.00001% feels the heat from Walmart & Hyatt Workers

On the evening of April 19, members of the 1% gathered in San Francisco for an exclusive, $1,000 per plate fundraiser. As guests dropped off their cars with the valet and strolled up the sidewalk, they were met by an unexpected sight: a crowd of workers from Hyatt and Walmart had gathered to greet them.

Two of the guests may have recognized their names on the signs the workers were carrying. That’s because the fundraiser was co-hosted by Carrie Walton-Penner, heir to the Walmart fortune and a member of the richest family in the US, the Waltons. Her husband, Greg Penner, sits on the boards of both Walmart and Hyatt.

Despite numerous requests, Mr. Penner has refused to meet with workers from both corporations to discuss their grievances. Unwilling to go unheard, the workers decided to go to him directly.

Watch the video of the action:

Meanwhile on Facebook, dozens of posts were pouring in by the minute to express support for the protesting workers. Targeting Govern for California, Penner’s pet project to leverage influence on state elections, hundreds of posts demanded that the Walton’s meet with their workers and stop using their wealth to buy elections.

The demonstration represents a shift in the struggle to hold accountable those responsible for wrecking our economy. Part of 99 Power, a season of direct actions confronting abusive corporations, the protest was one of the first in a series of actions to take on individuals in the 1%.

Check out some of the press coverage:

• KTVU-TV: San Francisco hotel workers protest Hyatt related gala
• Labor's Edge Blog: Walmart and Hyatt Workers to Visit .00001% in San Francisco
• OccupySF: Gala for the 99%: Walmart & Hyatt Workers Demand Justice from the Penners
• Ella's Voice: Gala for the 99%
• BeyondChron: As Workers Protest, Wal-Mart and Hyatt Director Attends Big Bang Gala