WP: Wal-Mart Accused of Denying Workers' Rights (class action suit filed)

[DeepModem Mom]

Wal-Mart Accused of Denying Workers' Rights
By Michael Barbaro
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 13, 2005


An American labor rights group filed a class action lawsuit today against Wal-Mart Stores Inc., alleging that suppliers in five foreign countries denied workers a minimum wage, overtime pay and the right to unionize.

According to the suit, filed in state Superior Court in Los Angeles, Wal-Mart has failed to enforce its corporate code of conduct in China, Bangladesh, Swaziland, Nicaragua and Indonesia while misleading U.S. consumers by touting its human rights record.

The suit, which must be certified by a judge before achieving class-action status, is the latest legal salvo against the giant retailer, which already faces class action suits alleging it discriminated against black truck drivers and female employees.

Beth Keck, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said "it's too early for us to talk about this in detail."The International Labor Rights Fund, a District-based advocacy organization, brought the lawsuit on behalf of 15 foreign workers, who contend they were subjected to illegal working conditions, and four California business owners, who argue Wal-Mart's alleged conduct amounted to unfair business practices.

Terry Collingsworth, a lawyer from the International Labor Rights Fund who is working on the suit, said the case is designed to test whether corporate codes of conduct, which retailers such as Wal-Mart require their foreign suppliers to sign, "are simply public relations devices or whether they mean what they say."...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/13/AR2005091301157.html

[sarcasmo]

1. Like I need another reason to stop buying from Corporate Giant.

Walmart

[Zuni]

2. I love the smell of wal-mart burning in the morning

[napi21]

3. Yea, I heard that! I didn't know citizens of another country

could join in a class action case here in the US??? I guess because they are all employed by the same company. I heard this report on Lou Dobbs tonight, so I didn't read the WP article. The examples given on Lou's show were obscene to say the least! I yelld at the TV...."Go Get 'EM!" as I was walking by.

[DIKB]

4. My brother went to work

at one of their Distribution Centers. I practically knocked the shit outta him when he tried passing off their propaganda against unions as a legitimate argument. They have videos and seminars to brainwash and break the will of their workers, all working under the concept, "Give them just enough and they won't demand more."

Are there any URLs that list the erosion of worker benefits, the wal-mart practices that are detrimental to standards, etc ? I'd like a more complete and cohesive argument.

[LostinVA]

5. Question about these anti-union meetings, videos, etc.

Are these not illegal under Federal law? I always thought they were....

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Kicking this, in case someone has what you are looking for.