Sorbie v Trust House Forte Hotels: EAT 1976

Phillips J considered an alteration to the terms of an employment contract, saying: ‘One then goes on to see what the effect as prescribed is, and it is that that term, so identified, in the appellants’ contracts shall be treated, as so modified, as not to be less favourable. It seems to us that the way it is treated, as so modified, as to strike out 85p and to substitute 97 1/2p . . In other words, once the section is applied and the contract is modified, there is then a contract providing remuneration at that rate. It seems to us that the true way of looking at it is that that contract remains so modified until something else happens, such as a further agreement between the parties, a further collective agreement, or a further statutory modification by reason of a further operation of the equality clause.’
A claim for equal pay is a claim in respect of breach of contract.

Judges:

Phillips J

Citations:

[1976] IRLR 371

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedSodexo Ltd v Gutridge and others EAT 31-Jul-2008
EAT EQUAL PAY ACT
JURISDICTIONAL POINTS: Claim in time and effective date of termination
The claimants alleged that their employer had been in breach of their rights under the Equal Pay Act 1970. They . .
CitedAbdulla and Others v Birmingham City Council QBD 17-Dec-2010
The defendant applied for an order declaring that the claim would better be brought in an employment tribunal and that accordingly the County court should decline jurisdiction.
Held: The application was dismissed: ‘ I reject the submission by . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Employment, Discrimination

Updated: 05 May 2022; Ref: scu.280084