Next Retail Workers Win Equal Pay Claims

Next store workers have succeeded in their claims for equal pay after comparing themselves with warehouse workers. What does this mean for other employers, especially if you are in retail?

Six years ago, a group of mainly female store-based workers at Next brought an equal pay claim. They argued that their work as retail consultants was of equal value to the work done by Next's warehouse operatives, who are predominantly male, and they should be paid the same. They first succeeded in showing that the two jobs were of “equal value”,  as we previously explained. The Employment Tribunal (ET) has now ruled that a number of the differences in pay could not be justified. This means that the claims have largely succeeded, and up to £30 million may be payable in compensation.