Thomas Smith loved his job at a Walmart in East Greenbush, NY, where he made $9 an hour putting away shopping carts and picking up trash from the parking lot. After being released from prison and facing homelessness earlier this year, Mr. Smith was getting his life back on track. But then last Friday, after working over-time to assist his managers, he was abruptly fired. The reason? He had redeemed $2 worth of empty cans and bottles left in an abandoned shopping cart.

Incredibly, Walmart claimed that the discarded empty bottles were company property -- and accused Mr. Smith of stealing. When informed of this, Mr. Smith paid back the money right away, but Walmart is still refusing to reinstate him.

"I did the right thing and stayed out of trouble,” Smith told an Albany newspaper. “I worked hard and did a good job. I ended up getting a raw deal.”

Walmart’s treatment of Thomas Smith is outrageous. Unfortunately his story is part of a pattern of the company mistreating its workers. In fact the very day Smith was fired, 100 Walmart workers around the country began a week of fasting and protesting, highlighting low pay and unfair conditions at the company.

Walmart needs to hear from us that this kind of treatment of workers is unacceptable. We will not remain silent as the rights and dignity of people like Thomas Smith are trampled. Please sign the petition below to demand that Walmart rehire Thomas Smith at another store close to where he lives. He deserves a fresh start at a job he loves and needs.