(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — More Peoples Gas employees spoke out against the company and claimed racial discrimination earlier this week.
In November, multiple former and current Peoples Gas workers filed a lawsuit accusing the company of racially discriminating against its Black employees.
Among them was Darryl Price, 61, who also filed a separate federal lawsuit in January 2023. He said he was treated differently and disciplined more harshly because of his race.
Price said the stress and harassment eventually led him to resign at the beginning of the year.
In a statement, Peoples Gas said they “strongly deny these claims, and have done so in court ever since the lawsuit was filed in January 2023 by a former employee.”
“We will continue to defend this matter vigorously,” read the statement.
Price joined Peoples Gas in 2016 as a utility worker. He recalled hearing at least two of his coworkers use racial slurs, but at the time he tried not to dwell on it.
“I didn’t pay those guys much attention,” he said. “There was a blessing that we were making that type of money. Peoples Gas pays very, very well. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would work there. That was really something special for me.”
Price, though, said the “entire climate” changed after he was accused of not showing up for work.
In April 2022, he submitted a racial discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Afterward, Price said the harassment increased.
Rather than stay on to become a journeyman, a position which would have included higher pay, Price quit.
Price said he felt compelled to speak out for younger Black workers at Peoples Gas.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
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