Black temp workers were systemically discriminated against. That’s the charge at the heart of a nearly decade-old class action lawsuit against an industrial bakery in Chicago.Now, the staffing agency and the bakery’s then-owner are set to pay more than $1 million to settle the case. Worker advocates say the suit points to widespread problems faced by temp workers, and the possible legislative solutions.
Rose also says those workers were blocked from getting a permanent job – they’d be hired for 60 days, let go, and then brought back on as a temp. Rose and others eventually organized, with guidance from the“The temp agency was discriminating, putting immigrant workers into jobs while discriminating Black workers,” said CWC organizer Jose Frausto. “This issue was identified 10 years ago as something that regularly happened at the temp agencies, and we still see that very often.
“There are very few workers who want to stick their necks out and be named plaintiffs in class action lawsuits. Their name is on the court case. That’s going to be something that’s going to be with them for life,” Franklin said. “Even finding an attorney to represent them can be a challenge. Because these cases take so long, attorneys who take them may end up bearing years and years of risk of not being paid.
The Chicago Workers Collaborative hopes to build upon and expand those protections. Despite the long road, Rose says this suit was worth it.