EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. -- Capital Region activist groups, a labor union and some lawmakers are rallying around a local man who was recently fired from a Walmart in East Greenbush.
"I get on the bus and go to Price Chopper, the supermarket, and people go 'hey there goes that guy who steals cans at Walmart' and that's depressing," said Thomas Smith.
Organizing shopping carts in the parking lot of Walmart for $9 an hour was Smith's first full-time job since being released from prison for first degree robbery.
"He only wanted to do his job and he wanted to do it the best that he could possibly do it. Walmart took his job away from him and they did it with such disrespect," said Alice Green, Center for Law & Justice.
According to Smith, he was recently fired for redeeming a few dollars worth of recyclables he found in the store's parking lot. He says Walmart claims the bottles and cans were company property, and therefore, accused Smith of theft.
"I didn't think I was stealing anything," Smith said.
"According to our penal law, no larceny or theft can occur without intent," said Green.
A Walmart spokesman confirms that Smith was fired because the recyclables had already been returned by other customers, but Smith maintains he had no idea he was breaking company policy.
Since the incident, multiple organizations and elected officials have rallied behind him. Representatives came out Tuesday in Albany to declare their support. Two local lawmakers announced they sent a letter to the Department of Labor asking the commissioner to investigate as well
"Walmart's treatment of Mr. Smith touched a familiar nerve in thousands of people," Green said. "We've heard from people all over this country."
"I didn't know it was that big until I came down here and she said you're on social media," Smith said.
Smith says now he's less concerned about redeeming cans, and more worried about redeeming his reputation.
"Now how am I supposed to apply for a job somewhere else? Defamation of character, you just ran my name through the mud like I'm dirt. I'm labeled now."
Walmart's spokesperson says the surveillance video isn't being released yet as part of an internal investigation. Walmart also provided us with a statement that reads:
“This is an unfortunate and complex situation. We believe in the practice of giving people second chances. We also value honesty and set high expectations for our associates in order to best serve our customers...
In this particular case, we gave Mr. Smith that opportunity and due to this incident and upon review of this case, we discovered that Mr. Smith did not disclose serious criminal convictions during the application process and based on this fact we cannot reinstate him.”