Paul Brown, president of the Buffalo Building and Construction Trades Council, said the relatively low proportion of African - American workers at Riverbend was due to the makeup of the trades that have been working there so far, in
particular Operating Engineers and Ironworkers — unions in which black workers have not traditionally been well - represented.
In
particular, Mr Baker's
engineering expert had noticed a discolouration of the surface of the brake disc, suggesting that it had been subject to high
operating temperatures and that the brakes were not
operating in an evenly balanced way.