Ten Shell Employees Sue Company For Discrimination

LOS ANGELES - Ten African American marketing employees of Shell Oil Co. have sued the oil-industry giant for racial discrimination, contending that the company's voluntary affirmative-action program has failed to promote blacks to higher management.

Three employees who are women from the Los Angeles area are also suing the company for gender discrimination in the action filed last month in U.S. District Court in San Francisco and expected to be served on the company today.

"Shell has failed to implement the kind of diversity management plan that has been successful and profitable for Xerox, Avon and other companies," said Ernie Beffel, lead attorney for the employees, in a statement.

Shell spokeswoman Kitty Borah said that the company was aware of the lawsuit, though it had not yet been served late yesterday.