(AP) - North Carolina labor activists say they're protesting the social cost of Wal-Mart's low prices.
Protests aimed at getting the retailing giant to pay more are planned Friday at Wal-Mart stores in Raleigh and nearby Clayton as holiday shoppers crowd in looking for bargains. Activists say most Wal-Mart workers earn less than $25,000 a year.
The National Labor Relations Board said this week a preliminary investigation backed complaints that the retailer unlawfully threatened California and Texas employees if they engaged in strikes and protests ahead of Black Friday last year.
The NLRB believes Wal-Mart also illegally threatened, disciplined or terminated more than 100 employees in 13 states for participating in protests over wages and working conditions.
Wal-Mart says it disagreed with the labor board and planned to defend itself.