Wayfair workers prepare walkout to object furnishings sales to surround camps

Employees at the online furnishings merchant Wayfair strategy to stroll off the task Wednesday in demonstration of the business’s sale of bed room furnishings to operators of detention centers for migrant kids at the southern United States border. The demonstration follows workers discovered recently that a $200,000 order of bed room furnishings had actually been put by BCFS, a federal government specialist that runs the centers.

“We were disheartened and concerned about Wayfair’s business” with BCFS, a confidential staff member informed the Boston Globe. A letter signed by more than 547 workers was sent out to the Boston-based business’s executive management detailing their issues.

An authorities Twitter represent the walkout called @WayfairWalkout on Wednesday published the objectives for the demonstration. 

“Commitment to the requests as laid out in our original letter,” the account tweeted. “The additional request that all profits from completed sales be donated to RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services). Cease all current and future business with BCFS and other contractors participating in the operation of migrant detention camps at our Southern border (or any other location). Establish a code of ethics for B2B Sales that empowers Wayfair and its employees to act in accordance with our core values.”

The demonstration comes in the middle of extensive criticism of one Texas center’s “inhumane” conditions. Recent reports have actually suggested that more than 300 kids had actually been apprehended at a center near El Paso, where they were taking care of each other without appropriate food, water or sanitation.

Wayfair workers are the current tech employees to stroll off the task to reveal their discontentment with their business’s organization choices. In May, more than 100 workers of Riot Games, the business behind League of Legends, left to object using forced arbitration to fix unwanted sexual advances claims. In November, Google workers worldwide staged a collaborated walkout to object the business’s handling of the unwanted sexual advances accusations.

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The letter from the Wayfair employees to the company’s leadership cited harsh conditions along the border.

“Over the last two days it has come to our attention that Wayfair has again engaged in B2B sales with BCFS, a non-profit government contractor managing camps for migrants at our Southern border,” the letter said.

“This particular order, for over $200,000 worth of bedroom furniture, is destined for Carrizo Springs, Texas, to a facility that will be outfitted to detain up to 3,000 migrant children seeking legal asylum in the United States. The practice of detaining children and adults at our Southern border has been condemned since its inception but since the acceleration of the practice in 2018, and the increase in death and injury that has come with that acceleration, we have seen more vocal condemnation of the practice. We, the undersigned, are writing to you from a place of concern and anger about the atrocities being committed at our Southern border.”

The letter, which was delivered to executives on Friday, goes on to ask the company to cease all current and future business with the contractor. Employees received an unsigned response from the leadership team Monday that thanked employees for bringing their concerns to management.

“As a retailer, it is standard practice to fulfill orders for all customers and we believe it is our business to sell to any customer who is acting within the laws of the countries within which we operate,” the executives’ letter said. “We believe all of our stakeholders, employees, customers, investors, and suppliers included are best served by our commitment to fulfill our orders.”

Employees called for the walkout Tuesday after receiving the response.

Wayfair representatives didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The BCFS didn’t address the employee walkout in a terse statement Wednesday morning.

“We believe youth should sleep in beds with mattresses,” a spokesman said .

Originally published on June 25.
Update, June 26: Adds tweets from walkout account.