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To: Walmart market manager Tyler Curtis

Tell Walmart: to rehire Thomas Smith

We demand that Thomas Smith be immediately reinstated by Walmart market manager Tyler Curtis and transferred to a nearby store. He was fired for redeeming $2 worth of empty cans left behind as trash in a Walmart shopping cart. In addition, we demand that Walmart retract their accusation of theft and apologize to Mr. Smith.

Why is this important?

Hi my name is Thomas Smith. I loved my job at a Walmart in East Greenbush, NY, where I made $9 an hour putting away shopping carts and picking up trash from the parking lot. After being released from prison and facing homelessness earlier this year, I felt like I was really getting my life on track. But then last Friday, after I worked over-time to assist my managers, I was abruptly fired. The reason? I redeemed about $2 worth of empty cans and bottles left in an abandoned shopping cart just inside the store.

I didn't know you couldn't take empties left behind. They were garbage. I didn't even get a chance to explain myself to the manager. I was never told that redeeming bottles wasn’t allowed and I immediately paid back the money. I worked hard at Walmart and did a good job. I ended up getting a raw deal. They just told me to turn in my badge.

There’s a double standard at my store. My manager told me that a cashier in my store, who is white, was caught on camera stealing $20 from a cash register and stuffing it into her bra. She paid the money back, but she wasn’t fired.

I’ve worked hard to turn my life around. And I worked hard at Walmart - I was only a few weeks away from passing my 90-day probation period. I shouldn’t have been fired for redeeming cans that were left for trash.

Albany, NY, United States

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Updates

2015-11-28 14:34:44 -0800

50,000 signatures reached

2015-11-27 13:44:03 -0800

20,000 signatures reached

2015-11-27 12:11:11 -0800

10,000 signatures reached

2015-11-27 11:42:49 -0800

5,000 signatures reached

2015-11-25 21:48:50 -0800

1,000 signatures reached

2015-11-25 14:19:20 -0800

500 signatures reached

2015-11-25 12:51:50 -0800

100 signatures reached

2015-11-24 20:12:57 -0800

50 signatures reached

2015-11-24 17:11:40 -0800

25 signatures reached

2015-11-24 15:38:31 -0800

10 signatures reached