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Rep. McDermott Introduces Legislation to Correct Injustice Against Philippine Community in Seattle
June 25, 2009
Rep. Jim McDermott today introduced the Justice for Wards Cove Workers Act, HR 3038, to correct an injustice against Philippine workers at a Seattle fish processing plant over a quarter century ago.
In the early 1970s Philippine workers at Ward’s Cove filed suit against their employer alleging discrimination. In the end, the Supreme Court ruled against the workers, which led directly to the enactment by Congress of HR 1, the Civil Rights Act of 1991. However, subsequent action by the Senate exempted these workers from the protections afforded by the Civil Rights Act. To date, these are the only workers who have been denied these protections. McDermott’s legislation would extend the protection of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 to the Seattle Philippine workers.
“When a few Seattle residents of Philippine decent are singled out from protection by the Civil Rights Act of 1991, every American is at risk,” Rep. McDermott said. “Either civil rights apply to every
American or they may not apply to any American.”
The legislation, which is attached, would remove the exemption and extend to the workers the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991.
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