December 12, 2013
By Stephanie West
New York, NY – With less than a month before Michael Bloomberg finishes his third term as Mayor of the City of New York, the Communications Workers of America, Local 1180 and its members (CWA), filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging gender and race based discrimination. CWA intends to initiate a class action lawsuit charging the City with violating the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and New York State ’s Equal Pay Law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related state and local human rights laws.
This complaint comes after the City was found to have acted improperly when CWA brought these concerns to the City's attention (See attached decisions). The current complaint seeks injunctive relief to remedy discriminatory pay practices due to a suppressed minimum salary for Administrative Managers. This job title, CWA alleges, is a segregated and female dominated position in which women are underpaid for their work, even after decades of service to the City.
Arthur Cheliotes, CWA Local 1180 President, said "The pattern and practice of this administration stonewalling and acting in bad faith has hurt all our members, but it has been especially devastating for women and members of color who earn thousands less per year than their white male counterparts. While there is a long history of challenges in collective bargaining, fair pay and workers' rights, these matters deteriorated under the Bloomberg administration."
