[Vision2020] News A Little Closer to Home (Lewiston Wal-Mart)

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (February 9, 2007) Spokesman Review -

"Some of the racial graffiti included slurs and the phrases 'white
supremacy' and 'whites only,' legal documents in the case show."

As a Wal-Mart marketing slogan so proudly claims, "There is more from
Wal-Mart on the way."

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Wal-Mart settles harassment suit
Idaho store fired black worker for complaining about racial slurs, agency
says
>From staff reports
February 8, 2007

A Lewiston Wal-Mart will pay $125,000 to settle a racial harassment and
retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC), the agency announced Thursday.

Travis Woods, an African-American night maintenance supervisor, had endured
more than two years of racial harassment in the form of epithets and
graffiti and then was fired after he complained to managers, according to
the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Idaho.

As part of the settlement, Wal-Mart agreed to pay Woods $125,000; reaffirm
its commitment to abide by civil rights law; train managers, supervisors and
associates about prohibited racial harassment and retaliation under Title
VII; and provide information to the EEOC about its handling of racial
harassment and discrimination complaints for two years.

Some of the racial graffiti included slurs and the phrases "white supremacy"
and "whites only," legal documents in the case show.

The graffiti was in bathrooms and other areas. Woods said that at one point
he had just finished cleaning a bathroom when a white associate tracked dirt
into the bathroom and said something about getting the area dirty then
making his "black ass" clean it up again.

Around 2001, Woods talked to a manager about having seen graffiti that
contained a threatening racial slur and included a drawing of what Woods
believed to be a hangman gallows. The assistant manager erased the graffiti
and said words to the effect of "There, now it's gone."

"No one should ever have to put up with the racist remarks and graffiti that
waited for me at work," Woods said in an EEOC news release issued Thursday.

EEOC Regional Attorney William Tamayo said, "An employer with the size and
sophistication of Wal-Mart should have investigated and addressed the racial
harassment against Mr. Woods within hours of its occurrence. With this
resolution, however, Wal-Mart now must ensure that managers and associates
know their rights and obligations under the law. We look forward to working
with Wal-Mart over the next two years to make sure the Lewiston store treats
its entire work force fairly regardless of race, and that associates do not
have to endure the harassment that Mr. Woods lived through."

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown