A handcuffed woman is loaded into a police van after she and hundreds of other demonstrators blocked traffic in a major intersection outside a Walmart store during rush on Thursday in Hyattsville, Maryland Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A protestor holds a sign during a march and rally by Walmart employees and union members against Walmart calling for higher wages and better jobs in Los Angeles on Thursday. Kevork Djansezian/Reuters

A woman who identified herself only as Tonya C, and says she was fired from a Walmart store, is comforted by friends during a pro-labor rally and demonstration outside a Walmart store. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Hundreds of demonstrators rally before marching and blocking traffic in a major intersection outside a Walmart store during rush hour on Thursday in Hyattsville, Maryland. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A phone number is written on a woman's hand as she is handcuffed and loaded into a police van after she and hundreds of other demonstrators blocked traffic in a major intersection outside a Walmart store during rush hour. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A woman who identified herself only as Tonya C and says she was fired from a Walmart store, is arrested after she and hundreds of other demonstrators blocked traffic in a major intersection outside a Walmart store during rush hour. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Demonstrators march and block traffic in a major intersection outside a Walmart store during rush hour on Thursday in Hyattsville, Maryland. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Hundreds of demonstrators march and block traffic in a major intersection outside a Walmart store during rush hour on Thursday in Hyattsville, Maryland. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Union member Lorraine Zapata participates in a march and rally against Walmart calling for higher wages and better jobs in Los Angeles on Thursday. Kevork Djansezian/Reuters

Police in 11 cities across the United States arrested at least 100 people protesting outside Walmart stores Thursday, organizers said. The demonstrators were calling for higher wages and the reinstatement of workers fired after participating in a June strike against the company.

Walmart is the United States' largest private employer, with 1.3 million workers in the country.

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which helped organize the demonstrations but does not negotiate for Walmart workers, said in a news release that 100 protesters were arrested, and that workers would strike on Black Friday -- the day after the Thanksgiving holiday, when U.S. retailers traditionally offer large discounts -- in November.



The protesters say Walmart workers cannot afford to live on their pay, and want them to receive at least $25,000 a year.

Walmart spokesman Dan Fogleman said most of the demonstrators do not work for the company. He called the protests a "show" conducted by unions that supported the action.



Police in Los Angeles arrested 21 protesters, nine of whom are current Walmart employees, Al Jazeera’s Jennifer London reported. Another nine were arrested in Sacramento, Calif., according to the Sacramento Bee newspaper.

Police arrested 11 protesters in Dallas, Texas, according to the local NBC affiliate there.



Many of the protesters were put in handcuffs after sitting or standing in intersections and refusing police demands that they move.

In New York City, three demonstrators who were trying to deliver a petition to a Walmart board member’s office were arrested after they refused police orders to move from the entrance of a building, authorities said. They face charges of disorderly conduct and trespassing, according to police.