The Supreme Court put the brakes on a massive job discrimination lawsuit against mega-retailer Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., saying sweeping class-action status that could potentially involve hundreds of thousands of current and former female workers was simply too large.
The ruling Monday was a big victory for the nation's largest private employer, and the business community at large.
The high-profile case– perhaps the most closely watched of the high court's term– is among the most important dealing with corporate versus worker rights that the justices have ever heard, and could eventually impact nearly every private employer, large and small.
Toobin: Why justices shut down Wal-Mart case
Gisel Ruiz, Executive Vice President for Wal-Mart U.S., said in a statement the company was "pleased" with the court's ruling.
"Walmart has had strong policies against discrimination for many years. The Court today unanimously rejected class certification and, as the majority made clear, the plaintiffs’ claims were worlds away from showing a companywide discriminatory pay and promotion policy," the statement said. "By reversing the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision, the majority effectively ends this class action lawsuit.
“Walmart has a long history of providing advancement opportunities for our female associates and will continue its efforts to build a robust pipeline of future female leaders.â€
The case is Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes (10-277).
As I read through these I'm amazed how many believe we live in a democracy. We are an Oligaracy people. Rule by the wealthy. Have been for the last 40 years and getting more restrictive. Mack Reynolds had it right 40 years ago and was dismissed as "merely a science fiction writer". Your childern will be real corporate drones.
Watch out Walmart...
I think it is time to start blocking some Pay Checks to these clowns. Not just the supreme court but our entire government! The American people can chnge this if they want to but no one seems to give a crap.
we're democracy alright where most people are dumb enough to think that being narrowly and shortsightedly selfish is the winning formula.
I think women should boycott Walmart Let's stop shopping and picket outside every store maybe the big boys won't get their big paychecks and bonus checks. Do they realize how many women shop there. I believe this would do significant damage and make a very $$$ statement.
Please remember that the Supreme court justice team is consisted of the conservative majority. That is how it is resulted in.
It was a 9-0 ruling. Had anyone on the bench felt this should have gone forward as a class, they would have issued a dissent. They didn't and your conservative bashing response goes down the toilet.
I wonder what the price was to obtain this decision ? ?
The Law Suit was about money anyways.
Liberals are to be thanked for the policies that led companies to head overseas, driven away from America by over regulation and taxation. Thanks Liberals, thanks for doing yourselves in. Now the ERA movement, Women's Libbers and the rest of the Socialist femmes can celebrate their own trainwreck and swallow their own medicine.
Democracy and human rights are more important that economic domination. Typical black-hearted conservative, you only care about making money for your own personal gain.
you know, you might have an argument about it being taxes and regulations if those companies were paying their overseas employees the same as they would American workers but they don't even come close to doing that.
Dude, this is not a liberal or conservative thing my friend. The problem is that all politicians both Democrat and Republican are enacting laws that enable corporations and bankers to literally steal money from the public. This is why no politician that truly serves the public should be taking campaign money from anyone. By taking campaign money you then become indebted to those that gave it to you. This happens on BOTH sides of the fence which is why democracy no longer exists.
Trust me, you are being screwed just as much as the so called "liberals" you allege to despise. Again, there is no such thing as a "liberal" or "conservative" those are simply terms created as a distraction for people to argue over while the banks and corporations run off with your money. We need to come together to put an end to banks and corporations writing our laws. Otherwise, we are ALL doomed to be corporate drones!
Courts ruling for big business, color me shocked.
supreme court..Wal-Mart shareholders???
When the court says it is too large for a class-action lawsuit I think it is actually trying to protect not the corperation but those injured by it. I could be wrong but it sounds more like they think with all those involved forcing them all into one group will not really represent all those injured by Wallmarts practices so the court would rather each person so injured or smaller more alike groups each go after Wallmart individually. I also think this can actually make it much harder on Wallmart as it could now be defending itself from hundreds or even thousands of lawsuits instead of being able to fight just one. I don't know but I also don't assume this is a by default a bad judgement I just don't know the case or reasons for their decisions. Guess like the rest I will need to do some reading so I can make an educated judgement about whether the court has done the right thing.
I hope that I'm the pig to whom somebody referred, since I made the first comment.
You can't turn a sow's ear of a case into an actual civil-rights issue just because our society is overly litigious.
"Too big?" are you effin kidding me?! Supreme court judges is ANOTHER position in this country that should have term limits! since when does a lawsuit become "too big"?!!! what the eff?!
Another lesson in Lobbying 101.
Rule 23. Class Actions
(a) Prerequisites.
One or more members of a class may sue or be sued as representative parties on behalf of all members only if:
(1) the class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable,
(2) there are questions of law or fact common to the class,
(3) the claims or defenses of the representative parties are typical of the claims or defenses of the class; and
(4) the representative parties will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.
GREAT news! Congratulations Wal Mart! Courts ruling against frivolous, unwarranted garbage suits!
Did you ever work there???
Amen! A unanimous decision against lawyer greed!!!