United Steelworkers v. Weber

United Steelworkers v. Weber: The Background

The case of United Steelworkers v. Weber begins with the United Steelworkers of America and the Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation implementing an affirmative action-based training programs to help bolster the number of the company’s African-American skilled craft workers. This program effectively reserved half of all eligible positions for African-American workers. The issue revolving around United Steelworkers v. Weber deals with Weber, a white worker, who was passed over for the training program.

Brian Weber, in United Steelworkers v. Weber, claimed that he was a victim of reverse discrimination. The case of United Steelworkers v. Weber was decided with United States v. Weber.

Mr. Weber was a 32-year old white male who worked as a lab assistant at a local chemical plant. His employer, Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp, instituted the training program that allowed whites and blacks into a one on one training environment. Even though Weber had more seniority than his fellow African-American workers that were accepted in the program, Mr. Weber was barred entry. It was said that more training would have led to an increase in Mr. Weber’s salary. Weber, in United Steelworkers v. Weber, claimed that the training program violate his rights laid forth by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The company, in response to this allegation, argued that it was simply pursuing affirmative action to alter historical disadvantages among African Americans. The case of United Steelworkers v. Weber was argued on March 28th of 1979 and decided on June 27th of the same year.

United Steelworkers v. Weber: The Question

The case of United Steelworkers v. Weber revolves around the question of whether or not the United and Kaiser Aluminum’s training scheme violated Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act due to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race.

United Steelworkers v. Weber: The Decision

In a 5 to 2 decision, The United States Supreme Court ruled that the training program did not violate Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The United States Supreme Court in United Steelworkers v. Weber held that the training program was legitimate because the Act did not intend to impede nor prohibit the private sector from implementing effective steps to establish the goals of Title Vii.

Because the program in question sought to eliminate archaic patterns of segregation and hierarchy while not impeding white employees from advancing in the company, the training program in United Steelworkers v. Weber was ruled to be consistent with the intent of the law.

The case of United Steelworkers v. Weber regarded affirmative action in the United States.