Eeoc v. Loc. 2p, Litho. & Photoengravers Iu

Court Rules Union Discriminated Against Black Workers in Membership

This case involved racial discrimination by Local 2P, a graphics industry union in Maryland. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued the union on behalf of William Lewis and his deceased brother Tazewell Lewis, who were Black workers seeking to join the union. The EEOC claimed the union was systematically preventing Black workers from becoming members and entering apprenticeship programs.

The court sided with the EEOC and found that Local 2P had engaged in racial discrimination against the Lewis brothers. The judge determined that the union had a pattern of discriminatory practices that blocked Black workers from gaining membership and accessing training opportunities in the graphics industry.

This ruling matters because it established that labor unions cannot discriminate based on race when deciding who can join or participate in apprenticeship programs. For workers, this means unions must provide equal opportunities regardless of race or ethnicity. The decision reinforced that federal anti-discrimination laws apply to unions just as they do to employers, protecting workers' rights to fair treatment in both workplace and union membership decisions.