Walmart workers threaten walkouts

>>> the timing could not be worse for walmart. thousands of union-backed workers are threatening to walk off the job as the retailer takes off its busiest holiday shopping season. a decision is not expected until tomorrow at the earliest. i'm joined by colby harris, a walmart employee in texas, with a group making a change at walmart. colby , welcome and happy thanksgiving. why are you protesting?

>> we're protesting because walmart has continuously retaliated against those of us who choose to speak up for all the things that go wrong inside of our jobs, as far as treatment of associates.

>> when you say they're retaliating, what have they done?

>> for me personally, they've spied on me, they give me extra assignments, they try to keep me away from other associates so i can't interact with them and let them know what's going on, and what they can do to make the change.

>> what does this mean for you? could you walk off the job? do you fear you would lose your job if you walk off? you're talking to me on national television, colby .

>> well, a lot of us absolutely have no fear. and if you have fear, you can't get what needs to be done. i have no fear for losing my job, i do not.

>> okay. your response to a statement from walmart, okay? i'm going to read it. our stores will be operating normally on black friday, and our customers will see nothing unusual when they shop. and the response to the complaints from protesters, walmart saying is, our pay and benefits plans are as good or better than our retail competitors, including those that are unionized. what is your reaction to those statements?

>> as someone who's worked there for three years, and i've talked to associates who have been there 20, 25 years, that couldn't be further from the truth. there will be some things that customers will see that will be dramatically different starting today. that's not true. our health care plans are actually going up next year, and for me personally they're already unaffordable. so i'm not sure where that statement came from, or what it is to tell the customers that, but that couldn't be any further from the truth.

>> colby harris, i admire your coming in and talking about this. and i hope it doesn't come at the rirvg of losing your job. thanks for joining us.

>> thank you, i appreciate it.