Dec. 2--A $200 million race-discrimination lawsuit was filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia against a worldwide food-service provider that has a contract at the Comcast Center.

The suit was filed against London-based Compass Group P.L.C., along with two of its affiliates -- Compass Group North America and Flik International Corp. -- and two Compass managers, one of them the head chef at Comcast's cafeteria.

The plaintiffs are 11 current and former African American employees who contend they were, among other things, subjected to racial slurs, denied opportunities to advance, and required to stay out of sight during catering events at the Comcast Center, including a Democratic Governors Association event in July.

Lawyers representing the plaintiffs are seeking class-action status, contending that at least 1,000 African Americans employed by Compass and Flik throughout the United States have been working in racially hostile environments. According to a spokeswoman for Compass, 47 Flik associates work at the Comcast Center, while Compass employs a total of 2,811 employees in the Philadelphia market.

The suit identifies the executive chef at the Comcast Center, Derick Vogelman, as the prime offender, frequently calling black workers "Chim Chim," the name of the monkey in the Speed Racer cartoon. A call to Vogelman's home was answered by a woman who identified herself as Vogelman's wife. She said he was unavailable for comment.

The other defendant, Regina Jakacki, whom the lawsuit identifies as a Compass district manager at the Comcast Center, also could not be reached for comment.

Compass Group North America, based in Charlotte, N.C., issued a statement on behalf of Compass and Flik disputing the lawsuit's claims and vowing "to vigorously defend" the companies.

"Compass Group has clear and strong policies that embrace diversity, inclusion and respect in the workplace and prohibit any sort of behavior that is contrary to these values," the company said.

Benjamin Williams, 41, of South Philadelphia, does not agree. He was among 10 of the 11 plaintiffs who attended a news conference their attorneys held yesterday afternoon in front of the Comcast Center. Williams said he was a cook there until a steady dose of racial slurs from Vogelman -- and the lack of action to his complaints by Jakacki -- caused him to quit in August.

While not a target of racial slurs, Crystal Miles, 32, an African American supervisor of the coffee shop, said she has overheard many of them since coming to work at the Comcast Center in January. She joined the lawsuit, she said, "because I have daughters and sons. I want to make a change for them."

The lawsuit makes no complaints against Comcast. The company, however, issued a statement yesterday asserting "zero tolerance for any racially insensitive behavior at any Comcast location" and said it has communicated that to Compass.

Contact staff writer Diane Mastrull at 215-854-2466 or dmastrull@phillynews.com.

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