Wednesday, December 27, 2000
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Wednesday, December 27, 2000 |
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PTC electronics company seeks to limit claims from employees in race discrimination lawsuit By JOHN
MUNFORD A Peachtree City electronics manufacturer is petitioning a federal court judge to strictly limit the claims of several employees who have filed suit against it for alleged racial discrimination. In a petition filed with the Newnan Division of the U.S. District Court several weeks ago, Matsushita Communications Industrial Corporation said the complaints are overly broad, which makes it difficult if not impossible for the company to investigate. Attorneys for MCIC also allege that some of the complaints have not been investigated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and they should be thrown out of court, particularly regarding claims of retaliatory harassment. MCIC manufactures some electronic products under the Panasonic brand name. The suit alleges that MCIC passed each employee over several times for promotions in favor of a white worker who was less qualified. The company wants the claims of one of its ex-employees, Thomas Green, to be thrown out of the suit because he hasn't worked with the company for several years and the statute of limitations on his claims have expired. Matsushita employees Frederick Butler, Regie Stevens, Mohammed Warsame and Green are seeking to have the suit elevated to class-action status. In December 1999, the EEOC found "reasonable cause to believe black employees were discriminated against because of their race with regard to promotional opportunities at or above the level of technician A," at MCIC, the suit states. The employees also allege that the company did not post all available positions, a tactic supposedly used to promote white employees over more qualified African-American applicants. "Even when the positions were posted, white managers often 'pre-select' white employees to fill open positions," the suit alleges. In the suit, Warsame claims black employees were written up for safety violations and tardiness while other white workers were not cited for similar violations. The employees hope to recover back pay, front pay along with compensatory and punitive damages. MCIC wants the court to "sharply limit" the claims that may be raised in the civil lawsuit. Many of the claims made in the suit are "so vague and ambiguous that MCUSA cannot reasonable respond to them," a brief states. The matter has been scheduled for a hearing Thursday, Jan. 25 at 2:30 p.m.
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