Hardy v. New York News Inc.

114 F.R.D. 633, 46 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1199, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10269, 43 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 37,281
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJanuary 28, 1987
DocketNos. 82 Civ. 1147 (MGC), 82 Civ. 3662 (MGC) and 84 Civ. 6133 (MGC)
StatusPublished
Cited by52 cases

This text of 114 F.R.D. 633 (Hardy v. New York News Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hardy v. New York News Inc., 114 F.R.D. 633, 46 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1199, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10269, 43 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 37,281 (S.D.N.Y. 1987).

Opinion

KATHLEEN A. ROBERTS, United States Magistrate:

These three consolidated actions, now assigned to the Honorable Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum, were referred to me by Judge Walker on February 4, 1986, to decide a motion brought by the individual plaintiffs to compel the production of documents that the defendant claims are privileged.

The complaints in these actions charge violations of 42 U.S.C. § 1981 and of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, alleging that the defendant New York News, Inc. (“News”) has discriminated against nonwhite employees on the basis of race in promotion, compensation, and conditions and privileges of employment. The complaints also charge that the News has taken retaliatory actions against blacks who have filed grievances or charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”).

The present motion concerns 50 documents 1 that were prepared between January 1976 and December 1982 and that relate to the employment of minorities at the News and to the charges now pending in federal court. The documents, which are identified and described in defendant’s privileged document chart, have been withheld by the News on grounds of attorney-client, workproduct and self-critical analysis privilege.

At the time the matter was referred to me the parties had submitted affidavits and memoranda of law on the privilege issue, including plaintiffs’ notice of motion, accompanying affidavits and memorandum of law filed on February 26, 1985; an affidavit by defendant’s counsel Thomas C. Morrison, filed on April 24, 1985; and an affidavit of Susan Singer (counsel for the individual plaintiffs) filed on May 16, 1985.

At a pretrial conference held on February 18,1986,1 directed defendant to submit all withheld documents for in camera review, and to provide additional detailed information regarding the creation, use and dissemination of the documents in question.

By letter dated March 28, defendant submitted 1) a “privileged document chart;” 2) four supporting affidavits; 3) a complete set of withheld documents for in camera review; and 4) a “supporting document” to be reviewed m camera.

By letter dated April 11, 1986, and an accompanying affidavit, counsel for the individual plaintiffs raised a number of objections to defendant’s submission.' Further letters and additional documents were submitted by defendant on April 22 and May 28. The EEOC filed a memorandum of law on June 23, and on June 27, defendant submitted a letter response to the EEOC memorandum. Additional letters and documents (including in camera . materials) were received from defendant on October 1 and 2, and from plaintiffs on October 1.

Following oral argument on October 3, defendant submitted a letter dated November 18, with additional affidavits and documents for in camera review; this letter was followed by further letters and accompanying affidavits from both parties dated December 4 and December 11.

FACTS PERTAINING TO THE WITHHELD DOCUMENTS

The earliest documents in dispute (Documents 32 to 44) (the “Gallagher documents”) were authored by Virginia Gallagher in 1976 when she was the Manager of Equal Employment Opportunity Programs for the News. Affidavit of Gregory L. Thornton, (“Thornton I”) at U 49 (annexed as Exhibit E to the April 24, 1985 affidavit of Thomas C. Morrison). According to the News, the withheld documents reflect Gallagher’s efforts to monitor and analyze the success of the News in meeting minori[636]*636ty employment goals she had set in a 1975 Affirmative Action Plan that was never formally implemented. Id. The Gallagher documents have been withheld solely on the basis of the self-critical analysis privilege.

The remaining documents were prepared by consultants to the News retained in late 1978 (the “Leopold/Carter documents”) and by Janice Frazier, who joined the News in November 1979 as Gallagher’s successor (the “Frazier documents”). The News has withheld these documents on multiple grounds, including attorney-client, work-product and self-critical analysis privilege.

The circumstances surrounding the preparation of the Leopold/Carter and Frazier documents are as follows:

In October 1976, Joseph F. Barletta joined the News as a Vice President' with responsibility for both labor relations and personnel, which he described as including “compensation, benefits, EEOC, generally workers comp and safety * * *.” Transcript of Barletta Deposition taken on December 19, 1984 (“Barletta Dep.”), at 16.

On May 31, 1977, plaintiffs Joyce White and David Hardy sent a letter to the publisher of the News, complaining about a “general pattern of discrimination against nonwhite employees” at the News. Thornton I, Exhibit 1. The letter notes the recent formation of a “caucus” (subsequently known at the News as the Black Caucus) to seek “redress from management in a unified manner since the problem affects all nonwhite employees-.” Id. The caucus requested a meeting to discuss their grievances; but did not threaten litigation.2

Barletta was asked to work with the Black Caucus regarding the complaints raised in the May 31 letter. Affidavit of Susan Singer filed on May 16, 1985 (“Singer II”), Exhibit C.

In August 1977, Gregory L. Thornton was hired as Vice President and Director of Employee Relations, and was asked by Barletta to participate in discussions with the Black Caucus. Barletta Dep. at 25; Thornton I ¶1. Thornton is an attorney and states that he also served as in-house counsel. Thornton I ¶ 1.

Meetings between members of the Black Caucus and News management began in September 1977. The News was represented by Barletta, Thornton and Director of Personnel James Ambrosini. Supplemental Affidavit of Gregory Thornton (“Thornton III”) submitted with defendant’s November 18, 1986 letter to the court; Transcript of Ambrosini Deposition taken on September 20, 1984 (“Ambrosini Dep.”), at 63-66. Gallagher, who was the target of criticism by the Black Caucus, played no role in these meetings. Ambrosini Dep. at 99.

Barletta testified that he “wanted to set up a dialogue” to “surface complaints before they became problems,” and to find out “specifics about factual situations that were alleged.” Barletta Dep. at 67. Barletta testified, however, that he viewed addressing the specific complaints of the Black Caucus as “short term solutions” and that “[l]ong term, I know I would want to get the company on an even keel in this whole equal employment area * * Barletta Dep. at 16-17, 78. Barletta also met privately with David Hardy to try to “satisfy some of the frustration that the people were exhibiting and at the same time help the company by getting into an area that would be one of the important areas of the personnel function * * Barletta Dep. at 75. Barletta felt that “we had to deal with the problem in a long term way, and that would involve trying to analytically approach the problem, trying to develop a workable affirmative action plan, and at some point * * * bring in a more profes[637]*637sional EEO manager.” Barletta Dep. at 78.

Accordingly, the News embarked on a effort “to raise the consciousness of all the departments about the necessity [of putting blacks in management positions], and * * * tried to institute methodologies to do recruiting.” Barletta Dep. at 86. See also Ambrosini Dep.

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114 F.R.D. 633, 46 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1199, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10269, 43 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 37,281, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hardy-v-new-york-news-inc-nysd-1987.