While Wal-Mart has been planning for the impending Black Friday event, the company's employees are attempting to throw a wrench in the works by protesting during the biggest shopping day of the year to push for higher wages.

Employees planning on engaging in protests are organizing as part of a group called OUR Wal-Mart (Organization United for Respect). According to reports, Wal-Mart can expect to see protests in more than 1,600 store locations around the U.S.

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Barbara Gertz, an employee part of the organization, isn't sure exactly how many participants will be protesting, but claims they're getting calls "every day" from many other employees wanting to join in.

Although Wal-Mart has increased its minimum wage to slightly higher than the Federal limit of $7.25 an hour, the company's employees say they are still struggling to make ends meet on the salary they're given with full-time hours. In fact, less than half of Wal-Mart's employees are making more than $25,000 a year.

The protesting on Black Friday is reportedly an attempt to push for $15 an hour wages, more full-time hours and the ability to form a union without retaliation from the company.

Wal-Mart employees have protested in the past, but what separates this from other past protests is the fact that "tens of thousands of community members" will also be joining in for the cause, says union AFT New Mexico.  

According to an analysis by an economist for Bloomberg News, Wal-Mart can raise pay to a $10.10 minimum for its employees by simply raising the costs of a DVD by just one penny.

TagsBlack Friday, Wal-Mart employees, protests, strike, OUR Walmart, Minimum Wage, hourly wages