Bernie Sanders to Attend Walmart’s Annual Meeting

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has revealed plans to attend Walmart Inc.’s annual shareholders’ meeting in its home state of Arkansas, according to The Washington Post and other published reports.

At the meeting, set for June 5, Sanders intends to raise the issues of higher pay and more comprehensive benefits for the company’s employees, as well as to introduce a measure to give hourly employees a place on Walmart’s board.

The legislator was reportedly invited by workers at the company to present the proposal on their behalf.

“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,” Walmart said in a statement.

A longtime critic of the mega-retailer, Sanders has introduced legislation, along with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., to raise wages at Walmart and other large corporations.

Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart operates more than 11,300 stores under 58 banners in 27 countries, and ecommerce websites, employing 2.2 million-plus associates worldwide. The company is No. 1 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.