Suit Accuses Boeing Of Racial Discrimination Forty-One Workers Say Company Passed Them Over For Promotions, Fostered Hostile Work Environment
Forty-one minority workers sued The Boeing Co. on Tuesday, seeking millions of dollars in damages for alleged racial discrimination in the workplace.
The lawsuit accuses the Seattle-based aerospace giant of failure to promote, a hostile work environment, retaliation, discriminatory hiring practices, disparate terms and conditions of employment, wrongful termination and sexual harassment.
“In large part, the treatment of which the plaintiffs complain is based on race,” said a news release issued by McKay, Huffington, Harrell and Desper, the law firm handling the case.
Boeing’s senior vice president for people, Jim Dagnon, promised the company would look into the allegations and “appropriately address” allegations found to have merit.
“We regret that any employees feel their only recourse is to sue the company,” he said. “Obviously, they believe the internal process has broken down.”
Dagnon said the company would examine its procedures to ensure that employees feel they have “prompt and effective recourse” within the company for addressing “perceived discriminatory or harassing behavior.”
The King County Superior Court lawsuit seeks back pay, court expenses, general damages, damages for physical and emotional stress and medical expenses. The total “is believed to exceed $82 million,” the lawsuit says.
All but one of the plaintiffs are black, the lawsuit says. The lone exception is Filipino and Native American.
“All alleged failure to promote after receiving the necessary training for promotions, taken the prerequisite courses or had … seniority or were excellent employees,” the lawsuit says. “Many have trained their Caucasian counterparts.”
Many of the plaintiffs complained to the company and their union, it says.
The complaint says many of the workers contend they were denied promotions granted others with equal or lesser qualifications, or that their promotions required them to transfer when others were not required to do so. Some allege work rules were different for them than for white co-workers.
Several of the plaintiffs say they suffered retaliation - one five-day suspension and denial of promotion and work benefits - when they complained.
Two plaintiffs - Robert Riggs and Joe Gibson - allege wrongful termination. Riggs, an eight-year Boeing employee, says race was an issue in his Jan. 18 firing for horseplay. Gibson says he was fired for a confrontation that resulted from a racial slur, though the co-worker who used the slur and also participated in the confrontation remains at Boeing.
xxxx THE PLAINTIFFS Among the complainants listed in the lawsuit: Earl Johnson, a 19-year Boeing employee, alleges he was passed over for promotions given to white workers he had trained. He also cited racist stereotyping and a racist remark by a co-worker. Wendy Kelly, who has put in more than 20 years with Boeing, alleges she has been a temporary supervisor longer than anyone else at her position. Myron Knight, a 10-year Boeing worker, has been passed over for 60 promotions he sought. He also alleges assault by a supervisor, which caused injuries that kept him off work for a month. The supervisor has not been disciplined, the lawsuit says. Armstor Clayton, a 10-year company veteran, says he was rehired after layoff at a position three grades lower than rehired white co-workers who had the same or less seniority. Geraldine Guyton, a nine-year Boeing worker, said she was told by a white supervisor that blacks would not advance at the company while he worked there. He remains at Boeing, the lawsuit says. Donald W. Ballard, who has put in 19 years at Boeing, says he was promoted after several whites he had trained, but was required to serve a 29-day probationary period that was not required for whites. William Bell, a 10-year company veteran, says he was denied promotions given white co-workers with less seniority. He alleged a hostile workplace, noting he received a picture of a lynching.