Today Wal-Mart settled a lawsuit in Minnesota. It was just one of more than 72 wage and hour class action suits against Wal-Mart across the country. Wal-Mart has agreed to pay up to $54.25 million to workers and the state. They're paying the workers because they cheated them out of overtime pay, lunch breaks, and otherwise failed to pay them what they were owed. They're paying the state because they broke the law, a lot.
This isn't the first time Wal-Mart has paid for this transgression, nor will it be the last. Wal-Mart needs to keep paying until every employee they wronged to eke a little more profit out of them is paid back.
You can read the full story here.
And you can read our official statement:
IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 9, 2008IT TAKES A COURT RULING FOR WAL-MART TO PAY EMPLOYEES FAIRLY
Today Wal-Mart agreed to pay up to $54.25 million to settle a Minnesota class action lawsuit, Braun et al. v. Wal-Mart, Inc. et al. The suit, one of many across the country over wage and hour labor violations, sought payment for around 100,000 current and former Wal-Mart employees.
“In such a tumultuous economy, the basic ideas of fair pay for honest work should be fundamental,” said Meghan Scott, spokesperson for WakeUpWalMart.com, “It shouldn't take a court of a law to force America's largest corporation to pay their employees fairly. And it shouldn’t take a court of law to force America’s largest corporation to live by America's values. Wal-Mart workers should be able to go to the corporate office with issues like this, not be forced into the court system.
“To make matters worse, this case in Minnesota is just the tip of the iceberg. America’s largest private employer is currently involved in at least 72 wage and hour class action suits across the country. For years Wal-Mart systematically underpaid and overworked its employees to line its own pockets. While this one case represents a victory for those workers, it is certainly too little too late. It should never have come to this point.
“In this time of economic turmoil, hopefully Wal-Mart will learn to stand up for workers, rather than against them in courts across the country. Unfortunately, this is a company that we have seen time and again putting profits ahead of people.”
Posted by Taylor - December 9, 2008 11:39 AM - Court of Public Opinion
My wife and I live in Northwest Arkansas. We don't work for walmart, but both have amazing jobs because of walmart. If not for walmart's everyday low prices my wife and I could not make ends meet. Thank you walmart for giving us good jobs and low prices so we can live better lives!
Posted by npyles - December 10, 2008 09:12 AM
npyles,
Personally, I wouldn't consider it an "amazing job" if it didn't pay a living wage. I also don't consider a cardboard box to be four-star accomodations or dumpster diving to be fine dining.
I feel my hard work and efforts have earned me a place at the table -- not table scraps. Demand what you've earned, not what they feel like letting you have.
Forget low prices. Respecting and valuing yourself are the real first steps to living better lives.
Posted by ThaMothership - December 10, 2008 08:23 PM
npyles it's nice to see that you live better lives off the back of much poorer people working in unthinkable conditions( in the third and second world) , so Walmarts Share holders and owners can crap on those less fortunate.
You would be better off sending your thankyou note to Walmart head office than writing smug emails
Posted by steve - January 6, 2009 11:32 AM
npyles,how can walmart being in your town help you have amazing jobs? and if its so great, why do you need their low prices to make ends meet? do you like buying toys full of lead, clothes and other things made in sweat shops? walmart is evil.
Posted by daisey - February 8, 2009 09:34 PM