JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Slavery was a tragic chapter in our nation’s history. It is a history shared by every American, and its impacts cannot be attributed to any single company or industry. However, the lawsuit filed in federal court in New York City against CSX and other corporations demanding financial reparations is wholly without merit and should be dismissed.
The claimants named CSX because slave labor was used to construct portions of some U.S. rail lines under the political and legal system in place more than a century before CSX was formed in 1980. Courtrooms are the wrong setting for this issue.
CSX is committed to continuing to make our company an excellent workplace, where 35,000 employees of every age, gender, race and ethnic background have opportunities for satisfying work at competitive wages and benefits. The jobs and the services CSX provides benefit families, communities, and our nation’s economy and defense. We will oppose the lawsuit vigorously to safeguard those jobs and services.