Wal-Mart: We're too big to be sued

[warrens]

Wal-Mart, facing billions in damages, wants bias case tossed
Monday, August 08, 2005


SAN FRANCISCO -- Has Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest private employer, grown too big for the U.S. justice system?

That provocative question is the key to Wal-Mart's defense against a lawsuit filed on behalf of 1.6 million former and current women employees. Lawyers pursuing the class action claim Wal-Mart systematically denied raises and promotions to women and paid them less than their male counterparts.

Wal-Mart denies any pattern of discrimination and has appealed the decision of U.S. District Judge Martin Jenkins to proceed to trial, calling the case "gargantuan," "elephantine" and "unprecedented," among other things.

But what really bothers the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailing powerhouse is the judge's compensation plan: If companywide gender discrimination is proven at trial, it could force Wal-Mart to pay billions of dollars to all women paid less than their male counterparts, with no opportunity to dispute their individual circumstances.

Jenkins rejected the idea of 1.6 million individual hearings in the nation's largest civil rights case as "impractical on its face."

Wal-Mart calls that an unprecedented denial of due process in its appeal, which seeks to have the entire case dismissed. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments on Aug. 8.

SNIP

Essentially, they want to call all 1.9 million women to the stand. Or have charges dismissed. A novel, if stupid, legal argument.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05220/549501.stm

[ixion]

1. I guess they should have thought of that when they were short-changing

their employees. :evilgrin:

[Ian David]

Oh, poor Wal-Mart. Is there someplace we can donate to help these women?

I want to see Wal-Mart dead and burried as a corporation.

[getmeouttahere]

2. They MUST be boycotted...

there is always someplace you can go besides Walmart...buy items on sale, use coupons, whatever it takes, but we must teach these people a lesson and show them who's boss!

[Missy M]

3. I have never shopped at Walmart and never will yet I get bargains..

all the time just waiting for sales and using coupons. I can go to a department store and get quality goods just waiting for their big sales and pay less than the cheap goods at Walmart. I hate the whole concept of Walmart and wish people would take a second look before shopping there.

[noahmijo]

5. Wally World is NEVER a bargain I never understand why people go there

I ALWAYS find better prices elsewhere from groceries to non food related items always cheaper places to go.

[Missy M]

6. Exactly!!!!!

[noahmijo]

8. I think alot has to with not the so called low prices but laziness

You can get all your groceries, movies, knick knacks, clothing, watch rings ect you name it hell even ammo at Wally World.

It would actually take you all day to shop around to find all those things.

"Did you get the pop tarts for the kids honey?"

"Oh sure it's right next to the shells"

"Oh you mean the rigitoni?"

"No the shotgun shells bitch!"

(Sorry this post inspired me to write a Chappelle show style script

[Junkdrawer]

4. I don't know..the drug companies caused too much damage with Thimerosal...

to be sued...or even acknowledged. There is precedent...

[SteppingRazor]

7. This argument should be laughed out of court in any sane world...

Pity the Supreme Court slit all of our throats when it decided that corporations have the same rights as individuals about 100 years ago.