Workers from Alphabet to Walmart Want a Voice in the Boardroom

Worker rights advocates are pushing companies from Alphabet Inc. to Walmart Inc. to give rank-and-file employees a voice on their boards of directors.

Both companies will soon face investor votes on proposals for a director who could speak on workers’ behalf about issues that the top executives who typically sit on boards may not be as tuned into, like hourly wages or corporate culture.

“Decisions made at the top impact workers at the bottom,” said Vasudha Desikan of United for Respect, a group that campaigns for higher wages and more employee-friendly paid leave policies at Walmart and other retailers in ...