WAL-MART SUED, LAUNCHES PR EFFORT

ELLIOT ZWIEBACH / MARK HAMSTRA

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- An African-American truck driver who was denied a job at Wal-Mart Stores, Bentonville, Ark., has filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court here alleging racial discrimination.

Daryal Nelson of Coldwater, Miss., said the retailer promised him a job as a driver, but later changed the offer to a job as a laborer in a warehouse, citing a "gut feeling" that Nelson had falsified portions of his job application, the suit states. The suit seeks class-action certification on behalf of "more than 100" African-American truck drivers who have been denied employment by the retailer in several Southeastern states.

Shawn Childs, an attorney with John W. Walker, P.A., here, the firm that filed the suit, told SN last week that his office received several calls from people seeking information about joining the class after the suit was filed. He said he expects Wal-Mart to ask the court not to certify the suit as a class-action.

A spokeswoman for Wal-Mart told SN the company had not yet looked into the details of the incident described in the suit. "We don't tolerate discrimination of any kind," she said, adding that the company would "take the appropriate action" once it had reviewed the case. In June, a judge granted class-action status to a gender-discrimination suit against the retailer in a case that potentially includes 1.6 million plaintiffs.

Separately, Wal-Mart last week said it was fighting back against what it called "half-truths and misinformation" about the company with advertisements in 15 California newspapers that explain some of its policies. Cynthia Lin, communications director for California, told SN she believes this is the first time Wal-Mart has ever placed an ad like this on a statewide basis.

On the issue of wages, the ads said the average wage paid in California is $10.37 per hour, "a rate that is in line with comparable retailers." Regarding medical coverage, Wal-Mart said it offers medical and dental coverage to full-time and part-time employees, along with profit-sharing and a 401(k) plan, merchandise discounts, performance-based bonuses and life insurance.

The ad also said Wal-Mart purchased more than $8 billion in goods and services from California suppliers, and contributed more than $11 million to local causes and organizations in California last year, in addition to generating significant tax revenues for local communities and providing career opportunities.