New Video Highlights Impact of Dukes v. Wal-Mart; U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Imminent
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A new, brief video by the Rosenberg Foundation highlights the positive impact of a historic lawsuit currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court – Dukes v. Wal-Mart, the largest civil rights class action in U.S. history.
Viewing litigation as an essential advocacy tool in the work to change the odds for Californians, the Foundation historically has invested in cutting edge impact litigation efforts. In 2001, the Foundation made a first in a series of grants and program-related investments in support of Dukes, when six current and former female retail store employees of Wal-Mart filed the class action lawsuit. With a class comprised of nearly two million women, the lawsuit alleges gender discrimination in pay and promotions by the largest private employer in the country.
Led by Foundation grant partners Equal Rights Advocates and the Impact Fund, along with three private law firms, Dukes v. Wal-Mart has progressed successfully through lower courts. The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case in March 2011, and its decision on whether to uphold class certification is due this month.
The video explores the use of impact litigation as a tool for effecting change, and features interviews with the attorneys and women at the center of the case.