BellSouthThis federal lawsuit against the Atlanta-based telephone giant alleges that BellSouth Telecommunications systematically discriminates against African American hourly workers by denying them promotions into salaried management positions through the use of an employment test that disproportionately excludes African American candidates, but is not a valid predictor of success in management jobs. The suit also alleges that BellSouth discriminates against African American salaried workers by paying them less than their white peers. BellSouth Telecommunications employs about 50,000 workers and this suit was filed on behalf of about 15,000 African American employees. The lawsuit alleges that the discriminatory practices outlined in the complaint have been long standing. BellSouth has a history of using invalid tests that even its own executives don't trust and administering those tests and other prerequisites to promotion to management in a discriminatory manner. According to the lawsuit, about 28% of BellSouth Telecommunications hourly employees are African American but only 16% of management employees are African American. "Racial discrimination has no place in America's workplace. This industry leader must work as hard to protect its workers from bigotry as it does in marketing telephone service. This suit should be a wake-up call for this baby bell," said Joseph Sellers. On September 18, 2006, the federal district judge denied our request to certify this case as a class action. We filed a motion for reconsideration, asking the district court to revisit that ruling, because we believe that the ruling was based upon errors in law. On November 7, 2006, the court denied the motion for reconsideration. In neither opinion did the court address the merits of the case, nor determine whether or not BellSouth’s conduct was legal. The rulings indicated that the court had questions about whether the plaintiffs could proceed with the case as a class action, rather than as individual cases. We have filed a request with the court of appeals, asking them to review the district court’s decision. While we await a response from the court of appeals, we are assessing what other steps we can take to assist putative class members. If you have any information about these practices at BellSouth, or think that you have been affected by discrimination at BellSouth, please contact us by calling 202-408-4600 and leaving a message for Pamela Macker or click here to email us your information. |
