Kodak

Kodak, the world famous photography company, is set to pay out over US$21 million in settlement of a racial discrimination claim.

The suit was filed on behalf of black employees who argued that their white co-workers were being favored for higher pay and more promotions. The legal battle took nearly seven years.

Kodak is also accused of maintaining a racially-hostile working environment.

Part of the settlement will go toward the creation of diversity programs to make the working environment more racially-inclusive. The company is also set to hire an industrial psychologist and labour statisticians to analyze the company’s pay and promotion policies.

In a public statement, the company said that the settlement: “represents a resolution of mutual interest and it absolutely does not suggest any wrongdoing on the company’s part…Kodak is widely recognized as a company committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace in which all employees are valued, treated fairly and can contribute to their full potential.”

Truly a Kodak moment…

The claim and settlement highlights the oft forgotten fact that racial discrimination continues. It’s a blight on many companies, large institutions and even small charities in the US and here in the UK.

However because we’ve come to believe that ‘race is no longer a problem’, we tend to not realise when racist situations are occurring, especially in highly regarded companies such as Kodak.

It’s easy to dismiss individual concerns as someone having a ‘chip on their shoulder’, or ‘playing the race card’. Its much harder for many organisations to realise that they need to overhaul the way that they do things before they have to go to court.

Highlighting that Black Caribbean pupils are three times more likely to be permanently excluded from school than their white counterparts, the report also argues that proposals made by the Conservative party when in opposition to scrap the right of appeal for excluded students could disproportionately impact on black pupils if implemented.

The aim of the report – which contains essays by exclusions experts such as Diane Abbott MP, Val Gillies and Cecile Wright – is to outline the considerations needed when developing exclusions policy, as well as highlighting policy proposals to tackle exclusion levels.

In her essay, Diane Abbott MP calls for the findings of a 2006 Department for Education and Skills report on the issue to be re-visited. Not implemented at the time, the report argued that the disproportionate levels of black exclusions could not be solely attributed to culture, class or home life and also proposed that targets should be introduced for the 100 worst schools for black exclusions.

Val Gillies of London South Bank University outlines how she spent two years in school behaviour support units as part of her research in school exclusions and argues that whilst the schools involved had zero tolerance policies on unambiguous racism, a more confused and troubled relationship to race took place under the surface.

Cecile Wright calls for the provision of full alternative education for pupils excluded for more than 15 days, and also argues that a re-integration policy of excludees back into mainstream education is needed.

Other issues covered in the document including the exclusion of girls; family life and exclusions; and a perspective from teaching unions.

Commenting, Runnymede director Rob Berkeley said: “In a period of reform, we should be particularly mindful of the most marginalised. This collection of essays aims to sketch out the considerations needed when developing any intervention that would seek to create change”.

HM Stanley

Plans to erect a statue in honour of the 19th Century explorer Henry Morton Stanley, have been met with opposition from some residents in Denbigh, North Wales.

A petition calling for a proper representation of Stanley’s exploits is being lodged with council officials. The petitioners argue that erecting a statue of Stanley does not give a true account of his ‘imperialist’ exploration of Africa. Stanley is best remembered for his journey to find Dr Livingstone, allegedly greeting him with the phrase: ‘Dr Livingstone I presume?’

The petition warns:

‘A statue would convey uncritical approval and celebration of all aspects of Stanley -
something not possible for such a controversial figure today.
It is wrong to romanticise the African “adventures” of Victorian era imperialists. The
racist ideas of the day led to hundreds of thousands of Africans being killed or
mistreated – Europeans believing that their supremacy entitled them to confiscate land
and exploit natives and resources.
It is impossible to disconnect Stanley, or any other imperialist of the period, from that
suffering. Recent biographers may have concentrated on Stanley’s personality and
exploits, however, Denbigh’s authorities must not ignore painful historical facts. If
wishing to mark that he was born in the town would it not be better to opt for a
permanent exhibition which could convey the story of the man whilst giving a fuller
historical context?’

A report in 2008 on the council’s plans quoted a local councillor:

“It’s been on the cards for a while now, especially given that Henry Morton Stanley’s such a respected figure,” said Denbigh councillor Raymond Bartley.

“A statue of this very well- known Denbigh man would be a very welcome addition to the town.”

In a statement reported in his local paper, Lammy said:

“Ever since I was first elected to Parliament I have called for a more diverse and representative political class. It would go against all that not to help Diane Abbott get on to the ballot paper now.
“To have a leadership election without a single woman involved would send a terrible signal.”
The paper goes on to report: ‘But Mr Lammy stopped short of openly backing her to win the ballot. He added: “I would say to colleagues that lending someone your nomination is not the same as voting for a candidate in the final ballot.
“The question at this stage is whether we can have a more diverse field and an open discussion over the next few months. I think we should.”

The same statement from Lammy appears on Liberal Conspiracy here.

Lammy seems to be suporting her standing, though not necessarily endorsing her to win. Is that reluctance being echoed by other BME MPs?

As I reported here, before Abbott joined the race, BME MPs are throwing their hats behind a number of different candidates.

The latest has been Chuka Umunna backing Ed Miliband.

The Labour party website, which has now gone all glitzy with candidate nominations, still records no nominations (at time of writing)  for Abbott or John McDonnell.

Of course, Black and Asian MPs should back who they think is best, but it’s sad that when you have a black woman standing for the first time, she can’t count on nominations from the few other black and Asian members of Parliament.