New Orleans EEOC office is looking into the matter
African-American carpenters rebuilding the B.W. Cooper public housing development lodged a complaint this week with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging that black workers there receive lower pay than other employees.
The Housing Authority of New Orleans also asked the New Orleans EEOC office to look into the matter.
An audit of wage reports for carpenters employed by subcontractor Worthington Military Construction, an Ohio company, found that non-black newly hired carpenters at the Cooper site were paid an average hourly wage of $18.
During the same time period, black carpenters were paid no more than $13 per hour, according to the audit, conducted by the advocacy group Stand with Dignity, which filed a complaint on the workers' behalf on Tuesday.
Larry Gibbs, CEO of general contractor Gibbs Construction, said he viewed the workers' complaint "unnecessary, but their prerogative."
"I don't know what else to do," said Gibbs, who believes that Worthington has addressed "every concern."
But HANO administrative receiver David Gilmore said he saw the issue as "far too important to receive less than a thorough, objective and expert analysis."
Because no one at HANO has the experience to determine whether the disparities were race-based, Gilmore last week asked for the EEOC's help and pledged HANO's "full cooperation."
The Cooper complex, not far from the Superdome in Central City, is being rebuilt into a mixed-income community dubbed Marrero Commons.
Katy Reckdahl can be reached at kreckdahl@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3396.