Summary
30 March 2011
The US Supreme Court is reviewing whether or not a court case about women being treated unfairly at work can proceed. Six women, who worked for the supermarket group Wal-Mart, want to sue on behalf of over one million other women.
Reporter
Rajini Vaidyanathan
The women claim they have been discriminated against by Wal-Mart
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Report
As protesters outside chanted, the judges inside the US Supreme Court were hearing evidence on what could turn into the largest sex discrimination lawsuit in American history. This group of women are suing their bosses at Wal-Mart, claiming they've been passed up for pay and promotion in favour of men.
It's been a ten-year battle, but they are calling on their case to be heard as a class action, so the grievances of all women employees can be heard together. The women claim thousands of workers have been held back from opportunities based on their gender.
It's for the Supreme Court to decide in the coming weeks whether the lawsuit should cover all female retail staff who've worked in Wal-Mart stores in America since 1988.
Wal-Mart says any grievances should be heard on a case-by-case basis, rather than be lumped together as one, and deny any claims of sexism.
Many big businesses fear that if the Supreme Court does allow a class action lawsuit to go ahead, it could open the floodgates to many similar large-scale discrimination cases.
Rajini Vaidyanathan, 大象传媒 News, Washington
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Vocabulary
- chanted
sang and shouted phrases repeatedly
- sex discrimination lawsuit
legal cases where a person believes she (or he) has not been fairly treated because of her gender
- passed up
rejected
- promotion
here, moving to a more senior position at work
- in favour of
to the advantage of (a group)
- a class action
a legal case where a small number of people can sue on behalf of a larger group
- held back from
prevent from getting (something)
- cover
here, include, deal with
- lumped together
grouped together
- open the floodgates
make it possible (for something significant to happen)
