Thomas Marshall, an e-commerce expert that works for Walmart was blocked from accessing his Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) after his attempts to rally the other workers to put pressure against the company to stop selling guns.
Following the recent shootings in Ohio and Texas, Marshall decided to take action by sending two memos calling on employees to put pressure against the company’s management to selling firearms. However, it looks like the retail giant did not take like the move because Marshall and a few other Walmart employees were blocked from accessing their Walmart email accounts.
“Walmart has completely deactivated our access and accounts. We have been shut out of all systems, essentially ending our jobs without yet firing us,” Marshall told Gizmodo.
Marshall also revealed that he and the other employees whose email accounts were suspended would seek legal guidance over the matter. Walmart’s decision to suspend the emails of the individuals involved was confirmed by a spokesperson. According to the spokesperson’s statement, the company suspended the accounts because the involved individuals that planned to strike.
The email that Marshall send out called on Walmart employees to strike so that they can encourage the company to remove gun sales from its line of items that it sells. This action is in the wake of the El Paso, Texas shooting which took place right outside a Walmart outlet leading to the death of 22 people. It is currently not clear how many employees plan to go on strike.
Meanwhile, Walmart stated that it does not plan to change its current policy on gun sales. The shootings have revived the conversations about gun control measures and Walmart might be swayed to change its decision on the matter by an employee go-slow.
Walmart sells firearms and ammunition at some of its outlets in the U.S but only individuals that are above 21-years-old are allowed to purchase a gun. Gun control has for a long time been a sensitive subject in the U.S. Some have pushed for tighter gun control but many argue that they have the right to bear arms as per the 2nd Amendment in the U.S constitution.
