New lawsuit in Schenectady race case fallout Ex-Super Steel worker says his firing amid '06 harassment claims was reverse discrimination
By RYAN HUTCHINS, Special to the Times Union First published: Friday, June 15, 2007
SCHENECTADY -- A man who was fired by Super Steel Schenectady after allegations of racism has filed a $1 million reverse-discrimination suit against the company, claiming it fired him because he is white. Walter Kosloski, a former painter for the locomotive manufacturer, was fired along with seven other white colleagues in July 2006 amid allegations that they racially harassed and discriminated against nine black employees who were suing the company at the time.
The lawsuit claims Kosloski, 42, of Schenectady, wasn't working when the several alleged incidents of racism occurred in January 2006.
The Milwaukee-based company settled the earlier $175 million class-action case for $1.25 million last December, but admitted no wrongdoing. That suit had accused the company of blatant racial harassment and segregation.
Kosloski alleges "public pressure began to mount on the company" because of the earlier lawsuit, leading the company to terminate him along with the other employees.
The suit claims Kosloski not only denies discriminating against the black employees, but actually became "acquainted" with several of the workers outside of work."
He sent Christmas cards to all the employees in the paint department, the suit continues, and provided transportation to and from work for some of the black employees and fixed one man's vehicle when it broke down.
The suit states that Kosloski was fired after being handed a note saying he was terminated because of one January 2006 incident of racism, "along with other ambiguous violations of shop rules."
The earlier class-action suit against Super Steel claimed that racial harassment at the company included a segregated lunch room, white workers using racial slurs, and anonymous threats of racial violence and pro-Ku Klux Klan graffiti in a restroom. One employee allegedly found a stuffed monkey hanging from a noose in his locker.
Super Steel said Thursday afternoon it had not yet been served with the lawsuit, but issued a statement to the Times Union.
"The company is very familiar with the circumstances surrounding this matter, and the company is comfortable with the actions that were taken," spokesman William Carr said in the statement. "Super Steel Schenectady remains committed to providing a workplace that is professional and that reinforces our core values of honesty, respect for others and continuous improvement."
Super Steel manufactures locomotives at its Glenville plant, a subsidiary of Super Steel Products Corp. of Milwaukee, and employs about 200 people.
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