State Labor Group Sues Office Depot, Charging Bias
The California Labor Federation on Wednesday filed suit against Office Depot, claiming the Florida-based company has a discriminatory policy against delivering to labor unions.
The suit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and seeks $1 million in punitive damages, stems from the company’s alleged refusal to deliver furniture to the Los Angeles office of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Glenn Rothner, the Pasadena attorney who filed the suit, said when an IBEW secretary called to complain about late delivery, she was told the order had been flagged by a computer program and that corporate policy prohibited deliveries by company drivers to labor unions.
A supervisor allegedly said the company did not want its drivers exposed to labor organizers. Rothner said the policy violates a state civil law that prohibits “discrimination due to creed.”
Office Depot officials could not be reached for comment.
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