(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A group of Black Chicago firefighters spoke out on Martin Luther King Jr. Day about their own ongoing civil rights battle with the City of Chicago.
The Lewis Case, as it’s known, dates back to the 1990s, when more than 100 Black Chicago firefighters said they were denied opportunities based on their race.
A 2005 ruling found the City of Chicago responsible for discrimination, but attorney Chiquita Hall-Jackson said those same firefighters never received credit for their seniority.
“These individuals have been harmed because they don’t get the actual seniority points that they’re required to get and are entitled to,” Hall-Jackson said.
Chicago firefighters are ranked through testing scores, part of which takes into consideration their years of service. Hall-Jackson said seniority not only determines pay, but promotions, as well.
“They will never see an opportunity to get promoted before they are aged out of the department,” she said.
Decades later, the lawsuit is now seeking back pay for the firefighters even as they near retirement.
“These firefighters are asking for justice as it relates to their seniority and their pay, and their ability to be promoted in the workplace,” she said.
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