Amtrak Settles Racial Suit, Vows Changes

Amtrak and a group of African American employees and their union jointly announced a settlement of a discrimination lawsuit to pay the workers cash and change the railroad’s practices in an effort to cut racial discrimination. The settlement, which must be approved by a federal judge, would divide $16 million among nearly 900 black employees who build and maintain railroad tracks in Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and their lawyers. But even more important, those on both sides say, are changes the nation’s passenger railroad company plans to make in its personnel policies. The employees alleged that they suffered from racial discrimination in hiring, advancement and discipline. From now on, Amtrak will keep detailed records of those who apply for jobs or advancement, tests given to them and the results, a lawyer for the workers said.