Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Local 40, International Ass'n of Bridge, Structural & Ornamental Iron Workers

**EEOC v. Local 40 Iron Workers Union: Court Enforces Anti-Discrimination Agreement** This case involved the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) taking action against Local 40, a union representing iron workers in construction. The union had previously agreed to a court settlement called the "Werker consent decree" to address discrimination in how they referred workers to jobs. The EEOC claimed the union was violating this agreement and asked the court to hold them in contempt. The union argued the court no longer had authority to enforce the old agreement since it had expired in 1983. However, the court disagreed and ruled it still had the power to enforce the anti-discrimination requirements. The judge found that the permanent rules against discrimination in the original agreement were still binding and allowed the contempt case to move forward. The court determined there was evidence of serious violations in how the union was referring workers to job opportunities. This ruling matters for workers because it shows that court agreements designed to prevent workplace discrimination remain enforceable even after their official expiration dates. It also demonstrates that unions can be held accountable when they fail to follow fair job referral practices, helping protect workers from discriminatory treatment in job assignments.