Wal-Mart workers have launched historic labor protests and strikes across 28 stores in 12 states, the first retail worker strike in the company’s 50-year history.

According to organizers, employees are protesting company attempts to “silence and retaliate against workers for speaking out for improvements on the job.”

Josh Eidelson, a contributing writer for Salon and In These Times broke the story of the Wal-Mart store strikes last week.

Also: — Walmart’s Black Friday Ultimatum