EEOC Obtains a $4.5 Million Settlement With Local 580 Ornamental Iron Workers

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced the settlement of $4.5 million with Local 580, Ornamental Iron Workers, regarding an alleged violation of a court order concerning the ratio of apprentices to journeypersons on job sites.

Local 580 is the ornamental iron worker construction trade union located in New York City that has jurisdiction of all ornamental iron work performed within the five boroughs of New York City and Westchester County.

The EEOC's contempt action, which was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that, from January 1, 1991, Local 580 failed to adhere to the apprentice to journeyperson ratio required by the court's order.  The $4.5 million settlement represents an increase of $3,300,000 to a budget previously allocated for the expansion of Local 580's Apprentice Training Facility.

This case was handled by Johnnie Louis Johnson III, Senior Trial Attorney in EEOC's Office of General, Systemic Litigation Services.  "The expansion of the Apprentice Training Facility will increase the size of the 2003 Apprentice Class to 40 and increase the number of welding booths to 31," Johnson said. "This settlement has substantial long-term benefits for all apprentice and journeyperson iron workers and represents an improved use of the budgeted training funds."

In addition to enforcing Title VII, which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin or religion, the EEOC also enforces the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which protects workers age 40 and older from discrimination based on age; the Equal Pay Act of 1963; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities in the federal sector; Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act which prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and in state and local governments; and sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991.  Further information about the Commission is available on the agency's web site at www.eeoc.gov.