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For months, a group of five African-American employees at NBC-TV had complained about racism at the station, but hardly anyone would listen, particularly after the company declared that the charges were unfounded.
But this wasnt enough to persuade Federal Judge Shira Scheindlin from taking a closer look at the complaint. She later ruled that the employees had a legitimate case and could haul the company into court if they wished.
Armed with this 130-page decision, they wasted no time in instructing their attorney, Bendeicht Morelli, to pursue the lawsuit, which seeks $200 million in damages.
Cory Shields, NBCs vice president for corporate communications, denied the allegations and told the Amsterdam News that the company was fully prepared to rebut every single accusation.
NBC always takes claims of this kind very seriously, Shields said. We thoroughly investigated these charges when they were first brought to our attention and determined that they were without merit.
Shields said the company is please the court dismissed a majority of the claims made in the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, the employees said they were subjected to pervasive racial and sexual harassment at the hands of supervisors who posted racist cartoons, made sexist comments and denied them job opportunities that were given to their white counterparts.
The lawsuit alleged that a female supervisor gave preferential treatment to male workers, especially those with whom she flirted.
Kyle Little, one for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, noted that workers were often encouraged to watch a tape of an employee dressed in blackface that was broadcast over the NBCs closed circuit monitors.
Little said that last year, he saw a noose hanging in a maintenance shop with the name of a Black colleague on it. Several plaintiffs said they also felt threatened by Ku Klux Klan robes hanging in the offices.
Plaintiff Julie Perez testified that she was physically menaced by a white male coworker and was the frequent object of suggestive and crude comments. Office walls, she said, had sexual related cartoon and poster on them. She also alleged that white men got better assignments, training and benefits.
NBC has vehemently denied the allegations, saying they wouldnt fly in court when the facts are put on the table. These lies are perpetrated by a bunch of disgruntled employees, a company statement asserted.
Little said he was very pleased with the judges decision. The chicken has finally come home to roost, he declared, adding that the judges ruling was thorough, fair and based on her opinion of the law.
There is a systemic culture of racism that exist within NBC and I applaud Judge Scheindlin for recognizing it, Little said.
Another plaintiff, John Rivera, said he felt that when he first started to go after the company he was standing at sea level looking up at Mt. Everest. I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to make the case in a public forum, he said, stressing that its time the public became aware of how minorities and women are treated in the white-male-do
But this wasnt enough to persuade Federal Judge Shira Scheindlin from taking a closer look at the complaint. She later ruled that the employees had a legitimate case and could haul the company into court if they wished.
Armed with this 130-page decision, they wasted no time in instructing their attorney, Bendeicht Morelli, to pursue the lawsuit, which seeks $200 million in damages.
Cory Shields, NBCs vice president for corporate communications, denied the allegations and told the Amsterdam News that the company was fully prepared to rebut every single accusation.
NBC always takes claims of this kind very seriously, Shields said. We thoroughly investigated these charges when they were first brought to our attention and determined that they were without merit.
Shields said the company is please the court dismissed a majority of the claims made in the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, the employees said they were subjected to pervasive racial and sexual harassment at the hands of supervisors who posted racist cartoons, made sexist comments and denied them job opportunities that were given to their white counterparts.
The lawsuit alleged that a female supervisor gave preferential treatment to male workers, especially those with whom she flirted.
Kyle Little, one for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, noted that workers were often encouraged to watch a tape of an employee dressed in blackface that was broadcast over the NBCs closed circuit monitors.
Little said that last year, he saw a noose hanging in a maintenance shop with the name of a Black colleague on it. Several plaintiffs said they also felt threatened by Ku Klux Klan robes hanging in the offices.
Plaintiff Julie Perez testified that she was physically menaced by a white male coworker and was the frequent object of suggestive and crude comments. Office walls, she said, had sexual related cartoon and poster on them. She also alleged that white men got better assignments, training and benefits.
NBC has vehemently denied the allegations, saying they wouldnt fly in court when the facts are put on the table. These lies are perpetrated by a bunch of disgruntled employees, a company statement asserted.
Little said he was very pleased with the judges decision. The chicken has finally come home to roost, he declared, adding that the judges ruling was thorough, fair and based on her opinion of the law.
There is a systemic culture of racism that exist within NBC and I applaud Judge Scheindlin for recognizing it, Little said.
Another plaintiff, John Rivera, said he felt that when he first started to go after the company he was standing at sea level looking up at Mt. Everest. I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to make the case in a public forum, he said, stressing that its time the public became aware of how minorities and women are treated in the white-male-do