United Steelworkers of America v. Weber

Petitioner

United Steelworkers of America

Respondent

Brian Weber

Petitioner's Claim

That an affirmative action program implemented by Kaiser Aluminum, in voluntary agreement with the United Steelworkers, did not violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner

Michael E. Gottesman

Chief Lawyer for Respondent

Michael R. Fontham

Justices for the Court

Harry A. Blackmun, William J. Brennan, Jr. (writing for the Court), Thurgood Marshall, Potter Stewart, Byron R. White

Justices Dissenting

Warren E. Burger, William H. Rehnquist (Lewis F. Powell, Jr. and John Paul Stevens did not participate)

Place

Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision

27 June 1979

Decision

Maintained the legality of the affirmative action plan, and reversed the ruling of two lower courts, which had held that the plan violated Title VII.

Sources

Abraham, Henry J. and Barbara A. Perry. Freedom & The Court: Civil Rights & Liberties in the United States. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.