17 Fair empl.prac.cas. 1767, 17 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 8534 Freddie Eaton v. Courtaulds of North America, Inc.

GEE, Circuit Judge.

This appeal revolves around the interpretation of one section of a consent decree entered into by the parties and accepted by the district court in 1973.

The consent decree in question settled the claims of a group of black employees who had initiated an action under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq., against Courtaulds of North America and against the local and national units of the Textile Workers Union of America. Among other things, the black employees had contended that the defendants maintained a discriminatory promotional and seniority…