Walmart-at-the-Crossroads-FINAL-06.04.15

ILRF confirmed that the USDA had opened an investigation into the case to determine if the numbers
had been manipulated by either Narong, Walmart, or some third party. Findings of the investigation
were not public at the time that this report was written. The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) also
responded to the media coverage, sending an auditing team to the facility shortly after the report was
released.
396
GAA reported that it found no compliance issues in the follow-up audit. Importantly,
Walmart never released the findings of the original audit that raised concerns, and the GAA did not
address any of its auditing procedures called into question during the investigation.
Cases of modern-day slavery and forced labor are not isolated to Asia. In the U.S., immigrant
guest workers with H2-B visas at C.J.’s Seafood in Louisiana went on strike to protest extreme and
“These circumstances
included being forced to
work 16-24 hours in a row,
being locked into the factory,
being threatened with
beatings unless work was
completed faster, and being
threatened with injury to
their families in Mexico if
they complained to any
government agencies.”
unlawful working conditions in June 2012. These circumstances
included being forced to work 16-24 hours in a row, being
locked into the factory, being threatened with beatings unless
work was completed faster, and being threatened with injury to
their families in Mexico if they complained to any government
agencies.
397
The average wage at this factory was also found to
be 42 percent less than legally required.
398
The U.S. Department
of Labor fined C.J.’s Seafood $34,000 and determined the
company owed $76,608 in back pay to 73 workers for
underpayment of wages and was liable for an additional
$70,014 in liquidated damages, $32,120 in civil damages for
overtime violations, and $35,000 for willful H-2B violations.
399
After this situation came to light, Walmart suspended C.J.’s Seafood as a supplier.
Walmart claims that it is concerned about these extensive problems in the seafood supply chain
and says it has an independent audit process to hold suppliers accountable to its code of conduct.
400
The exploitation of workers that continues in Walmart’s seafood supply chain, however, underscores
that this system has failed. Walmart should increase supply chain transparency and establish third-party
monitoring that includes workers and their organizations as a means of improving the labor conditions
in its seafood supply chain.
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