[Vision2020] Wal-Mart Settles Lawsuit

[Wayne Price]

And I'll bet that WAL-Marche' had better lawyers than the city can  
come up with in a law suit!



On Jul 22, 2009, at 1:13 PM, Tom Hansen wrote:

> Courtesy of today's (July 22, 2009) Spokesman Review.
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> Wal-Mart settles lawsuit by Washington workers for $35M
>
> SEATTLE — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has agreed to pay up to $35 million to
> settle a class-action lawsuit brought on behalf of 88,000 workers at
> Washington state stores who were forced to skip meals and rest  
> breaks or
> work off the clock.
>
> The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer and lawyers for the workers  
> jointly
> announced Wednesday that a King County Superior Court judge has given
> final approval to the deal.
>
> “This lawsuit was filed years ago and the allegations are not
> representative of the company we are today,” Wal-Mart spokeswoman  
> Daphne
> Moore said in a news release. “Our policy is to pay associates for  
> every
> hour worked and to make rest and meal breaks available.”
>
> Wal-Mart announced in December it would pay as much as $640 million to
> settle 63 lawsuits across the country over wage and hour violations.  
> Each
> settlement had to be approved by courts. Only cases in California and
> Pennsylvania went to trial, and those verdicts are on appeal, said  
> Beth
> Terrell, a Seattle lawyer for the Washington plaintiffs.
>
> In Washington, the plaintiffs’ lawyers will receive $10.5 million to  
> cover
> eight years of legal fees. Three workers who brought the lawsuit will
> receive $10,000 each, and other workers will get between $50 and $950,
> depending on how long they worked for Wal-Mart and how much detail  
> they
> can provide about the violations they suffered.
>
> The class members must file their claims by Aug. 19.
>
> The settlement also requires Wal-Mart to continue steps it has taken  
> to
> prevent wage and hour violations at its 50 stores and Sam’s Clubs in
> Washington, Terrell said.
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> Seeya at Farmers' Market, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to  
> change
> and the Realist adjusts his sails."
>
> - Unknown
>
>
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