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Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, won final approval of a settlement paying as much as $85 million to hourly workers who sued over allegations of unpaid wages. U.S. District Judge Philip M. Pro in Las Vegas approved the settlement yesterday and awarded one-third of the recovery in fees to the workers’ lawyers, up to about $28 million depending on the claims made. Walmart is to pay at least $65 million and as much as $85 million.
Vegas judge approves $85 million Wal-Mart settlement
(via Bloomberg News) · November 3, 2009 · 8:17 AM
Discussion: 30 comments so far...
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Wal-Mart gets off easy! This ruling is just the tip of the Iceberg! The amount of economic crimes they have committed against workers and small businesses are too numerous to state. However, this is a good start. Maybe, American consumers will finally wake up, and realize how bad they are for the economy.
Walmart rules! Love the place.
Take note, People -- the wage slaves rebelled, went without, endured and "won" (at least until the appeals have all run out maybe ten years from now). No law firm's services is worth this kind of money.
Yes, I will wake up and realize because of Wal-mart I can afford luxury items. Your kidding me. If you don't want to work for Wal-mart find another job. Oh wait there aren't any jobs out there, but the prosecutors office is getting their raise. I am amazed at how many people say negative things about Steve Wynn, when his employees make a ton of money. Poor dealers going from 95 to 85K. What about the people who don't have jobs?
I couldn't afford many items if it wasn't for Wal-mart and I really wonder what shopping would be like today if it wasn't for them. Yes they have issues and the issues are constantly resolved in court, but this is a case of the majority of good deeds versus the minority of evil deeds. Just think of how many auto workers lost their jobs because of personal greed. They keep the prices in check and the competition honest. Thank you Wal-Mart. Thank you Steve Wynn, and thanks to anyone who has kept employees while we have 13.9% unemployment.
Charlie, when Vegas was a home town with home town citizens and employees, Wal-Mart was still in the Arkansas hills looking to see if the Feds were going to bust their stills.
The wages in those days were the highest in the country for persons who worked in such other businesses as grocery stores, clothing stores, drug stores and soda fountains. Soda's were still at the high price of 35 cents and that was if you wanted a cherry on the top of the whipped cream. So get off of the s pile and look at all the damage that Wal-Mart has done to small home town grocery stores such as those that were in Vegas when Sammy and Bobby and Mr. Las Vegas were playing to the crowds who loved their acts and do so today. Wal-Mart has almost put out of business such stores as K-Mart that has products made in America by Americans and not made in China by those who sell their daughters into sex slavery for a few chings in the old cooking pot.
"Starbeams" - you honestly think that K-Mart only stocks products made in the USA?!?!?! You are off your rocker!
Furthermore, the simple law of capitalism is supply and demand. Consumers demanded lower prices, better variety, and more convenience. They got it.
Diamondogg : Walmart is the economy right now. I think the biggest problem with them is that they come into a new market area , shut down all the mom & pop stores and if that particular big box store performs poorly, they just shut it down leaving the area blighted..
I work at Wal-Mart and have never had an issue about breaks or being asked to work off the clock. In fact they are very adament that you do not work off the clock for any reason and you cannot work more than 6 hours without a meal break.
The problem with the suit is that even if you were being treated fairly, you could not opt out of the agreement. Some of us are honest and don't feel right taking money when nothing happened to us. Of course, we are only talking about $50 or, so it is not a big deal. But it is the principal of the thing.
wow.....most are mad at Walmart....when we should be mad at the attorney's fees......good God, the attorneys have been awarded a full 1/3 of the settlement, are paid 1st, and what ever is left over goes to the victims.....looks like the victims have been taken TWICE.
How sad.
Walmart has caused millions of manufacturing jobs to be send to China. These millions of jobs were good paying jobs and were unionized.
These millions of workers could afford items made in the US.
With 3 million lost jobs, it make no difference how cheap stuff is at Walmart. You can't afford anything without a job.
Walmart only made a bunch of millionaire in Arkansas, but screwed millions of other americans.
We need tort reform in more than just health care. Fees of $28 million to the lawyers? Give me a break. Why are the democrats so worried about bankers bonuses and then protect lawyers and these ridiculous fees.
