Jackson Calls For Boycott Of Texaco

The Rev. Jesse Jackson called Tuesday for an immediate national boycott against Texaco to pressure the corporation into settling a race-discrimination lawsuit filed by black employees.

Jackson also said picketing would begin Saturday at Texaco sites unless the $520 million lawsuit was settled by then. Texaco executives are accused of using racial slurs against blacks in a secretly recorded 1994 conversation about destroying evidence in the case.

“I hope that when you leave here today, you will drive past Texaco and get gas someplace else,” Jackson said. “Drive past the star.”

Texaco Chairman Peter Bijur had lunch earlier Tuesday with Jackson and other black leaders at the company’s headquarters. He said the meeting was “a significant help to Texaco” but denounced the boycott as divisive.

Jackson said any boycott would continue until the company “comes up with a plan to break the cycle” of racism and sexism.

The controversy already has had an effect on Texaco’s stock, which fell $1.87-1/2 Tuesday to close at $95.37-1/2 on the New York Stock Exchange.