U.S. women dockworkers accuse shippers, union of pregnancy discrimination
Source: Reuters
MARCH 29, 2018 / 10:51 AM / UPDATED 4 HOURS AGO
Dan Levine
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Four women dockworkers have filed discrimination claims with federal regulators against the shippers’ association that runs 29 ports on the U.S. West Coast, saying they unfairly lost pay and seniority after becoming pregnant.
Legal claims involving gender and pregnancy discrimination are not uncommon but have received more attention after a series of powerful men have left or were fired from their jobs in entertainment, the media and politics for sexual harassment and discrimination.
Male dockworkers who temporarily left to serve in the armed forces got benefits denied to women on pregnancy leave, one of the workers, Tracy Plummer, said in an interview. Another woman with a complicated medical history said she tried to work during pregnancy for fear of losing seniority and suffered a miscarriage, according to her complaint.
The dockworkers made the allegations with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the Pacific Maritime Association, which represents major shippers and terminal operators as well as the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, one of the women’s lawyers said.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ports-women-discrimination/u-s-women-dockworkers-accuse-shippers-union-of-pregnancy-discrimination-idUSKBN1H527L