Save money-Cost jobs. PLEASE shop any where but the black hole.
How can you overlook Walmart's money grubbing history of screwing the worker and anyone else just to make more and more money? That is what gives capitalism a black eye to many others in the world. Low pay, no breaks, no overtime, working off the clock, no health care/too expensive health care. The list of sins goes on and on, nationwide, on a regular basis. They are the poster child for unionization.
To those who ask why anyone would work there the answer is simple. The workers are too stupid (and recently desperate for any job, no matter how bad) to realize how they are being taken unfair advantage of. Many Walmart employees work a second or third job just to get by. Then when they get sick they end up at UMC-paid for by the taxpayers. So, go buy your cheap crap at Walmart and think you are saving money but you're not. You are paying for it socially and in higher taxes for indigent health care. Who's got their head in the sand now?
OK. Here goes.
THOUSANDS OF MANAGERS NATIONWIDE HAVE BEEN PUSHED INTO DOING THIS KIND OF CRAP, AND NOT JUST AT WAL-MART.
Since a few years ago when the Labor Department issued new rules regarding overtime, and the delineation of what constitutes non-exempt vs. exempt, etc., our employement places have nearly become a pre 1930's throwback to the "sun-up 'till sun-down" work mentality.
THIS WAS DONE TO BENEFIT ONE, AND I DO MEAN ONLY ONE, BUSINESS GROUP - OWNERS.
Many owners and companies run their new-found labor authority into the ground. Re-classifying non-exempt as exempt to thwart financial payment for work performed, piling on work requirements for exempt to perform substantial non-exempt work requirements, etc., for the SOLE purpose of
TAKING AS MUCH *PROFIT* SKIN OFF THE BACKS OF *ALL* THEIR EMPLOYEES AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.
And what do they do with their new-found profit hides?
INVEST IT IN BRAZIL, CHINA, RUSSIA, INDIA, and ANYWHERE ELSE THEY CAN WADE INTO NEW MARKETS,
for the sole purpose of:
DRIVING DOWN THE EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS AND WAGES HERE IN THE U.S.,
so they can:
GET EVEN MORE SKIN OFF THE BACKS OF THEIR PEOPLE HERE.
It's sad and disgusting that it's come to this. Pretty soon we'll have people who won't want to work at all, and owners who won't want to have any (U.S.) workers.
(We're gettin' pretty close to that, already....)
Won't complain too much...at least Walmart is still in business, gave me a part-time night-time job when a lot of other companies are going out of business. The working conditions aren't the best but hey, money is money, and we get lots of discounts from hundreds of companies.
Walmart needs to die-from the top down.
Enjoy buying your junk that was made by child slave labor in China. If you have anything resembling morals, you'll boycout the dump.
They are as greedy as any company in the world.
This is the result of an on-going effort to unionize Wal-mart employees. The unions stop at nothing, it's called a "Corporate Campaign", if they can't force the company to join, they try to put it out of business. The lawsuits can be brought with a handful of people willing to commit perjury, and are often paid for by unions. The case moves forward because that is the way our labor laws are written. The perjuries go un-checked because the district attorneys have more important crimes to handle. Even if Wal-mart could prove they did nothing wrong, they would spend a huge amount of money doing it with no hope of ever getting any of it back. It's a sad state of affairs when unions can cause this much damage to a business that they do not have a contract with. Doesn't say much for the unions that can't go out and sell their product to the worker honestly.
...and the bloodsucking lawyers get $28 million....nice
Hey people....who cares what people in China pay their citizens an hour?
Wal-Mart is awesome! There is no better place on this planet to "people-watch" than wal-mart.
see for yourself:
http://peopleofwalmart.com
I have boycotted Walmart for years,because of my belief that they have had a major hand in the loss of so many American factory jobs. Does anybody remember their lies from their "Made in America campaign? China's biggest trading partner is Walmart!
