Despite the constant efforts that are made and the progress that has been achieved, discrimination still exists. There are all kinds of discrimination and they can occur in many different situations. Of course, one of the most common forms of discrimination is racial discrimination. When someone is treated unfairly simply because he or she is a different race or color than the violator, the behavior should not be tolerated. When this kind of behavior occurs in the workplace, the victims need to stand up and fight for their rights.
According to a recent report, five people have filed a lawsuit against Caterpillar, the heavy equipment manufacturer based in Peoria, Illinois. According to the suit, which was filed in a federal court in Chicago, the company is guilty of practicing racial discrimination against black workers located in its Aurora plant. The five plaintiffs claim that despite the fact that Caterpillar employs more than 22,000 workers at close to 25 different facilities, an “overwhelming majority” of those workers are not black. The suit also notes that the company’s board of directors does not include any African Americans and that only one corporate officer is black out of 38 people in those positions.
The plaintiffs also claim in their lawsuit that not only does the company not hire enough black people, but that it also mistreats the black employees that it does hire. The suit claims that Caterpillar does not do enough to respond to complaints of discrimination by current employees, either. All five of the plaintiffs in the suit claim that they have been the victims of a discriminatory work environment and a racially hostile workplace while working at the Aurora facility. The plaintiffs are seeking damages in their suit, but the exact amount has not been disclosed.
Like any other racial discrimination lawsuit, it will be interesting to watch how this plays out. While it may not get a lot of attention in many circles, racial discrimination is not uncommon in the workplace. It may not seem like that big a deal to some people, but those who have to deal with discrimination because of their race or color are forced to live with a very difficult situation. That’s why any one who finds him or herself dealing with racial discrimination, should speak with an experienced Chicago discrimination attorney. At the Law Office of Mitchell A. Kline, we stand up for victims of racial discrimination. Don’t accept discrimination. Contact us for help by calling 312-558-1454, or click here to contact us online.
