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Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr., on behalf of The New York City Pension Funds, today announced that Baldor Electric Company has agreed to adopt a policy prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Baldor Electric Company of Fort Smith , AK , has notified the Comptroller that it has taken steps to revise its official policy with respect to employment.

"Baldor should be commended for recognizing the importance of treating all of its employees equally," Thompson said. "The New York City Pension Funds will continue to aggressively pursue this important human rights issue so that America 's corporate leaders protect all of their employees from discrimination."

The development represents the latest victory achieved by the Pension Funds in urging some of America 's largest companies to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. Since these efforts began nearly a decade ago, the Funds have successfully prompted close to three dozen companies to amend their policies.

The Baldor proposal was filed on behalf of the New York City Employees' Retirement System (NYCERS), New York City Police Department Pension Fund, New York City Fire Department Pension Fund, New York City Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) and New York City Board of Education Retirement System (BERS).

The City now will now withdraw its resolution filed with Baldor Electric Company. The New York City Pension Funds have 106,724 shares valued at more than $2.9 million in Baldor Electric.

Trustees and Thompson praised Baldor Electric Company for exceeding the City's request by adding additional language into its policy to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation.

In notifying the Comptroller's Office, Baldor said it is updating its employee handbooks to include the statement, "Baldor's employment policy is to choose the best person for the job.  We make those choices without considering race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, religious belief, national origin, disability, or any other factor prohibited by law."

The Comptroller and Funds already have withdrawn several resolutions this season after companies agreed to change policies to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation. Thompson identified the companies as: General Dynamics of Falls Church, VA, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company of Findlay , Ohio , and Paccar, Inc. of Bellevue , WA . Most recently, DTE Energy agreed to enact changes to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; the City subsequently withdrew its resolution.

Besides Thompson, the Pension Funds trustees are:

Fire Department Pension Fund: Mayor Michael Bloomberg; New York City Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta (Chair); New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark; Stephen Cassidy, President, James Slevin, Vice President, Robert Straub, Treasurer, and John Kelly, Brooklyn Representative and Chair, Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York; Peter Gorman, President and Captains' Rep., Nicholas J. Visconti, Chiefs' Rep., and Stephen J. Carbone, Lieutenants' Rep., Uniformed Fire Officers Association; and, Joseph Gagliardi, Marine Engineers Association.

Police Pension Fund: Mayor Michael Bloomberg; New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark; New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly (Chair); Patrick Lynch, Patrolmen's Benevolent Association; Michael Palladino, Detectives Endowment Association; Edwin Mullins, Sergeants Benevolent Association; Anthony Garvey, Lieutenants Benevolent Association; and, John Driscoll, Captains Endowment Association.

NYCERS: New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark (Chair); New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum; Borough Presidents Scott Stringer (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.

TRS: New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark (Chair); Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm, New York City Department of Education; and, Sandra March, Melvyn Aaronson and Mona Romain, all of the United Federation of Teachers.

BERS: mayoral appointees Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, Alan Aviles, Philip Berry, David Chang, Tino Hernandez, Augusta Souza Kappner, Richard Menschel and Marita Regan; Borough President appointees Jesse Mojica (Bronx), Martine G. Guerrier (Brooklyn), Vivian Farmery (Manhattan), Michael Flowers (Queens), and Joan Correale (Staten Island); and employee members Thomas J. Malanga of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 891 , and  Milagros Rodriguez of District Council 37, Local 372.