European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 2, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday february 2, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 5 pm settles Bias suit with Blacks adopts program to ensure equal treatment Detroit not in a move to end a six year Legal Battle with its Black managers professionals and clerical workers general motors corp. Has agreed to Settle a lawsuit covering 10,000 present and former Black workers in the Midwest. As part of the settlement of the suit which charge that Blacks were systematically denied promotions and pay increases pm agreed to develop a compute Model to Monitor raises and promotions among its salaried workers for the next five years to assure that lacks Are treated equitably. The Model will statistically compare promotion Sand raises for White and Black workers taking into consideration factors such As length of service and educational background. If Blacks fall behind in any year pm promised to redress the Gap the next year and to pay penalties. Under the settlement the company did not concede any of the charges in the lawsuit. Richard f. O Brien vice president for personnel said we at pm Are justifiably proud of our track record regarding equal Opportunity and affirmative action and i believe this agreement will further strengthen and support existing programs and  As with Many other important suits in recent years such As 9ne challenging the safety of the a car Model line which the company won the automaker fought this Challenge fiercely. It finally agreed to seek a settlement shortly before the trial was due to Start i november. The heart of the plaintiffs Case a computer Mode developed by the plaintiffs lawyers and their Consul Tants that demonstrated Bias forced general motor sep Settle said Sheldon Miller an attorney for the Plain tiffs. We were Able to substantiate that pm s old system Lent itself to conscious and subconscious discrimination against Black employees Miller said. He added that the computer Model showed that lacks were rated lower than White counterparts for identical performance so that when it came to promotions layoffs and raises they were far behind Whites. Under the settlement the specific results of the Plain tiffs study will be kept secret. In addition to the use of the computer Model the settlement which has been tentatively approved by Federal District judge John Feikens Calls for pm Topay $1.6 million in varying amounts to 2,800 workers no longer with the company and $ 1 million to about1,000 current workers with specific grievances. In previous settlements of discrimination suits Law yers for the plaintiffs said defendants typically agreed to hire or promote a certain number of the group claiming discrimination. But most of these quota sys tems also provide employers with numerous loopholes Miller said. The suit covers Only pm plants and offices in Mich Igan Indiana and Ohio which employ 75 percent of the company s 8,400 Black salaried workers. Dennis James another lawyer for the plaintiffs explained that his Legal team decided to limit the suit to those three states to ease court certification of the class. A pm spokesman said the monitoring process would be extended to pm plants elsewhere because we intend to ensure that All employees Are treated fairly with respect to All our  Navy Grants joint contract for harms Washington a the Nav awarded a $459.4 million contract to Texas instruments inc. Tuesday com Bining in one fixed Price contract its Fis Cal 1989 order for harm missiles along with those of the air Force and West Germany. The Navy in a Brief announcement said it was buying 2,449 High Speed anti radar missiles or agm-88 harms fro Texas instruments this year. The combined order includes 1,319 for the Navy 950 forthe air Force and 180 for West Germany the Navy said. The Sale to West Germany Worth $35.2 million is the first foreign Sale of the weapon. The harm missile is an air to ground missile used to attack enemy radar facilities of the sort that guide anti aircraft guns and surface to air missiles. The harm guidance system is designed to automatically lock on to the enemy radar s emissions. Aids protesters close Golden Gate about 80 demonstrators demanding faster government action played two hours or More. The protesters part of a group in stopping the spread of aids halted traffic on the Golden called Stop aids now or else started blocking traffic at Gate Bridge in san Francisco for 46 minutes during Rush about 7 30. Police arrested 26 protesters and cited them for hour tuesday morning angering commuters who were de trespassing and creating a Public nuisance. . Hospital workers end sick out after National guard intervenes Cranston . A unionized attendants at a state run Hospital temporarily halted their sick out tuesday after they were threatened with dismissal and National guard troops were called in to feed Wash and dress patients. Eighty of the 91 workers scheduled to work the 3 . Shift showed up and the guard was sent Home said Hospital administrator James Benedict. The Union and the state will negotiate their disputes Over staffing scheduling and overtime during a two week Cooling off period said Robert k. Vincent governor s aide who met with Union officials for 90 minutes. If they can t agree they la shake hands and agree to disagree but they la address that disagreement through the Normal procedure of grievances and arbitration Vincent said. Union officials were not at the Union Hall and did not return Telephone Call seeking comment. Gov. Edward d. Diprete called out the guard to fill in for absent workers after talks collapsed monday Between local 1350 of the american federation of state county and municipal employees and Thomas d. Romeo director of the state department of mental health retardation and hospitals. Vincent said Diprete had warned the workers that any who did not show up for tuesday s third shift beginning at 11p.m., and could not prove they were ill would risk being fired. We re kind of out of our element but we seem to be doing of said sgt. Dean Mansfield one of about 60guardsmen who rolled up the sleeves of their fatigues and went to work tuesday morning. The state run Hospital provides Long term care to 425 patients about 75 percent of whom Are elderly. Romeo under heavy pressure from Broadway director Dies Danbury Conn. A Morton a Costa who directed some of Broad Way s biggest hits in the 1950s including the music Man auntie mame no time for sergeants and Plain an fancy has died of a heart attack. He was 74. Diprete to Cut overtime costs ordered changes in the Hospital work sched Ules that angered the Union. The changes will remain in place during the Cooling off period Vincent said. He said the Hospital s overtime budget has been $55,000 for each two week pay period but actual spending has been closer to $95,000. The changes Are aimed at bringing that Fig ure Down to $85,000 per two weeks Vincent said. Eighty five of the 106 worker scheduled for tuesday s first shift re ported for work said Joan m. Wil Kicki the Hospital s administrative coordinator. The Absentee rate has varied greatly from shift to shift. On monday most of the first shift reported for work but Well Over half of the second shift workers called in sick. The guard pitched in to perform non skilled care such As feeding washing and dressing patients an changing their linens under the direction of medical staff said capt. John Loughlin ii the guard s Public information officer. In the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Feb. 2, 1949 diplomatic official from the United states and France re ported they had convinced Britain Bel Gium and the Netherlands to invite Italy to join the proposed Atlantic pact Assoon As possible. 30 years ago foe a. Feb. 2,1959 the Central directorate of the Christian democratic party Italy s larg est anti communist group failed to con Vince sex Premier Amintore Fanfani to re consider and withdraw his resignation Asp arty Secretary. 20 years ago today. Feb. 2, 1969 the United slate Sand its nato partners presented France with an $800 million Bill for military installations left in the country after France withdrew from the nato Mili tary command. I0 years ago foday. Feb. 2, 1979 clutching the document from president Carter that set he free a smiling Patricia Hearst was re leased from prison ending five years As the Kidnap victim turned Urban guerrilla