Drugmaker Novartis has begun standing trial in a sex discrimination suit brought on by 5,600 female sales representatives who say they were denied promotions and equal pay.
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A lawyer for the plaintiffs on Thursday acknowledged to a jury at a federal court in Manhattan the Swiss company has extensive written materials warning against discrimination but accused it of “saying one thing on paper but another thing in real life”.
Attorney Katherine Kimpel said women hired since 2002 at Novartis’s United States arm entered a company that disrespected and undermined its female workers and that it was at times a hostile workplace dominated by an “old boys network.”
Basel-based Novartis is one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Its 2009 revenues were $44.27 billion (SFr47.69 billion).
Novartis lawyer Richard Schnadig said the company does not discriminate against women and there was no glass ceiling.
“This is a fair, decent, responsive company that has been sensitive to women’s’ needs,” he said. “We don’t discriminate … the company makes no claims that we’re perfect.”
Schnadig said the company might have been a little slow in investigating the claims against a particular manager, who was fired two years after the lawsuit was filed in 2004.
“He was an embarrassment to the company,” Schnadig said. “He’s gone. We’re glad he’s gone.”
Schnadig added: “He wasn’t that bad a manager. He was just terrible with women.”
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US sex bias suit against Novartis set to begin
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The women, who have worked for the Swiss drug giant across the United States, claim that the company discriminated against them in the areas of pay, promotions, and pregnancy-related matters. The 17 plaintiffs – both current and former employees of Novartis – are representing 5,600 of their colleagues and seeking total damages of $200 million…
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The authorities, as well as employers’ representatives and unions, have joined together for the first time to begin discussions aimed at stamping out discriminatory practices over the next five years. The concept of equal pay has been written in the law since 1996, and has been in the Swiss constitution since 1981. But those working…
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Having trailed behind Roche over the last few years, Novartis appeared to have turned a corner with a record-breaking performance in 2009. Roche is tipped to amply recoup the acquisition costs that dented its 2009 profits. Both Basel-based firms are standing on solid foundations and are poised to reap strong benefits in the next two…
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Women finally gained the vote in Switzerland in 1971, after a long campaign. Before that male voters had always rejected the move. Old posters show how the subject was often an emotional one.
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