// Morrions facing fresh legal action over equal pay from thousands of store employees.
// Former & current female staff say they’re not paid the same as male workers in comparable jobs
// Lawyers say the women could receive back pay averaging £15,000
Morrisons is facing fresh legal action around equal pay claims from thousands of former and current female store employees.
The women, who work or worked in Morrisons’ stores, say they are not paid the same as male colleagues doing comparable jobs.
The claims also apply to other terms and conditions, such as bonus payments, holidays and sick leave.
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Representing by law firm RoscoeReid, the women are now in the process of bringing legal proceedings against Morrisons via an equal pay claim that could eventually cost the Big 4 retailer up to £100 million.
RoscoeReid said that if they win the legal challenge, thousands of women could receive back pay averaging £15,000.
Law firm Leigh Day is also seeking compensation for women in Morrisons stores who believe they are paid less than men in distribution centres for equal work.
It comes after Asda lost a high-profile court ruling in an equal pay case a coupe of weeks ago.
The Court of Appeal upheld a decision that Asda’s retail staff, who are mostly women, can compare themselves with higher paid warehouse workers, who are mostly men.
RoscoeReid said the law on equal pay for men and women not only states that they should be paid the same for the same job, but also that they should be paid the same for doing jobs of equal value.
They added that if Morrisons does not settle claims, the employment tribunal will appoint an expert to assess the shop floor jobs and the warehouse jobs, and whether they provide equal value to the employer.
“There is a clear case that female roles have been underpaid for a long time and employees are very likely to win their equal pay cases,” RoscoeReid lawyer Ellie Pinnells said.
“Asda has tried to fight every point, but has had a string of defeats in the court.
“Let’s hope Morrisons takes a different approach and a tries to puts an end to decade long unfair pay on their shop floors.”
Roscoe Reid said thousands of former and current Morrisons employees were expected to bring their claims to the courts in the coming weeks and months.
However, a Morrisons spokeswoman told BBC News: “We are perplexed that this law firm is talking about ‘thousands’ of claimants as they have written to us recently with a significantly smaller list of claimants.
“We believe we pay our colleagues fairly and equally for the job that they do, irrespective of their gender, and we will be defending this claim.”
The Retail Gazette has contacted Morrisons for further comment.
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