Pension Funds already prompted 20 others to change policies

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr., on behalf of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System and the Teachers’ Retirement System, today lauded Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla., for amending its non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation to strengthen protections for gay and lesbian workers.

The change – which took effect Friday - came two months after the Funds made the request of Winn-Dixie, one of the largest food retailers in the nation. In recent months, Thompson and the Funds have called on a number of Fortune 500 companies to adopt policies that specifically bar discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“I commend Winn-Dixie for taking this significant first step to provide equal opportunity to all employees in all phases of employment, without regard to sexual orientation,” Thompson said. “This was simply the right thing to do.”

According to Martha E. Stark, New York City Finance Commissioner and Chair of NYCERS and TRS: “Through these pension funds, we will continue to press Winn-Dixie and other companies to guarantee equal employment opportunity for all of their employees – it’s good business practice and the decent thing to do. Our effort to modernize the employment policies of the companies in which New York City pension funds invest will continue until they all join Winn-Dixie in guaranteeing equal opportunity in the workplace.”

“This is great news for the Gay, Bisexual, Lesbian, and Transgender community,” said NYCERS Trustee and Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum. “Corporate America needs to ensure that all people are treated equally and humanely. I applaud the pension funds and Comptroller Thompson for championing the right to equal employment for all, and Winn-Dixie for embracing change.”

The New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS) holds 120,004 shares worth approximately $914,430 in the company, while the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) holds 86,200 shares worth approximately $656,844 in Winn-Dixie. In total, the five pension funds hold 259, 716 shares valued at $1.9 million in Winn-Dixie.

Thompson vowed to continue his campaign to urge other Fortune 500 companies to adopt policies that specifically bar discrimination based on sexual orientation. In May, 28.9 percent of ExxonMobil shares were voted in support of the City’s proposal calling on the company to change its policy. Thompson intends to refile that proposal later this year.

The proposals call on companies to adopt a policy stating: "Employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation diminishes employee morale and productivity….Our company would benefit by a consistent, corporate-wide policy to enhance efforts to prevent discrimination, resolve complaints internally, and ensure a respectful and supportive atmosphere for all employees.”

Companies have amended their policies due to the Funds’ efforts are: CSX; Cracker Barrel; American Electric Power; Duke Energy; CenterPoint Energy; Dynegy; Marathon Oil; JCPenney; Mirant; TXU Corp.; Ingram Micro; Lockheed Martin; FedEx; El Paso Corp.; Masco Corp.; Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company; Smurfit-Stone Container Corp.; Waste Management, Inc.; Southern Company; and Centex Corp.

Serving with Thompson on the New York City Employees’ Retirement System board are: New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark (Chair); New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum; Borough Presidents C. Virginia Fields (Manhattan), Helen Marshall (Queens), Marty Markowitz (Brooklyn), Adolfo Carrion (Bronx), and James Molinaro (Staten Island); Lillian Roberts, Executive Director, District Council 37, AFSCME; Roger Toussaint, President Transport Workers Union Local 100; and, Carroll (Carl) Haynes, President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237.

In addition to Thompson, trustees on the Teachers’ Retirement System board are: New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark (Chair); Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm, New York City Department of Education; Phillip Berry, New York City Department of Education’s Panel for Educational Policy; and, Sandra March, Melvyn Aaronson and Mona Romain, of the United Federation of Teachers.

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