Lead Plaintiff in Dukes v Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) Dies at 67

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The lead plaintiff in the case of Dukes v Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) Betty Dukes died on July 10 at the age of 67. Walmart has been battling with legal issues and lawsuits concerning supposed discrimination against female employees. According to Rita Roland, a woman involved on the lawsuit against Walmart, “Betty Dukes was a very tough lady, very driven and passionate about what she believed in. She was persuasive. She just didn’t want to tell her point, she wanted you to have an understanding so you come to the same conclusion that she had.”

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What was the Source of Legal Battle between Dukes and Walmart?

Dukes sued Walmart for allegedly violating the 1964 Civil Rights Act, an act which makes it illegal for employees to discriminate on the basis of race, creed or gender. According to sources, Dukes produced evidence that Walmart would systematically pay women less than their male counterparts, though it is unclear if men and women do the same exact work at Walmart in the same proportions. This is said to have promoted men to a higher position as compared to women colleagues. According to Dukes, men rose to higher positions at a faster rate compared to women, though men may have worked more hours, making the whole point of Dukes suspect. “The case later reached the U.S Supreme Court in 2011 and Dukes was eventually dismissed” said Roland.

Dukes had Great Ambitions while working with Walmart

According to Dukes during a 2011 interview, “I was focused on Walmart’s aggressive customer service. I wanted to advance. I wanted to make that money.” From this statement, it is clear according to many that she was an aggressive woman. The source of the long battle between Walmart and Dukes started when she would take a few cents for her break purchase and would ask a colleague to open a cash register for the transaction. This was a common practice. According to sources, she did this because she thought it was alright to be accountable and transparent.

After her demotion on the grounds of misconduct, it is said that she complained to the manager expressing the fact that the punishment was severe and unfair. This was the beginning of her campaign against gender discrimination, though it is unclear if her tribulations have anything to do at all with her gender.

Walmart closed yesterday’s stock session at $76.20 after declining $ 0.17 or 0.22%.

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