Wal Mart scofflaws face justice for screwing workers

As reported by a New York Times article, a state judge in Minnesota ruled that managers at Wal-Mart systematically screwed workers by making them take in house training off the clock, and by deducting their pay when they took breaks slightly over 15 minutes. Although the company sets breaks at 15 minutes, Minnesota law says you can't deduct time on the clock unless the break extends over 20. Additionally, the company failed to give numerous meal breaks.

Judge King wrote that Ms. Braun had recounted the humiliating experience of soiling herself while at work because she had not been permitted time to use the restroom. He said that another Wal-Mart employee “had to beg to use the restroom during one of her menstrual cycles.”

While saying that these incidents were aberrations and not classwide, Judge King wrote that the restrictions on using the restroom were “dehumanizing and reprehensible.”

Work should not be demeaning. Managers should not treat workers like shit. Now, surely company policies surely set the stage for the managers in question to abuse the workers, and surely Wal-Mart should pay a hefty fine. However, shouldn't the managers also be fired? We are all responsible for our actions, after all.