FILE PHOTO - The building of the U.S. Supreme Court is seen in Washington, U.S., June 26, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices on Monday defended the right of workers to bring class-action lawsuits against companies but their conservative counterparts who are in the majority sounded skeptical in the biggest business case of the court’s new term.

The case focused on whether employers can require workers to sign arbitration agreements that curb their ability to bring class-action claims. Republican President Donald Trump’s conservative appointee to the court, Neil Gorsuch, did not speak during the one-hour argument, but could provide the deciding vote.