Nooses, Nazis and racist slurs tolerated at GM plant, lawsuit says
On March 22, 2017, General Motors' factory worker Mark Edwards was headed for his work area inside the company's transmission plant in Toledo, where he has worked since 2014.
Edwards, a 59-year-old black man, turned the corner, heading into his department and was met by an unbelievable sight: Someone had hung a noose by his work station.
"I was startled, really startled by it," said Edwards, who took a picture of it. "I couldn’t believe someone did that. I couldn’t understand who in my work area disliked me that much or had that much hatred to hang a noose by my job."
Edwards, who has worked for GM in various plants since 1977, said he has endured racial slurs and harassment for years from coworkers. He reported each incident to his union reps and managers. He said nothing was done to end it.
The noose was too much, though. Edwards said that in 1968, his then-19-year-old brother was tied up by rope and beaten in a racially motivated attack. It left his brother brain-damaged, he said.
“That rope took me right back," Edwards told the Free Press. "I thought of my whole childhood again, being afraid and having to know I had to be strong.”
Edwards and eight other black workers are suing GM, alleging the company has allowed racial discrimination and has failed to take prompt corrective action after the workers reported acts of racism at the GM Powertrain & Fabrications plant. Some, like Edwards, still work there. Others have quit or transferred to other GM plants.
The suit seeks compensation for lost wages and mental pain. Beyond that, the plaintiffs want GM to fix the culture at the plant.
The lawsuit, filed on Sept. 21 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, states that about 11:35 p.m. on March 22, 2017, three nooses were found hanging from the ceiling and a valve in the Casing Machine Department.
The nooses set off a chain of racially charged actions by white workers against black employees at the plant, the lawsuit said. In June 2017, for example, a white employee threw a rope that resembled a noose at a black employee. GM suspended the white employee for 30 days "under the horseplay rule," the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit described various other alleged incidents of racially hostile remarks and epithets in the last four years, including:
The nooses set off a chain of racially charged actions by white workers against black employees at the plant, the lawsuit said. In June 2017, for example, a white employee threw a rope that resembled a noose at a black employee. GM suspended the white employee for 30 days "under the horseplay rule," the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit described various other alleged incidents of racially hostile remarks and epithets in the last four years, including:
Full Article: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.freep.com/amp/2093056002
Edwards, a 59-year-old black man, turned the corner, heading into his department and was met by an unbelievable sight: Someone had hung a noose by his work station.
"I was startled, really startled by it," said Edwards, who took a picture of it. "I couldn’t believe someone did that. I couldn’t understand who in my work area disliked me that much or had that much hatred to hang a noose by my job."
Edwards, who has worked for GM in various plants since 1977, said he has endured racial slurs and harassment for years from coworkers. He reported each incident to his union reps and managers. He said nothing was done to end it.
The noose was too much, though. Edwards said that in 1968, his then-19-year-old brother was tied up by rope and beaten in a racially motivated attack. It left his brother brain-damaged, he said.
“That rope took me right back," Edwards told the Free Press. "I thought of my whole childhood again, being afraid and having to know I had to be strong.”
Edwards and eight other black workers are suing GM, alleging the company has allowed racial discrimination and has failed to take prompt corrective action after the workers reported acts of racism at the GM Powertrain & Fabrications plant. Some, like Edwards, still work there. Others have quit or transferred to other GM plants.
The suit seeks compensation for lost wages and mental pain. Beyond that, the plaintiffs want GM to fix the culture at the plant.
The lawsuit, filed on Sept. 21 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, states that about 11:35 p.m. on March 22, 2017, three nooses were found hanging from the ceiling and a valve in the Casing Machine Department.
The nooses set off a chain of racially charged actions by white workers against black employees at the plant, the lawsuit said. In June 2017, for example, a white employee threw a rope that resembled a noose at a black employee. GM suspended the white employee for 30 days "under the horseplay rule," the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit described various other alleged incidents of racially hostile remarks and epithets in the last four years, including:
The nooses set off a chain of racially charged actions by white workers against black employees at the plant, the lawsuit said. In June 2017, for example, a white employee threw a rope that resembled a noose at a black employee. GM suspended the white employee for 30 days "under the horseplay rule," the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit described various other alleged incidents of racially hostile remarks and epithets in the last four years, including:
Full Article: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.freep.com/amp/2093056002
Posts
Comments
Post a Comment