Report: Bernie Sanders to appear at Walmart Shareholders Meeting

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders / Courtesy

One of the 24 candidates (and still counting) vying for the Democratic nomination for president is expected to be in NWA next month.

According to a Washington Post story published Tuesday, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will attend the Walmart Shareholders on June 5 to advocate for a boost in pay and benefits for Walmart employees, and to introduce a measure on behalf of workers that would give hourly employees a spot on Walmart’s board.

Sanders posted a tweet to his campaign account with a link to the Washington Post story.

“Walmart workers are sick and tired of being paid poverty wages, while the Walton family is worth over $170 billion,” he wrote. “I’m honored to have been invited by Walmart workers to demand they have a seat on the company’s board.”

Campaign officials confirmed to The Hill (and other outlets) Sanders’ plans to attend the meeting.

Walmart said in a statement the company will “respond to specific shareholder proposals once they are formally presented” at the June 5 meeting.

“If Senator Sanders attends, we hope he will approach his visit not as a campaign stop, but as a constructive opportunity to learn about the many ways we’re working to provide increased economic opportunity, mobility and benefits to our associates — as well as our widely recognized leadership on environmental sustainability,” the company said in the statement.

According to their website, the Walmart Shareholders meeting begins at 10 a.m. on June 5 with a business meeting at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers. No entertainment or other activities will be part of the business meeting. The meeting will be webcast on the company’s website at http://stock.walmart.com.

Later that week, shareholders will be in Fayetteville for an event to “recognize and celebrate Walmart’s associates from around the world” beginning at 8 a.m. on June 7 at Bud Walton Arena.

The Fayetteville event “will provide a brief recap of voting results from the June 5 formal business meeting and will include presentations from Walmart’s executive team,” along with “entertainment to highlight accomplishments from the prior year and to thank Walmart associates and shareholders.”