The Beast of Bentonville–aka Wal-Mart–is slowly, but surely, letting go of the argument "we’re innocent" of widespread lawbreaking. And this just in: it will settle 63 lawsuits for a cool $640 million.

  From The New York Times:

Wal-Mart Stores, the nation’s largest retailer, said Tuesday that it would pay up to $640 million to settle some 63 wage-and-hour lawsuits that accused it of forcing employees to work off the clock and go without meal and rest breaks.

Some of the cases date back to 2000.

"Many of these lawsuits were filed years ago and the allegations are not representative of the company we are today," Tom Mars, executive vice president and general counsel for Wal-Mart Stores said in a statement.

The cases, which were brought by different groups of lawyers in various states, involved hundreds of thousands of current and former hourly employees. The total amount to be paid will depend on the number of claims submitted, but it will be at least $352 million, Wal-Mart said.

  To keep this in perspective, the Beast is taking care of just a tiny bit of the wreckage it has left around the country and world. If Mr. Mars wants to clean up the Beast’s act, it has a lot more work to do:

 Wal-Mart has at least 80 class-action lawsuits in 41 states pending against it.

 Wal-Mart illegally denied full rest or meal breaks in violation of state wage and hour laws–a violation that may cost the company $2 billion.

 Wal-Mart abuses women, and is the defendant in the biggest sex discrimination case in history.

 Wal-Mart is a habitual tax-dodger.

 Wal-Mart’s heirs buy expensive paintings but won’t give their workers decent health care.

 Wal-Mart exploits children in Mexico.

 But, this still is a nice bit of news. And I should add: this is all coming because of the activism and pressure brought to bear against the Beast by a whole lot of people in the past few years.