LABOR

Black Workers to Charge Edison With Bias: Nine black employees of Southern California Edison Co. plan to file a class-action suit today in federal court, charging the utility with discriminating against them in evaluations, training, pay and promotions. The suit by the workers--including some who have unsuccessfully pursued other discrimination claims against the utility--seeks unspecified damages and a change in the utility’s employment practices. Frank J. Quevedo, Edison’s manager of equal opportunity, defended the utility, pointing out that 1,339 of its roughly 16,000 employees are African Americans, but he also admitted that only one of the company’s nearly 20 top officers is black. Three of the company’s 17 outside directors are minorities, including one African American.