Ten named current and former employees of Amtrak filed a race
discrimination class action against Amtrak on April 8 in U.S. District Court in
Washington, D.C. The plaintiffs also include the BMWE Pennsylvania Federation.
In their complaint to the court, the plaintiffs claim Amtrak has maintained a deeply
segregated workforce, with blacks being overtly discouraged from seeking higher paying
positions, promoted less than white co-workers, trapped in lower paying positions, denied
training classes, subjected to unfair disciplinary actions and terminated without just
cause.
In particular, the lawsuit alleges racial discrimination in hiring, compensation,
promotion, demotion, job assignments, training, skill qualification, transfer, discharge
and disciplinary practices, said a spokesman for the Washington Lawyers' Committee for
Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, which is co-counsel for the plaintiffs, along with the
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law of the Boston Bar Association.
The lawsuit reveals that "race still rules the rails," said Paul C. Sprenger,
lead counsel. "Behind that friendly ready-to-roll image is a racially segregated
company where, if you're black, you are stuck in dead-end jobs and treated like you're
still from the wrong side of the tracks -- even in 1998."
"With this lawsuit Amtrak's plantation-era employment practices and policies will
be brought to a screeching halt," said Ozell Hudson, Jr., executive director of the
Boston committee. "The Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that employers treat their
employees equally with respect to promotion, assessment of discipline and the
establishment of a work environment that is not hostile to its employees. Anyone who has
worked for Amtrak for more than two weeks and believes that who you know doesn't play a
significant role in promotion, assessment of discipline, the quality of our work
environment and other opportunity is deaf, dumb and blind," said Jed Dodd, BMWE
General Chairman.
"Our research has discovered that our bargaining unit is composed of about 30
percent minorities but this fact is not reflected in engineering management. In addition,
our research has shown that if you are black on Amtrak, you will receive more disciplinary
charges and be assessed greater discipline than whites for the same offense. The
documented proof we have regarding the establishment of a hostile work environment for
minority employees is overwhelming.
"We have brought these issues to Amtrak management but have not had much success
in correcting them. We hope that we can have a jury of our peers judge whether or not
Amtrak provides equal opportunity to all of its employees as the Civil Rights Act of 1964
requires.
"Our union has a motto, 'an injury to one, is an injury to all.' As we fight to
improve the conditions that exist for our minority members we will by definition improve
the conditions for all of our members."
The lawsuit covers about 1,000 black Amtrak employees and about 4,000 rejected
applicants. |