True to form, the Bush administration is making sure that its corporate friends are not too inconvenienced on those rare occasions when they are found to be breaking federal laws, especially if it only involves child labor issues.
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer agreed to pay $135,540 to settle federal charges that it violated child labor laws in Connecticut, Arkansas and New Hampshire. As part of the agreement, revealed yesterday after it was secretly signed in January, the Labor Department agreed "to give Wal-Mart 15 days' notice before the Labor Department investigates any other 'wage and hour' accusations, like failure to pay minimum wage or overtime."
The violations involved workers under age 18 operating dangerous machinery, including cardboard balers and chain saws. Consistent with its new P.R. role models -- the industries that brought us lung cancer, underage drinking and Bhopal -- Wal-Mart reached and agreements to pay the fine, although the company denied any wrongdoing.
The agreement left Congressman George Miller (D-CA) rather angry:
http://www.nathannewman.org/laborblog/archive/002183.shtmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/12/national/12wage.html?ex=1265864400&en=12fa6925c49373e3&ei=5090&partner=rssuserlandhttp://www.nathannewman.org/laborblog/archive/002189.shtmlhttp://www.nathannewman.org/laborblog/archive/002185.shtml