Racism Alleged at Nexen USA

McKINNEY, Texas (CN) - Energy company Nexen USA tolerates racist behavior against its few black workers, a class action claims in Collin County Court. Named plaintiff Harold Lewis says Nexen fired him after he complained that white workers had sent company emails with "Obama-directed racial slurs," and that after he was fired a supervisor said, "Well, we finally got rid of that "n----r."

Lewis says Nexen is trying to muzzle his exposure of its racist policies by demanding that he return any copies of Nexen documents he has. He claims Nexen is using a confidentiality clause in its employment contract to prevent workers from reporting the company to the EEOC.

Lewis says Nexen claims the EEOC is "not a law enforcement agency," and therefore "is not a safe harbor for" company information.

Lewis seeks declaratory judgment that Nexen cannot prevent him from using company documents to substantiate the company's racist employment practices.

Lewis and the putative class are represented by Steve Kardell with Clouse Dunn Khoshbin of Dallas.

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