Morrisons is the latest retailer facing an equal pay battle as its workers seek compensation for an alleged gender pay gap.
Law firm Leigh Day has revealed it is fighting for compensation for predominantly female shop workers who believe they are paid less than mostly male workers in Morrisons’ warehouses.
Leigh Day said it would lodge a claim with the employment tribunal service next week on behalf of the eight Morrisons shop workers.
If their claim is successful, around 80,000 employees could be eligible to apply for back pay – totalling in more than £1 billion.
The law firm said Morrisons’ warehouse workers are paid between £1 and £41 more per hour than their colleagues in shops at other major supermarket chains.
“We believe that Morrisons, as with the other major supermarkets, has underpaid those working in its stores for a number of years,” Leigh Day partner Emma Satyamurti said.
“Our clients believe that those working on the shop floor should be paid the same as those in the distribution centres, and a failure to commit to this is not only unfair but unlawful.”
A Morrisons spokesperson said the retailer was “not aware of any court proceedings issued by a third party”.
“We have received a letter asking us a number of questions about our pay policies. Our aim is to pay our colleagues fairly and equally for the job that they do, irrespective of their gender,” the spokesperson added.
The new claim means Leigh Day is now bringing equal pay claims against all four of the UK’s biggest supermarkets, with legal action already in motion for staff working at Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.
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