Morrisons faces £1bn equal pay claim from female shop-floor workers

Shop-floor workers, most of whom are women, paid almost £2 per hour less than largely male distribution centre staff

Morrisons' main rivals, Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's face similar claims, which could result in billions of pounds of payouts (Morrisons)

Morrisons could face a £1bn bill if new legal action against the firm is successful.

Law firm Leigh Day is seeking compensation for women shop-floor employees at the supermarket who are paid less than male staff at Morrisons' distribution centres. The claimants argue that this is discriminatory because the work is of the same value.

The law firm has launched similar action against Morrisons' main rivals, Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's which could result in billions of pounds of payouts.

Claims have been lodged against Morrisons with the conciliation service Acas while lawyers await a response from Morrisons chief executive David Potts.

Leigh Day has asked Morrisons to provide pay and gender information on workers and to confirm if an equal pay audit has been carried out.

An estimated 80,000 store staff could be eligible to claim back pay totalling more than a billion pounds.

Emma Satyamurti, a partner in Leigh Day’s employment team, said she believed the major supermarkets have underpaid workers in stores for a number of years.

“The big four supermarkets in the UK make vast amounts each year in profits – it is time that they faced up to their legal obligations under equal pay legislation,” she said.

“Our clients believe that those working on the shop floor should be paid the same as those in the distribution centres, and a failure to commit to this is not only unfair but unlawful.

“This legal action is being taken forward to ensure that the work done in stores and distribution centres is recognised as being of equal value; not the same work, but work of equal value and that those working on the shop floor should be paid the same as their colleagues in distribution.”

Morrisons chief executive David Potts received a bonus reported to be £1.7m in 2017 – a sum that could take a store employee around 100 years to earn.