Wayfair donates $100,000 to Red Cross in effort to appease employees threatening walkout

Upon finding out that the beds were headed to migrant holding centers, more than 500 employees signed a petition demanding that Wayfair no longer participate and donate the profits.

They felt that stopping the flow of supplies to the cash-strapped government agencies could help improve the humanitarian crisis happening at the U.S.-Mexico border. The walkout attracted the attention of several progressive politicians, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

In response to Wednesday’s email from Wayfair, employees responded via a Twitter account created just for the walkout saying, “@Wayfair stated in an email today that they will be making a donation of $100k to the @RedCross. This is great news! And proof that Wayfair can & does do good. However, the Red Cross has nothing to do with these ICE-operated facilities.”

In a statement regarding the extensive work they do at the border, the American Red Cross says, “A recent surge in migrant arrivals has put a strain on organizations housing asylum seekers along the southwest border and in other cities around the United States. Given the humanitarian needs, the American Red Cross has increased aid to these organizations in Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico by offering cots, blankets, hygiene items and training support.”

Among the first tweets posted to the @wayfairwalkout, employees state, “Wayfair sold beds to furnish border camps; 547 employees signed a petition to ask that we cease all business with border camps; CEO said no —>employees are walking out tmrw at 1:30pm. We ask that Wayfair donate all profits made from the sale to RAICES.” RAICES is a nonprofit organization that, according to their mission statement, “promotes justice by providing free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families, and refugees.”

The walkout in Boston went forward as planned at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.