Black men allege job discrimination at Social Security

PAGE 8A
Laredo Morning Times
Tuesday, April 20, 1999
NATIONAL
Bombing
Black men allege
victims,
job discrimination
families
at Social Security
gather
.BY ALICE ANN LOVE
diverse agency in all of govern-
Associated Press Writer
ment,” said Paul Barnes, SSA‘s
deputy commissioner of human
BY ROCHELLE HINES
WASHINGTON — Black male
resources. ”We really do look
Associated Press Writer
employees of the Social
like the America we serve.”
Security Administration alleged
Barnes said that at SSA head-
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Rev.
Monday that the agency dis-
quarters, where the bias com-
James J. Blassengill was driving
criminates against them.
plaints are being made, 6.7 per-
by the Alfred P. Murrah federal
”Black males, in general, do
cent of workers are black men,
building when it exploded four
not have a career at Social
compared with 5.2 percent in
years ago. The blast destroyed
Security ... they have a job.
the civilian work force national-
his car, wrecked his body and
There‘s a difference between
ly. Of the most senior execu-
scarred his psyche.
the two,” Harry Dunbar told a
tives, 10 percent are black men.
His problems persist — he
news conference. He was
And last year, 6.1 percent of
recently underwent surgery to
among scores of black men
SSA headquarters employees
remove gangrene that had devel-
who work at Social Security
who received promotions were
oped around his stomach and
headquarters near Baltimore
black men.
As required by law, Social
intestines when glass bruised him
who traveled by bus to the
Security has notified 612 cur-
inside and out.
media event outside the Equal
rent and former black male
But Blassengill insists he‘s one
Employment Opportunity
employees of the agency‘s
of the lucky ones.
Commission‘s offices here.
headquarters who are potential
He stood Monday among fellow
Dunbar and two others filed a
members of the class-action
survivors and the families of
class-action complaint with the
complaint.
bombing victims gathered for the
EEOC in 1995, alleging that
Attorneys for the three men
fourth anniversary of the April 19,
black men get fewer promotions
who originated the charges —
1995, blast that killed 168 people.
and more unsatisfactory job
Dunbar, Gilbert A. Jefferson
Blassengill‘s wife said her hus-
AP Photo
evaluations than warranted by
and Kenneth A. Burden — said
band, who is still kept awake by
REMEMBERING: Pause for 168 seconds at the construction site of the Oklahoma City National Memorial in
their numbers at SSA head-
they have heard from more
nightmares, is not as well as he
Oklahoma City, Okla., on Monday, in rememberence of the 168 victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, which
quarters.
than 100 others who claim to
makes out.
occured four years ago.
After a four-year delay caused
have had similar experiences.
”He tries to say he‘s fine, but he‘s
by SSA‘s challenges to the
break from building the memorial.
mixture of curiosity and fatigue.
conspiracy and involuntary
men‘s right to pursue the com-
They are seeking monetary
not,” said Willie Mae Blassengill.
In addressing the 300 people
Ms. Booker was killed while she
manslaughter and sentenced to
plaint jointly, the EEOC ruled
compensation for the men and
”He‘ll do pretty good for a while
gathered at the site, Paul Dunn,
was picking up Social Security
life.
this year that the case could
changes in Social Security‘s
and then he has those flash-
pastor of Calvary Baptist Church,
cards for her children.
In Indianapolis, about 100 feder-
move forward. The commission
personnel system to ensure
backs.”
told the survivors they may never
”If I could talk to Timothy
al workers gathered outside the
has made no ruling yet on the
fairness.
Monday‘s ceremony, quieter and
understand why they were
McVeigh and Terry Nichols, I
Minton-Capehart Federal Building
merits of the complaints. A pre-
”Systematic discrimination has
more informal than in previous
spared. But he challenged them
would tell them that I forgive them
for a ceremony.
liminary hearing before an
been going on against African
years, is expected to be the last
to a goal even harder to reach.
and love them, and I‘m praying for
Larry Mackey, who was a prose-
EEOC judge is scheduled for
Americans at the Social
before a permanent memorial
”We may never forget, but we
them and their families,” said Ms.
cutor in the trials of McVeigh and
May 10.
