Attorney: New racist threats at GM plant

Staff/wire report

TOLEDO

Workers who sued General Motors after nooses and racist graffiti were found at its largest U.S. transmission plant nearly two years ago are still facing racial harassment, their attorney said Thursday.

Just this week, one of the workers found a monkey doll and a racist drawing near his work station, said attorney Michelle Vocht.

The harassment has been ramping up since December – including threatening and racist messages left on restroom and factory walls and near machines where the employees work – after workers began speaking out publicly, she said.

Nine workers sued GM last April, saying the company didn’t do enough to stop racial harassment that stretched over four years and included the discovery of five nooses in spring 2017.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat, said in a statement, “I am sad and outraged. We must stand with one voice and say together that we will not tolerate acts of racism and hate against our neighbors. As we prepare to honor the life and legacy of Dr. [Martin Luther] King this weekend, we remember that Dr. King preached the deep connection between civil rights and workers’ rights.

“The two are inextricably linked, and fighting for workers must also mean fighting the racism – both blatant and institutional – that makes it even harder for people of color to get ahead, no matter how hard they work.”

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission said last year its investigation found GM seemed indifferent to the racial harassment and that its minimal steps didn’t end the problems. The automaker disputed the findings.

GM said Thursday it is taking the matter seriously and has taken several steps to address harassment at the plant, including mandatory training. It also said it’s continuing to investigate but has not yet identified those responsible.

“Discrimination and harassment are not acceptable and in stark contrast to how we expect people to show up at work. We treat any reported incident with sensitivity and urgency, and are committed to providing an environment that is safe, open and inclusive,” the company said in a statement.

The latest racist messages, Vocht said, show that GM still is falling short when it comes to protecting the workers and needs to increase security.