Walgreens Sued For Job Bias Against Blacks

"I can't believe it. When I come here I'm treated fine," says Clyde. "I had no idea they were denying promotions to Black workers. You can never tell what goes on behind the scenes."

What happens behind the scenes at Walgreens is the basis for a class-action lawsuit filed last week by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging that the company quietly and systemically assigns manager, management trainees, and pharmacists to low performing stores and to stores in African-American communities because of their race. Additionally, the EEOC asserts that Walgreens denies these managers and professionals promotional opportunities based on race - all in violation of federal law.

Walgreen Co. store manager Johnny Tucker claims it was an open secret among African-American colleagues that their chances of being assigned to stores in white neighborhoods were slim.

"It was something many of us accepted and tolerated," said the 21-year Walgreens veteran. "But it finally got to the point where we could no longer accept it. Most of my career I was trapped in inner-city stores," he said. "I've been robbed at gunpoint. I've had a knife pulled on me twice. Chasing fleeing shoplifters became a life threatening daily routine because managers are responsible for profit and losses."

Walgreens said in a statement that "fairness and equality always have been the cornerstones of our business. We're the nation's best represented retailer in urban areas, and managers of all backgrounds are promoted to senior levels from those locations."

The class-action coincides with the launch of a new EEOC campaign to root out racial bias by focusing on emerging race and color issues in workplaces.

The initiative, call E-RACE (Eradicating Racism and Colorism from Employment) was announced in late February and targets systemic patterns of bias.

"This lawsuit demonstrates that the Commission's focus on systemic cases will be a powerful weapon to tackle obvious as well as subtle forms of race discrimination," said EEOC Chair Naomi C. Earp. "We will not rest until workplace decision making is based on merit rather than immutable and irrelevant characteristics, such as race and color.

Walgreens' actions were investigated by the St. Louis and Miami district offices of the EEOC after more than 20 current and former employees from around the country including southern California complained to the federal agency.

A group of current and former African-American managers filed a private lawsuit making similar allegations in June 2005. That lawsuit is currently pending in the U.S. District Court and the plaintiffs have asked the court to certify it as a class action.

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