NEW YORK: Retail giant Walmart has been hit by protests and staff walkouts at stores across the US on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day in the retail calendar.

The actions began on Thursday, as workers protested the retail giant’s decision to open on Thanksgiving, which is traditionally a national holiday. Industrial action continued on Friday, with organisers claiming 1,000 protests in 46 states.

Walmart workers in Miami, Dallas, Wisconsin, California’s Bay Area, Chicago and Washington DC took part in the walkout, protesting wages and work conditions. The demonstrations were co-ordinated by OUR Walmart, a workers’ group that last month led the first strikes that the retail giant had experienced. Walmart countered that it had had its best Black Friday ever and that the majority of protesters were not Walmart workers.

“Only 26 protests occurred at stores last night and many of them did not include any Walmart associates,” said Bill Simon, Walmart's US president and chief executive officer. “We had very safe and successful Black Friday events at our stores across the country and heard overwhelmingly positive feedback from our customers,” Simon said.

He added that the retailer estimated less than 50 Walmart workers had taken part in the protests. “In fact, this year, roughly the same number of associates missed their scheduled shift as last year,” Simon said.

“Walmart has spent the last 50 years pushing its way on workers and communities,” said Mary Pat Tifft, an OUR Walmart member and 24-year associate who led a protest on Thursday evening in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

“In just one year, leaders of OUR Walmart and Warehouse Workers United have begun to prove that change is coming to the world's largest employer.”

By arrangement with the Guardian