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Posted at: 11/05/2009 5:18 PM | WHEC.com Judge deciding who gets what in Kodak lawsuit
Employees committed for justice sued the company over discriminatory treatment, unfair wages and promotions. The lawsuit was settled and now a judge is deciding who gets what and there’s a loud cry of unfairness. That fight has lasted 12 years. Today, Carrie Rice is hoping it's over. Rice helped organize a movement at Eastman Kodak that later turned into a class action lawsuit. Her group sued Kodak over the way African-Americans were treated. That lawsuit was settled out of court and today a judge heard arguments about how to divvy up the $21 million dollars. “I worked for Kodak over 35 years and I've had to endure. And today for me it's the end because whatever the judge decides for me it's the end.” This decision could potentially impact hundreds of African-Americans who have worked at Kodak. Today, dozens of people packed into a federal courtroom to share their thoughts with the judge. Some say the amount is to low. Former Kodak employee Abraham Cyrus said, “Our attorney told us if they reached a settlement they would bring it back to us. They came back to us and told us they accept and have a plane to catch.” Others say it's unfair that 12 people who were named on the lawsuit as plaintiffs will get a lot more money than the rest of the group. Former Kodak employee Pressa Fritts said, “Some people is getting a big chunk of the pie and some people just getting a little slice and some people only getting a crumb. And me I'm one only getting a crumb and I worked at Kodak for 31 years and I gave them my best.” And then there's the issue of who gets a settlement. The statute of limitations has run out for some people. Cynthia Green, another former employee said, “Some of them did not miss days. Those women from the rooter to the tooter were there. They were there. And you tell me only thing they get is "oh you weren't apart of that lawsuit, you were not apart of the era" - that's not fair.” Kodak as a policy does not comment on an ongoing lawsuit, however in a statement this afternoon, a company spokesperson says Kodak has demonstrated during this lawsuit that whenever a claim of discrimination was brought, the company "took immediate actions to address the situation and had policies and procedures in place to support the company's commitment to diversity." For more Rochester, N.Y. news go to our website www.whec.com.
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It's considered the largest lawsuit brought by African-Americans against photo giant Eastman Kodak.