For years, Walmart has been part of a program in Quebec that helps people with intellectual disabilities get job training. Now it’s pulling out with almost no warning leaving the participants confused and disappointed. 

This program was important for the participants and Walmart has left them hanging, saying it will continue to “find ways to help people in the program” but didn’t give any concrete commitments to how it would help. 

Walmart says that it will phase out the program in the next several weeks so timing is critical to support the participants in keeping the work training. A huge outcry now could persuade Walmart Canada to stay in the program and supporting this important initiative. 

Walmart has given no reason for why it is pulling out of the program. The multi-billion dollar corporation said it was based on “legislative changes and Walmart’s policies” but gave no further information. If Walmart’s policy is to stop supporting people with intellectual disabilities, then obviously there’s something wrong with its policy. 

Training programs like this are critical to helping participants feel empowered to move into the working world where they can better support themselves and live better quality lives. It’s disgraceful that Walmart is pulling out of the program, without reason or further commitments for supporting the participants. 

Walmart issued a half-assed apology about the way it announced the end of its participation in the valuable program but is still holding fast in its decision to stop participating in the program itself. The apology does nothing to help the participants and their families who rely on Walmart’s participation to help them achieve their work goals. 

SumOfUs isn’t scared of taking on Walmart. Whether it’s fighting for the rights of garment workers in Bangladesh or taking on Walmart’s sexist policies in the US, SumOfUs members have shown up, en masse, time and again to hold this massive corporation to account. 

We know that, if we work together, we can ensure Walmart takes its commitment to helping people with intellectual disabilities seriously.