Nucor-Yamato Prevails in Local Lawsuit

JONESBORO, Ark. (Map) - Nucor-Yamato Steel Company prevails in a lawsuit that was finally heard by a jury in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The case filed seven years ago claimed a nationwide class action on a variety of employment claims. When the nationwide class action was dismissed, the Alabama plaintiffs' lawyers sought a plant-wide class. This too was dismissed leaving a handful of individual plaintiffs who proceeded to a jury verdict.

Most of the remaining claims were dismissed prior to trial. Claims of failure to promote, involuntary transfers, and retaliation were similarly rejected. Undeterred, the law firm asked for $21 million in damages on the issues at trial. The jury sent a clear message finding in favor of Nucor-Yamato on the discriminatory retaliation claims but awarded the plaintiffs $1.2 million on one issue, which was not a tenth of what they had asked for. To this extent the award is disappointing, and Nucor-Yamato will appeal and continue to fight on behalf of the hardworking team members this verdict affects.

Like so many other successful companies, Nucor-Yamato was targeted by a professional plaintiffs' law firm eager for an economic windfall for themselves. But to be clear, Nucor-Yamato has over 800 team members who were not a part of this lawsuit. Many testified to the extraordinary financial, educational, and professional opportunities working for Nucor-Yamato has afforded them. Unfortunately, greater numbers of team members were not allowed to testify on the true nature of Nucor-Yamato.

"This case has always been about proving to others what the hard-working men and women of Nucor-Yamato have always known," said Doug Jellison, Vice President and General Manager of Nucor-Yamato. "We have absolutely no tolerance or patience for discrimination." Jellison further added that "Nucor-Yamato has a strong history of treating African-American employees with equality and respect," citing a 2005 Employer of the Year Award from the NAACP.

Jellison added, "We have always taken a very strong stance against discrimination and harassment of all kinds, implementing policies, procedures and safeguards to avoid problems. We have a responsibility to defend the reputations of the hundreds of good, honest, hard-working team members of Nucor-Yamato. We will continue fighting this one issue for as long as it takes to show how unfair and wrong these allegations are."