Elsie P. Randolph v. Indiana Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, Millwright Local Union 1003

# Elsie P. Randolph v. Indiana Regional Council of Carpenters ## What Happened Elsie P. Randolph, a carpenter, was denied placement on her union's out-of-work list—a roster that connects members with available jobs. She claimed the union rejected her because of her age and gender, not for any legitimate work-related reason. ## What the Court Decided The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Randolph by reversing a lower court's decision that had favored the union. The appeals court found enough evidence suggesting age and sex discrimination occurred that the case needed to go to trial, rather than being dismissed early. ## Why This Matters for Workers This ruling strengthens worker protections within unions. It establishes that unions cannot arbitrarily exclude members from job opportunities without facing scrutiny. Workers who believe they've been discriminated against based on age or gender in union job placement have a right to their day in court. The decision reinforces that union membership alone doesn't guarantee fair treatment—unions must have legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons for their employment decisions.