More than 3,500 current and former store staff at fashion retailer Next have won a six-year legal battle for equal pay.
The employees had claimed sex discrimination because sales consultants, who are predominantly women, were paid lower hourly rates than warehouse operatives, who are typically male. The difference in annual salary amounted to more than £6,000 each.
At a hearing in May, Next told the employment tribunal that the market rate for a warehouse operative is more than for a sales consultant and that the sex of staff did not come into it. However, the tribunal held that this reason alone is not a lawful defence to an equal pay claim and there has to be something more to justify the inequality.
As a result of the judgment, the store staff who brought the case will be entitled to back pay dating back up to six years from when they put in their claims. In addition, their basic hourly pay terms will be equalised in their existing contracts and the staff will be granted the right to paid rest breaks and Sunday, night and overtime premiums in line with comparable terms in the warehouse contracts.
According to law firm Leigh Day, which represented the workers, the total amount payable by Next is estimated to be in excess of £30m.
Next intends to appeal against the ruling, BBC News reports.
Similar equal pay cases are being pursued by workers at Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and the Co-op.
