NASHVILLE (AP) – Three Tennessee employees have sued Wal-Mart claiming they lost pay and promotion opportunities because they are women.

The Barrett Johnston law firm said the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Nashville, is the third of its kind against Wal-Mart since 2011.

Each plaintiff has worked for Wal-Mart for more than 10 years. Cheryl Phipps of Covington and Shawn Gibbons of Cookeville claim they were denied management training. Bobbie Millner of Jackson claims when she complained after learning that a man with less experience had higher pay, a Wal-Mart manager told her "men needed to earn more."

Wal-Mart spokesman Randy Hargrove said the company has strong policies banning discrimination.

The lawsuit seeks class-action status to represent female Wal-Mart Inc. workers in Tennessee and parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and Mississippi.

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