Possible Racial Discrimination at a Prominent Newspaper
Can termination based on seniority constitute race discrimination?
The Philadelphia Inquirer has seen better days financially and now it faces reputational damages. Its recent financial troubles have led to a lay off. The paper has terminated 71 newsroom employees which is equal to 17 percent of its staff. These layoffs were based on seniority guidelines found in the newspaper union’s contract. These guidelines disproportionally disadvantage minorities. According to the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia, 17 of the 71 journalists laid off, or about 24 percent, are minorities. The National Association of Black Journalists and the newspaper's editor and unions are squaring off to forestall any further inflammation. While litigation has not begun, this case is one to watch.
This information comes courtesy of a recent NY Times article. If you would like to read further:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/15/business/media/15philly.html?ref=media
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