Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is more than 2,700 miles away from Compton, California, but three blacks who worked at US Airways terminals at the Philadelphia International Airport say they were assigned to work in sections under the codename for a “ghetto.”

Other code names reflecting communities with large white populations were used for areas where whites typically were assigned to work. And additional names were used as code for areas where blacks worked, according to the complaint filed earlier this week and reviewed by BlackAmericaWeb.com.

The suit filed by the former employees and the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP claims that blacks were given some of the worst shifts and faced harassment, discrimination and retaliation when they sought to complain about the practices at US Airways and its subsidiary, Piedmont Airlines.

“The complaint was filed on behalf of three plaintiffs, but we will seek to have it certified as a class action,” Brian Mildenberg, an attorney representing the former employees, told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

One of the plaintiffs, Tiffany Salters, said she was fired from her position as a customer service manager because the company objected to her serving as secretary of the Camden County, N.J. branch of the NAACP.

"It really was bad there," Salters said in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer. She told the newspaper she has been unable to find a job since she was fired in 2007 for a security lapse she said was not her responsibility.

The lawsuit seeks damages for all black employees who have been subjected to the discrimination at US Airways, reinstatement of the three employees and a permanent ban on the use of racial code names at the airlines terminal.

Officials with US Airways say they have a “zero tolerance” policy on discrimination.

“Certainly US Airways will investigate the claims. We abhor discrimination, and it is not tolerated,” company spokesman Morgan Durrant told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

Durrant said the company did not hear of the claims of discrimination while the three people filing the lawsuit still were employed with US Airways.

The complaint provides several examples of alleged discrimination, including:

- During the daytime hours when there are a high number of business travellers, the ticket counters are staffed by whites. At night when there are fewer business travelers, more blacks are assigned to the work the ticket counters.

- Terminal F, the section where many of the commuter flights are handled, has fewer retail shops, accommodations and upgrades. It’s called “the ghetto” and is staffed by a larger number of blacks.

- Terminals B, A-East and A-West are known throughout US Airways as “King of Prussia,” because of the high percentage of white passengers and higher socio-economic levels.

Durrant said more than 6,000 employees work through the company’s Philadelphia terminal. “It’s our second largest location, with about 400 daily flights,” he said.

In addition to filing the lawsuit this week, plaintiffs have filed complaints with EEOC and with the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, Mildenberg, the attorney said. No findings have been issued from either of those agencies, he said.

Mildenberg said he could not estimate how long it will take to resolve the case.

“A case like this could take a number of years, unless the parties agree to settle, and the courts accept that settlement,” he said.

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Ann38, you don't know the facts in this case, only what BAW reports, which is usually a twisted version of the actual facts. I won't warn you again to get to steppin' with you racist remarks on this site.

by   
Jiggy5
January 8, 2010, 12:04 pm
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She told the newspaper she has been unable to find a job since she was fired in 2007 for a security lapse she said was not her responsibility.

Never their fault. Take responsibility peeps.

by   
Jiggy5
January 8, 2010, 12:02 pm
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I'm so sick and tired of this racist crap. Crackers have been getting away eith this shyt for years, i hope they sue the he!! out of them

by   
Ann38
January 8, 2010, 10:39 am
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Good for the three folks who got the ball rollin,where's everyone else,I know we need jobs but you can't ignore blatant racism thrown in your face,walk or crawl its your choice!!

by   
Niguy
January 8, 2010, 9:14 am
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