Petition by Walmart worker to protest gun gross sales gathers practically 45,000 signatures

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A petition began by a junior Walmart Inc employee in California to protest the retailer’s sale of firearms, following two mass shootings over the weekend left 31 folks lifeless in Texas and Ohio, has gathered practically 45,000 signatures.

Thomas Marshall, a 23-year-old class supervisor in San Bruno started his protest by emailing fellow workers and asking them to name in sick on Tuesday, depart work early on Wednesday, and signal a Change.org petition.

The petition, which is open to the general public, is steadily approaching its objective of 50,000 signatures.

“In mild of those current tragedies — a mere snapshot of the gun violence epidemic plaguing the USA — and in response to Company’s inaction, we as workers are organizing a number of days of motion, to protest Walmart’s revenue from the sale of firearms and ammunition,” the petition says.

Earlier this week, Walmart instructed Reuters there had been no change in its coverage on gun gross sales after the mass shootings, considered one of which befell in a Walmart retailer.

Years of public stress led Walmart, the most important U.S arms retailer, to finish assault rifle gross sales in 2015 and in 2018 to boost the minimal age for gun purchases to 21. Some gun management activists and Walmart prospects now need the retailer to drop gross sales of weapons and ammunition altogether.

Walmart didn’t reply to a request for touch upon the petition and Marshall’s actions.