Wal-Mart faces huge sex-bias case

[rawstory]

As seen on the liberal drudge, http://rawstory.com

Wal-Mart faces huge sex-bias case


BBC - Wal-Mart has more than 1 million staff
A US federal judge has given the go-ahead for a sex-discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart to be heard as a class action, the plaintiffs' lawyers say.

The judge's decision means the case now involves up to 1.6 million women who have worked for Wal-Mart since 1998.

It is the biggest civil rights case against a private employer in US legal history, the plaintiffs' lawyers say.

Wal-Mart, which is the world's biggest retailer, has not yet made any comment on the legal setback.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3830003.stm

[blueknight]

1. F*CK WAL-MART,

i dont shop at that scabby ass place, and i hope they lose billions of dollars in law suits. but they wont, bushco will make sure of that

[treepig]

3. you unfeeling monster

if you don't buy the shirts sewn in 17-hour shifts for 13 cents a day by bangledeshi 11-year olds - these kids are going to get thrown out onto the street.

don't know how you could possibly live with something like that on your conscience.

[classics]

4. Wal-Mart is famous for its preference for men.

Men are always hired in at a higher rate than women and women have zero chance of ever entering management, even after years of work and education.

They dont do too well with minorities either, but old Sam was a real asshole about where he thought women 'belonged'.

[comsymp]

2. It's about time- I'm SOOOO tired of hearing over the PA system

"I need a male associate to..." whenever I'm in there.

Clearly gender-based discrimination.

[fudge stripe cookays]

6. Really?

I'd never heard that when I shopped there. But that stopped at least a year ago.

There's another way to not hear it. Stop shopping there.

Any good you're doing the Democrats you vote for you cancel out by handing the money to them. They in turn, hand it straight to Bush.

[comsymp]

8. Well, sometimes I allow convenience to override conviction- guilty

We've probably shopped there 4-5 times this year so far and undoubtedly will again. Call me a Lukewarm Liberal.

In my small town, there's Wally. In the next small town 10-15 min away, there's Wally. There is, however, a Target 30 miles (60 RT) away, which we usually frequent as part of a planned shopping road trip. Bicycling is obviously out of the question. Now, would you suggest that I avoid giving $$ to Wally and give it to Exxon-Mobil, Texaco, etc., instead?

As for your suggestion re: remedy for hearing clear gender bias broadcast over their PA system by avoiding it... ya think that's a good way to avoid hearing about the unpleasantness at AG as well? Just curious.

[fudge stripe cookays]

9. Convenience is such a great excuse.

I live in a small town as well. To get half the stuff I need I have to drive into Dallas and save up a trip. But I save up and do it, because it's what needs to be done. I support farmers markets, local garden centers, any hardware store that isn't Wal-Mart or Home Depot, and smaller retail stores. The merchandise is higher quality and it's more unusual. Buy over the internet if you have to.

I'm not suggesting swapping one bad spending habit for another. You have to find alternatives I understand, but Wal-Mart is the worst of the worst.

Do you have any mom and pop convenience stores where you can buy gas? Do you have any local businesses left you can patronize? Or has Wal-Mart driven them all out of business?

It's good to KNOW about the gender bias, but why do you have to put money in their pockets to hear about it? These are the people who are fully supporting vouchers to destroy our school system, promoting full-scale censorship, and killing the small-town (and larger city) American culture in this country.

That place is my sworn enemy. I will do anything I can to kill their business. We have enough problems with freepers shopping there voluntarily. Why do progressives still do it? I can't fathom it. Small town or not, there are still alternatives.

[comsymp]

10. No argument with the main thrust of your point, however

I'd have to challenge the "worst of the worst" argument. I'd suggest that Big Oil has had more to do with our ME involvement than the Walton family, for example. Same with the gutting of enviro regs, etc.

We do a great deal of internet shopping, and the packages generally arrive either FedEx or UPS (FedEx Corp PAC & United Parcel Svc PAC - each avg >70%R, and you undoubtedly are familiar with their labor histories/practices).

We also shop the Mom&Pops, etc., and frankly avoid WM whenever possible- unfortunately, it isn't *always* possible. Other times, the alternative is equally bad, or even worse... IMHO.

[Scairp]

11. It's about HEAVY items

In that case, it isn't about gender preference, but they need something heavy, usually VERY heavy, carried out for a customer. I would say calling for a man, most of whom are usually physically stronger than the majority of women, is appropriate.

[comsymp]

12. Due to the increased risk of injury, do you also think the disparity

should be reflected in pay?

I assume that you also oppose women serving in combat positions in the military, due to the weight of field gear, etc?

[TommyO]

5. Also at CNN:

Wal-Mart case a certified class action

Gotta love it when Wal-Mart gets whacked!

[FizzFuzz]

7. YAY!!!!! Great News!!! I puke when I see their bullshit ads, cuz they're

totally lies.

Good!

[rawstory]

16. Agreed.

No kidding.

[Broadslidin]

13. Staying Out Of the Stinking wal mart is One Of The Great Joys In Life....!!

Sock It To 'Um!!

BBC World News gives us this good news,
now will our corporate controlled media do the same?

[TheCentepedeShoes]

14. And Goddess smote our newest Walmart last night

saying "This is payback for not treating my creations fairly."
And Goddess sent forth the hailstones (golfball, tennis ball, grapefruit, cantalope (!) size - Goddess has a lot to choose from) and smasheth the skylights into which to poureth a torrent of rain.
And the newscritters did reporteth that the proud edifice was (to paraphrase) "totally F'd up."
Please note - Goddess is a kind Goddess, so no "associates" (or as Goddess calls them "slaves") or patrons got hurt.

[Hand]

15. You Go, Goddess!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do it again right after they finish cleaning up!

:evilgrin: :yourock: :toast: :bounce:

ON EDIT: Welcome to DU, TheCentepedeShoes!

[G_j]

17. 1.6 million women

maybe this will finally have some impact. They have always viewed paying off individual lawsuits as a part of doing business.

[Triana]

18. heard on NPR this morning...

...that one woman who worked at Sams was hired at much less than a male in the same type and level of position (same title, etc.). When she asked about it she was told that the man needed more money because HE had a family to support.

EXCUUUUSE ME?!

1) Whether or not one has a 'family to support' should NEVER be used as any guage for salary level. This is just WRONG. I *thought* it was illegal, but apparently not!

2) Even when used as a gauge, EVERYONE has a 'family' to support, even if it's only themselves and their cat or dog or hamster. Most working women have 'families to support' too. PEOPLE (all of them) deserve a decent living wage so that type of excuse is just irrelevant.

Mal-Wort SUCKS!

[smirkymonkey]

19. HAH! Eat it, Wal Mart!

Let's hope this is the beginning of a trend - Greedy, right-wing corporate vultures getting what they deserve.

[Skittles]

20. someone should file a human-bias case

f***ing assholes