Retail giant acknowledges settlement talks in illegal workers case

LITTLE ROCK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. acknowledged Friday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it is discussing a possible civil settlement with federal prosecutors that would resolve allegations that it used illegal workers to clean its stores.

A federal grand jury has been meeting in Pennsylvania since December of 2003 to investigate charges that the world's largest retailer, based at Springdale, knew that some of the janitorial companies it used to clean its floors employed illegal immigrants.

Federal agents arrested about 250 alleged illegal workers last October during a sweep of Wal-Mart stores in 21 states. Some immigrant workers have sued the Arkansas-based company, claiming they were paid illegally low wages.

"Wal-Mart has entered into discussions with the U.S. attorney in an effort to resolve the government's investigation on a civil basis," the company's SEC filing said Friday.

The filing said Wal-Mart officials do not believe "any amounts paid to resolve the matter will have any material effect on the financial condition or results of operations of the company."

Last month, lawyers close to the case, who spoke on the condition that they not be named, said the settlement negotiations included a possibility that the company could pay a multimillion dollar fine without having to acknowledge criminal liability.

Wal-Mart spokesman Gus Whitcomb said in August that the company was unaware that any of its floor-cleaning contractors were violating labor or immigration laws.

Some immigrant workers have sued the Arkansas-based company, claiming they were paid illegally low wages.

Notice the "immigrant workers" aren't identified as illegal, only the American dollars they were paid was illegal. Media bias.

Interesting Walmart gets blamed but not the cleaning company and not the illegals. People, this was contracted out. How many of us have a house built and hire a contractor who in turn contracts out the framing, the plumbing, the electrical, etc.? Unless we were there at the time the illegal dude was, we wouldn't know about him. Big business isn't going to be on the spot like a homeowner would so it could go on a while until it was brought to their attention but all they'd do is send a memo to the cleaning company and wait for their response. I'm not excusing Walmart, but where's the charges against the cleaning company? The only reason Walmart is getting catching it all is because the media wants to bring Walmart down, not because hiring illegals is wrong and drains the economy. How about blaming the INS for knowingly allowing the illegals to remain and taking jobs away from citizens? Why weren't they rounded up and had a ride back to where they belong? Why isn't it being reported if the IRS is investigating the cleaning company? Since apparently there were a number working together then where's the arrest record of the coyotes who brought them and set them up with the cleaning company? Why isn't the media pressing Vincente about the mass exodus from his glorious country and the kick backs he's getting? There's more out there to blame, but a usual, the courts and the media have failed.

Federal agents arrested about 250 alleged illegal workers last October during a sweep of Wal-Mart stores in 21 states.

That's all they could find?

Some immigrant workers have sued the Arkansas-based company, claiming they were paid illegally low wages.

Are the suing Mexican immigrants legal immigrants? If so, they're suing for something illegal? This is so confusing....

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