Immediate Release
Contact: Chris Kofinis (202) 486-6422

WAL-MART MAKES SWEETHEART DEAL WITH BUSH DEPT. OF LABOR

The following statement by WakeUpWalMart.com is in response to Wal-Mart’s announced settlement with President Bush’s Department of Labor in regards to Wal-Mart’s own admission that it miscalculated workers’ overtime pay. The statement is attributable to Chris Kofinis, Communications Director for WakeUpWalMart.com:

“Today's settlement between Wal-Mart and the Bush Labor Department is not only an admission of wrong-doing by Wal-Mart but represents another 'backroom sweetheart deal' that potentially undermines the rights of millions of Wal-Mart workers and proves that Wal-Mart's cozy dealings with the Bush Administration have no bounds.

Worse still, the notion that Wal-Mart, a company that faces over 57 wage and hour lawsuits, including the largest gender discrimination lawsuit in U.S. history, would negotiate in the best interests of its workers is ludicrous on its face.

And to top it off, it appears Wal-Mart and the most anti-worker Administration in recent history negotiated this ‘secret settlement’ without any outside legal representation for the workers affected. Not surprisingly, the $33 million award is significantly below the amounts awarded to workers where the workers had legal representation of their own and the power of a courtroom.

All in all, this sad agreement between Wal-Mart and the Bush Department of Labor is not only a bad deal for Wal-Mart workers who have been treated unfairly by Wal-Mart but reminds one of how far Wal-Mart and the Bush Administration are willing to go to prevent workers from receiving justice.”