Security Administration for
park is completed next year.
must forgive!” he said.
Graves, who listened and nodded
Nichols and is now in private prac-
Social Security officials denied
decades,” said Michael Kator of
As the names of the 168 dead
Gloria Graves, who wore a T-
during Dunn‘s presentation. ”We
tice, told the Indianapolis crowd
that the agency treats black
the Washington labor-law firm
were read, family and friends
shirt with the picture of her only
can‘t hold grudges.”
the bombing didn‘t damage the
male employees unfairly.
Kator, Scott & Parks.
dropped flowers over a glass wall
daughter, bombing victim
McVeigh was sentenced to
life‘s work of those killed.
”Social Security is one of the
onto the building‘s former site —
Cassandra Booker, tried to quiet
death on murder and weapons
most diverse, if not the most
where workers took a morning
several children fidgeting from a
charges. Nichols was convicted of
Lottery ticket tip worth $10 million
causes court battle among co-workers
BY GARRY MITCHELL
also got lottery tickets as tips.
Waffle House co-workers testi-
meantime, lottery dealers in
Associated Press Writer
The four sued her and claimed
fied there was a share-the-
Florida do a brisk business with
she had ignored their agreement
wealth plan and that in conver-
Alabama customers like Edward
MOBILE, Ala. — Tonda
to divide any winnings equally —
sations around the hot grill they
Seward Jr., the Waffle House
Dickerson gave her Waffle
meaning $2 million for each.
often discussed how they would
customer from Bayou La Batre
House customers plenty of cof-
Mrs. Dickerson, 28, said there
spend the money.
who gave away the lottery tick-
fee refills, and one of them
had been no such deal. She then
”It was always stated that if we
ets.
rewarded her with a Florida lot-
turned down a settlement offer
hit, we split,” one of the four co-
Seward ate breakfast daily with
tery ticket.
that would have given her $3 mil-
workers, Matthew Adams, told
family members at the Waffle
Not a bad tip. It turned out to be
lion and let the other four split the
the jury.
House in Grand Bay, on the
worth $10 million.
rest.
Mobile County Circuit Judge
Alabama coast. On March 7, he
But then she turned in her
So instead of moving from her
Robert Kendall said the jury‘s
handed out tickets to five servers
apron without sharing the jack-
mobile home on Monday, the for-
verdict, expected Tuesday, will
— Mrs. Dickerson, Adams,
pot with four co-workers who
mer waitress was in court. Her
be an advisory one. The judge
Sandra Deno, Angela Tisdale
will make the final decision on
and Jackie Fairley.
whether the money must be
Seward, 41, is a former restau-
Senate approves medal divided. Florida officials are hold- rant manager who is partially
ing the money in the meantime.
paralyzed on his right side from a
Voters in Alabama will decide
stroke.
honoring Rosa Parks
this year whether the state
should have a lottery. In the
WASHINGTON (AP) — The
Supreme Court ruled the
Senate voted unanimously
city‘s bus segregation law
Monday to award Rosa Parks
unconstitutional and the law
a Congressional Gold Medal,
was changed. That boycott
four decades after her refusal
was led by the Rev. Martin
to surrender her bus seat to a
Luther King Jr., who at the
white man helped spark the
time was a local minister.
civil rights movement.
”Her quiet dignity ignited the
Senators approved the mea-
most significant social move-
sure 86-0, and House pas-
ment in the history of the
sage was expected on
United States,” said the bill
Tuesday. President Clinton is
authorizing the medal.
certain to sign the legislation,
The measure‘s sponsors
which would bestow
include Sens. Spencer
Congress‘ highest civilian
Abraham, R-Mich.; Carl Levin,
award on the 86-year-old civil
D-Mich.; and Jeff Sessions,
rights pioneer.
R-Ala. Parks moved to Detroit
In 1955, Parks refused to
in 1957.
give up her front seat on a
bus in Montgomery, Ala. Her
arrest led to a yearlong boy-
cott of the city‘s buses by
blacks, which lasted until the

---