Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Local 638 ... Local 28 of the Sheet Metal Workers' International Ass'n

**Court Rules Against Sheet Metal Workers' Unions for Discrimination** This case involved the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) suing two local chapters of the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association - Local 638 and Local 28. The EEOC claimed these unions were discriminating against certain workers in their membership practices and apprenticeship programs, which violated federal employment discrimination laws. The court sided with the EEOC in 1998, ruling that both Local 638 and Local 28 had engaged in discriminatory practices. The judge found that the unions had unfairly denied membership opportunities and apprenticeship training to qualified workers based on protected characteristics like race or ethnicity. This ruling matters for workers because it reinforces that unions cannot discriminate when deciding who gets to join or participate in valuable training programs. Unions have significant power over who can access certain jobs and career advancement opportunities, especially in skilled trades like sheet metal work. When unions discriminate in membership or apprenticeships, they effectively block entire groups of workers from good-paying careers. This decision helps ensure that union membership and training opportunities remain open to all qualified workers regardless of their background, protecting workers' civil rights in the workplace.