Plan Against Bias Outlined by Red Onion

The Red Onion restaurant chain, under investigation by two state agencies for alleged racial discrimination, outlined plans Friday to adopt non-discriminatory hiring and training policies and reach out to the minority communities of Orange, Riverside and Los Angeles counties.

Company Vice President Stephen Solomon said the firm will conduct a national search for minority-owned suppliers, recruit and train minority employees at all levels and endow a scholarship for minorities.

The Southern California chain of 14 restaurants has been accused of racial bias in more than 50 complaints and three lawsuits filed by people who sought entrance to its discos in Santa Ana, Fullerton, Riverside and Palm Desert but were turned away.

Former and current Red Onion employees have told reporters that their bosses instructed them to “clean up the crowd” when it became “too dark” or to find something wrong with minority customers’ ID or clothing.

Company officials repeatedly have denied the discrimination charges. They have said their new policies are designed to allow the company to “correct the perception of a problem.”

The company also plans a summer jobs program for inner-city children and establishment of “intercultural training seminars,” in which the company’s 2,000 employees--including Red Onion President Ron Newman--will learn “effective communications with persons who are different.”