Walmart Opposes New York’s Proposed Panic Button Law for Retail Stores

Walmart Opposes New York’s Proposed Panic Button Legislation
Walmart has expressed opposition to a new legislation passed by the New York State Senate that mandates the installation of panic buttons in big retail stores, including Walmart, to enhance worker safety. The legislation, aimed at preventing workplace violence, requires stores to equip easily accessible panic buttons for employees or provide them with wearable or mobile-phone-activated devices.
Dan Bartlett, Walmart’s Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs, argued that panic buttons could lead to a significant number of false alarms, stating that in most situations where people suspect danger, there is none. Walmart, which is the nation’s largest retailer with 4,700 stores nationwide and 98 in New York, has recently appointed a chief safety officer to oversee the physical safety of its workers.
The Retail Worker Safety Act, which also necessitates violence prevention and safety training for retail employees in establishments with more than 10 workers, now awaits the decision of New York Governor Kathy Hochul. She has 10 days to sign it into law, veto it, or let it become law automatically by taking no action.
The legislation has received support from the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), representing over 100,000 workers in the U.S., who view it as a crucial step towards ensuring worker safety. Meanwhile, at Walmart’s annual meeting in Bentonville, Arkansas, a proposal by some Walmart employees who are also shareholders, seeking an independent review of the company’s workplace safety and violence policies, was voted down.
Governor Hochul’s decision on the bill will determine the next steps for retailers in New York State, including Walmart, in their approach to enhancing worker safety and preventing violence in the workplace.