Case: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local #38 and Local #551

4-041-1 | No Court

Filed Date: Oct. 26, 1965

Closed Date: 1968

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Case Summary

On October 26, 1965 an individual filed a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleging racial discrimination in violation of Title VII by International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local #38 and Local #551 union. Specifically, the individual claimed that the union engaged in racial discrimination in its admission practices. In January 1967, the EEOC filed formal charges against the union, but the union filed a court petition to set aside the EEOC’s demand for documents. Shortly…

In January 1967, the EEOC filed formal charges against the union, but the union filed a court petition to set aside the EEOC’s demand for documents. Shortly after, on April 3, 1967, the DOJ requested the FBI open an investigation into the union’s potential discriminatory practices. The FBI investigated the union and requested information pertaining to the union’s apprentice applications, standards for admission to apprenticeship program, job classifications, and hiring hall procedures. The union signed an agreement to make some records available to the various federal agencies, but continued to contest disclosure to the EEOC. At that time, there 3,087 members in the union but only 15 were African American. Similarly, the union had 344 members with apprenticeships, but only 6 were African American.

We have no further information on this case. The information we have on this case comes from the Papers of Owen Fiss, linked to this case below as resource. The Clearinghouse presumes that the investigations were closed and the no litigation resulted. We have no reason to believe otherwise.

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Summary Authors

Emily Kempa (3/17/2020)