Won't shop MalWart, won't shop MalWart, won't shop MalWart...
halfacre, shecky check the facts, watch the news, MANY, MANY american businesses shipped jobs oversees. singling out Walmart is naive
I never shop at Walmart, slap the bejezus out of the wife when I find out she went there! Why? The majority of the crap they sell at Walmart comes from China where things are not made to last, are made with toxins, (lead, mercury, you name it) and are made with toxic plastic products as well! Even ice cream for instance that is made in China and sold as "Dryers" in Walmarts was found to have the toxic milk that killed all of those babies, same for a number of chocolate products made in China and sold extensively in Walmarts. Also, I know for a fact the CIA uses Walmart trucks to move their poison around our country, that's why their trucks are not allowed to stop (always 2 drivers, keep moving) and why Walmart ...long story, not for this forum, needless to say, I can't stand walmart. Here is a partial list of products sold in Walmarts that contain milk from China:
4 DOVE -- MILK CHOCOLATE
5 Dreyers -- Choc Cake Ice Cream 887ml
8 Dreyers -- Cookie & Cream Ice Cream 887ml
12 Dreyers -- Rocky Road Ice Cream 887ml
18 Dreyers -- Vanilla Ice Cream 887ml
19 DUTCH LADY STER M LF BANANA
29 FIRST CHOICE CALCIUM SESAME CRACKERS
33 GINBIS PARTY ANIMAL BUTTER BISC
37 Koala Cocoa Biscuit 40g
39 KRAFT OREO WAFER STICKS 18S
44 Lotte Koala Cocoa Funpack 210g
45 M & M Chocolate Peanut 200g
46 M & M Chocolate Peanut 200g
49 M&M CHOC CANDIES-PLAIN
50 M&M CHOC CANDIES-PEANUTS
51 M&M FUNSIZE MILK
53 M&M Chocolate Candies Plain 200g
61 Monmilk BREAKFAST MILK MALT
64 Monmilk CHOCOLATE MILK 6S
65 Monmilk COFFEE MILK 6S
75 MonmilkBREAKFAST MILK WALNUT
76 NABISCO IN A BISKIT CHICKEN
77 NESTLE NES D/STICK MINI VANILLA
80 NO FRILLS WAFER BLUEBERRY
83 Orion Fresh Pie 138g
87 PEI TIAN CREAM BISCUIT
88 Rabbit Milk Sweet 150g
89 SILANG NATURAL OAT CRACKER
90 Snicker Candies Funsize 240g
91 Snicker Candies Funsize 240g
92 SNICKERS PEANUT CHOCOLATE%
93 SNICKERS SNACKSIZE BARS PNUT 5
94 TAKE ONE BABY BITES 24S
95 TAKE ONE BABY BITE CK VG
96 TAKE ONE BABY BITE CARROT
97 Vitasoy Chocolate Drink 4s 125ml
102 Vitasoy Q Soya Milk 4s 125ml
103 WANT WANT MILK CANDY
104 Want Want Flavoured Milk 250ml
105 Yili Hi Cal Low Fat Milk 1L
109 Yili Pure Milk 1L
Now I just want to bring to the attention of those who whine the howls of indignation that the health insurance companies are reaping "huge" profits. Their profit margin is 2.2%. These attorneys made 33%. Where's the outrage now?
wal-mart hasn't caused anything.
free market capitalism has caused everything.
if workers at the unionized widget factory think they should get $40 per hour to make widgets and that results in a per unit price of 99 cents and the non-unionized widget factory makes them for 79 cents...
which one would YOU buy 1,000,000 widgets from if you were wal-mart?
that's right...the 79 cent widget company.
if people felt "good union jobs" were worth that extra 20 cents per widget...they'd PAY 99 cents per widget...but they don't...so grow up.
LOVE Walmart. Cheap food, clothes, toys, and misc. crap all under one roof, and the employee's/greeters are mostly nice. unlike Kmart with there aggressive donate to this, that, this, that,crap.
WALMART forever!
KillerB is ignorant in his 11/3/09 10:28 a.m. posting. KillerB: You should know what you're talking about before writing something and making yourself look like a moron. When a case is "settled" and "approved" by a judge, there is not appellate process. There was no trial earned judgment that Walmart lost. There was a settlement. Read the headline. It says, Walmart "won final approval of a settlement." This means Walmart agreed to pay the money and "won" this small payout. Hence, there will be no appeal. No 10 years of waiting. Why do people talk out of their ass?