USA: big women’s lawsuit against Wal-Mart for sex bias

Wal-Mart, cartoon

From the Mail & Guardian in South Africa:

Wal-Mart faces biggest sex bias case in US history

Jim Christie | San Francisco, United States

07 February 2007 12:18

The biggest sexual discrimination case in United States history advanced against Wal-Mart on Tuesday when a top court ruled that more than a million women could join a suit charging bias in pay and promotions.

The plaintiffs estimate they could win billions of dollars in lost pay and damages and that as many as two million women who have worked for Wal-Mart in its US stores since 1998 could join a class-action lawsuit.

“It is time for Wal-Mart to face the music,” Brad Seligman, a lawyer for the Impact Fund, a non-profit group in Berkeley, California representing the female plaintiffs, told reporters.

“Two courts now have ruled that Wal-Mart is going to have to face a jury …

We fully expect Wal-Mart to keep appealing but we’re very confident now that two courts have upheld this [class] certification,” he said.

Lead plaintiff Betty Dukes (56) who works as a greeter at a Wal-Mart east of San Francisco, said she had let out a cheer while at work.

“I am absolutely overjoyed,” Dukes said.