20 June 2005
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"We are going to
vigorously pursue this" says State Attorney General: Wal-Mart has repeatedly violated child labour law in Connecticut The authorities in the U.S. State of Connecticut have uncovered proof of 11 child labour law violations in three different Wal-Mart stores. They concern young workers using heavy machinery such as equipment to crush cardboard. Young workers have also illegally been made to work late at night, after the 22.00 deadline set by law. In February this year, Wal-Mart was fined USD 135,540 to settle federal child-labor charges. In that connection, a sweetheart deal between the Bush administration and the Bentonville-based multinational was discovered, which gave the company a two week advance warning before workplaces were inspected. Commented on the latest child labour bust, Rich Harris, a spokesman for Connecticut governor M. Jodi Rell, said to NBC 30 News that it's "worth considering toughening the fines" against employers that "wilfully and repeatedly" violate child labor laws. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Attorney General, has been strongly critical of the deal between Wal-Mart and the U.S. Labor Department. He promised that the state athorities will now vigorously pursue Wal-Marts labour law violations to the end.
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