Seventh year Comptroller and Pension Funds have
 filed resolution with ExxonMobil

View resolution

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today urged ExxonMobil shareholders to vote on Wednesday, May 30 in favor of a proposal by the New York City Pension Funds to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Shareholders will vote on the proposal at ExxonMobil’s annual meeting at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora Street, Dallas, Texas.

The New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS) and the New York City Fire Department Pension Fund filed the shareholder resolution on November 27, 2006.  The measure calls for ExxonMobil to amend its Equal Employment Opportunity policy to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“Important progress has been made in recent years with an increasing number of companies adopting non-discrimination policies and working to promote a fair and equitable work environment,” Thompson said. “Unfortunately, ExxonMobil has strongly resisted the call to strengthen these policies. This is unacceptable. I plan to do everything within my power to pressure ExxonMobil to treat all employees equally.”

“It is time for Exxon Mobil to recognize that workplace equality is not a privilege, but a basic right for all employees,” said NYCERS trustee and New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum. “It is unfortunate that there is still no federal law which expressly forbids sexual orientation discrimination in the private sector.  But Exxon Mobil should still do what's right.  I am calling on Exxon Mobil to help to set an example and amend its Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.”

Shareholder support for the proposal has increased in each of the seven years it has been submitted on behalf of New York City Pension Funds. Last year, it was supported by 34.6 percent of shares voted at the company’s annual meeting of shareholders. In 2005, it was supported by 29.4 percent of shares voted.

Establishing equal rights in the workplace is a critical component of the overall campaign for full recognition and equal rights for all members of the LGBT community.

The New York City Pension Funds have more than 18.1 million shares valued at more than $1.4 billion in ExxonMobil. NYCERS alone has more than 6.8 million shares valued at more than $548 million.

ExxonMobil does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in its Equal Employment Opportunity policy, while industry peers – such as Amerada Hess, BP, ChevronTexaco, ConocoPhillips, Marathon Oil, Occidental Petroleum, Shell Oil, and Sunoco – do so, according to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

Thompson serves on the NYCERS Board of Trustees with: New York City Finance Commissioner Martha 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 Gregory Floyd, President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237.

Besides Thompson, trustees on the New York City Fire Department Pension Fund are:

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