General Motors Corp. v. Kirby
General Motors Corp. v. Kirby
Opinion of the Court
OPINION AND ORDER
General Motors Corporation (“GM”) moves for reconsideration of my previous Opinion and Order of August 25, 1994, denying GM’s Motion to Enforce Consent Decree. GM argues that I should reconsider because defendant’s allegations of race discrimination arose prior to October 15, 1991, and are therefore absolutely barred by the Huguley Consent Decree.
My Opinion and Order of August 25, 1994, concluded that defendant’s, Bobbie Kirby (“Kirby”), state court discriminatory discharge action
Since I issued my Opinion and Order of August 25, 1994, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has addressed this issue in Huguley v. General Motors Corp., 35 F.3d 1052 (6th Cir. 1994) (“Perry ”).
My decision, which was reversed in part by the court of appeals, concluded that the plaintiffs/appellants’ state court action was a present effect of past discrimination. Id. at 1055. The court of appeals held that I erred
In denying GM’s Motion to Enforce Consent Decree in this case, I found that a new violation could exist if Kirby was not treated comparably to white employees during GM’s reduction in workforce.
For the foregoing reasons, GM’s Motion for Reconsideration of its Motion to Enforce Consent Decree IS HEREBY DENIED.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
. The Consent Decree (the “Decree”) I approved in Huguley v. General Motors Corp., 128 F.R.D. 81 (E.D.Mich. 1989); aff'd, 925 F.2d 1464 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 502 U.S. 909, 112 S.Ct. 304, 116 L.Ed.2d 247 (1991).
. Defendant is a black female former salaried employee of GM who alleges that GM fired her, in February of 1992, because of her race and sex, in violation of Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, Mich.Comp.Laws. §§ 37.2101-.2804.
. The appeal stemmed from the Huguley race discrimination class action against GM; the specific plaintiffs-appellants were Abbie L. Perry and Lonnie K. Perry whose state court race discrimination action had been enjoined, by me, on the basis of the Decree.
. GM alleges that Kirby was fired due to a general reduction in workforce.
. That I again refuse to enjoin Kirby’s state law race discrimination claim at this time does not preclude GM from raising this motion again at some later date. I can issue an injunction at a later time if Kirby fails during her state court trial to prove that her termination was a separate, post-Decree act of discrimination.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION v. Bobbie KIRBY, Defendant Dennis Hazen HUGULEY v. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
- Status
- Published