @wayfairwalkout says more than 500 workers have co-signed a letter to cease doing business with that government contractor. Employees say it's not an ethical partnership.
In response to a recent letter signed by 547 employees, our CEO said that the company would not cease doing business with contractors furnishing border camps. We ask that the company donate the $86,000 in profit they made from this sale to RAICES. #wayfairwalkout
— wayfairwalkout (@wayfairwalkout) June 25, 2019
Wayfair has not responded to WBZ's request for comment. The company told The Boston Globe it has responded to the employees' concerns in this matter.
There are roughly 6500 Wayfair workers at the online furniture giant's Copley headquarters and no fewer than 50 declined to discuss anything planned for Wednesday as they left work Tuesday night.
Senator Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley tweeted their support for workers.
We must actively #resist any & all efforts by this cruel, incompetent administration to cage children and separate families. I proudly stand in solidarity w/ the hardworking individuals at #Wayfair who are walking out in the name of #justice & humanity. https://t.co/UFvCZNGeTJ
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) June 25, 2019
I stand with the hundreds of @Wayfair employees who are planning to stage a walkout at their Boston headquarters tomorrow. The safety and well-being of immigrant children is always worth fighting for. https://t.co/L3hqbazX4l
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) June 25, 2019
An arm of the President Donald Trump re-election campaign accused activist employees of "bullying Wayfair to cancel the sale, depriving kids of good beds to sleep in. Heartless!" - insisted the tweet.
To keep migrants comfortable while Democrats in Congress dither on humanitarian aid, the Trump Admin bought bedroom furniture from @Wayfair. Sadly, open-border advocates @AOC @RepPressley are bullying Wayfair to cancel the sale, depriving kids of good beds to sleep in. Heartless!
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) June 25, 2019
According to social media banter, the walkout is set for 1:30 Wednesday afternoon. It probably won't be known how many workers have bought into it -- until then.
Wayfair has more than 13,300 employees with operations throughout North America and Europe.