$6.2mn settlement for race discrimination class action

A US federal court has granted final approval for a $6.2mn partial settlement for black and Hispanic sheet metal workers who suffered discrimination by their union. The case was brought by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the State and City of New York, who sued Local 28 of the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association in New York City for providing fewer job opportunities to the workers because of their race or national origin for many years. The settlement would compensate minority members of Local 28 for lost wages for the years 1984 to 1991.