“Economic blackout” protest expected in the US
An “economic blackout” protest is set to take place in the US this weekend.
The People’s Union USA, a grassroots organization focused on economic inequality and workers’ rights, is organizing this boycott, which calls for total abstinence from economic activity from Friday to Sunday. While the blackout covers all consumer activity, it specifically targets large corporations like Amazon, Walmart, and Nestlé. Specific corporations are targeted for a variety of reasons, including rolling back DEI policies, exploiting workers, and avoiding taxes.
It is unclear to what extent consumer blackouts like this actually affect companies’ revenues or if they can lead to policy changes within companies. The evidence from the last boycott that The People’s Union USA organized is mixed, with some targets seeing less traffic in stores and online and others seeing no notable change in consumer activity. Even if the boycott does have a noticeable effect, large corporations such as those being targeted are economically resilient, meaning that the protest is unlikely to lead to policy changes, whether it be related to DEI, workers’ rights, or other issues. The People’s Union USA has set a schedule for a number of boycotts in the coming months. While their efficacy appears to be limited at the moment, it is possible that they could be impactful and cause companies to make some changes if they can attract more widespread participation.
