Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 31, 1994 TAG: 9408310032
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's local branch accused the railroad of having fired blacks for allegedly breaking company rules, while whites who committed the same infractions weren't disciplined.
``Hundreds of African-Americans have lost their jobs for alleged infractions that are ignored when actually committed by white employees,'' Adell T. Adams wrote in a letter to the commission.
Adams sent the letter to Human Affairs Commissioner Willis Ham.
Ham said the investigation is in its early stages.
The railroad has discriminated against blacks in promotion, hiring, disciplinary action and drug screening, Adams said.
``There has been only one African-American promoted to management in the history of the railroad, and he was forced to accept a demotion because of harassment,'' she wrote.
Norfolk Southern spokesman Robin Chapman said the company had not seen a copy of the letter and no one from the NAACP had contacted the railroad with any complaints.
``There's no truth to these allegations,'' Chapman said. ``If the human affairs commissioner comes to us, certainly we'll cooperate.''
The U.S. Labor Department said it knew of no discrimination rulings regarding Norfolk Southern.
If the investigation shows that widespread racial discrimination did occur, Adams said a class action lawsuit against the company is possible.
Norfolk Southern employs about 25,000 people, including 3,300 in the Roanoke Valley, where it operates a regional headquarters, its coal marketing offics and maintenance shops for locomotives and coal hoppers.
by CNB