rigs, Ain't it a shame we can't depend on our govt. for justice and have to rely on lawyers and action in civil courts.
On Dec 12, 8:11 am, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > Ain't justice grand? Look back to slaves, child labor. coolies. No > compensation. How does the world exist without lawyers? It doesn't. > And Obama is trained as a lawyer. > > On Dec 12, 7:28 am, mike 532 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Wal-Mart Workers in Minnesota Win $54 Million Settlement > > )http://www.truthout.org:80/121108LA > > Hastings - Some 100,000 current and former hourly employees of > > Wal- > > Mart and Sam's Club stores in Minnesota - and the state of Minnesota > > itself - will share up to $54 million from the giant retailer under a > > settlement announced Tuesday. > > > The agreement is the final stage in a wage-and-hour class action > > suit that put a spotlight on Wal-Mart's practice of having employees > > work through their rest and meal breaks. In July, Dakota County > > District Judge Robert King ruled the company committed more than 2 > > million violations of the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act and > > ordered it to pay $6.5 million in back pay. > > > The judge then scheduled a jury trial to determine the amount of > > civil penalties and punitive damages. By reaching a settlement, the > > parties avoided going to trial. > > > People eligible for the settlement worked at Wal-Mart Stores and > > Sam's Clubs locations in Minnesota from Sept. 11, 1998, through Nov. > > 14, 2008. The agreement also includes "a substantial payment to the > > State of Minnesota," according to a joint statement released by Wal- > > Mart and Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, one of the law firms > > representing the workers. > > > "We are satisfied with this settlement, gratified that these > > hourly workers will now be paid after seven years of litigation, and > > happy that the State of Minnesota will receive the largest wage and > > hour civil penalty in its history," said Justin Perl, one of the > > attorneys for the workers. > > > "Wal-Mart is pleased that the court in Minnesota ruled in its > > favor on many claims," said Wal-Mart spokesperson David Tovar. "Our > > policies are to pay every associate for every hour worked and to make > > rest and meal breaks available for associates. Any manager who > > violates these policies is subject to discipline, up to and including > > termination. We remain committed to providing good jobs with real > > career opportunity to the 1.45 million U.S. associates who choose to > > work for Wal-Mart and serve our customers every day." > > > In his ruling in July, Judge King found that Wal-Mart repeatedly > > and willfully violated Minnesota labor laws or its contract with its > > employees on the issues of contractual rest breaks, statutory meal > > breaks, shaving time from paid rest breaks and failure to maintain > > accurate records. > > > In the decision, the judge found that Wal-Mart was aware that > > employees were not receiving breaks to which they were entitled. "In > > essence, they put their heads in the sand," King stated. > > > In testimony before Judge King, former Wal-Mart workers described > > being forced to miss breaks so they could keep up with the work, even > > to the point of not having time to go to the bathroom. > > > As part of the settlement, Wal-Mart has agreed to maintain > > various > > electronic systems, surveys, and notices that will further compliance > > with wage and hour policies and Minnesota laws. The settlement is > > subject to approval by the trial court, and the exact amount paid to > > class members will depend on the court's approval as well as on the > > number and amount of claims that are submitted by class members, the > > parties said. > > > A hearing for preliminary approval of the settlement has been > > scheduled for Jan. 14, 2009.- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
