He now works for a union trying to organize Wal-Mart workers.

Most hourly Wal-Mart workers earn less than $8.50 an hour, which amounts to $17,680 a year for a full-time worker.

The stores' break rooms have become repositories for sorrow, the places where Wal-Mart workers go to cope privately.

Those benefits have been sufficient to keep Wal-Mart workers from joining unions.

Television ads that feature Wal-Mart workers talking about their satisfying careers have been shown since 2003.

The average wage for full-time Wal-Mart workers in the state is $10.17 an hour, the company said.

In many places, Wal-Mart workers are among the working poor.

The association says it has nearly 200 current and former Wal-Mart workers and is growing by 30 workers a week.

"Our role is to help Wal-Mart workers get a voice on the job."

The union's main pitch to Wal-Mart workers was a promise of improved wages and benefits.