W.Va. gas contractor sued for race discrimination

MATT STROUD
Associated Press

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — Five African-American former employees of a West Virginia gas pipeline contractor are suing the company for racial discrimination.

Aaron Bruce of Flatwoods; Andre Bruce of Jessup, Maryland; Terrence Doster of Ambridge, Pennsylvania; Jeffery Edwards of Moreno Valley, California; and Derrick Reynolds of Monaca, Pennsylvania filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday in West Virginia against CKS Pipeline Contracting. The company is based about 20 miles south of Clarksburg.

The lawsuit says CKS laid off four of the five on the same day in April 2013, without explanation. The lawsuit claims the company discriminated against the former employees because they are black.

CKS owner Jonelle Swiger says the lawsuit is unfounded. She says the black employees were laid off with white employees who haven’t sued.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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