Nucor-Yamato Prevails in Local Lawsuit

JONESBORO, Ark., Nov 03, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- 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." SOURCE Nucor www.prnewswire.com Copyright (C) 2009 PR Newswire. All rights reserved -0- KEYWORD: Arkansas INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MIN SUBJECT CODE: LAW