5 ms·

Calif. sues Tesla over alleged rampant discrimination against Black employees

21 points by trs8080 5y ago

t-3 5y ago
Wow. The allegations are horrifying, almost fantastically so. I have a hard time believing them, honestly. My midwestern state is supposed to be far less progressive and more racist than CA, but I've never encountered such blatant racism in any workplace here (and I have worked exclusively in low-wage manufacturing and retail, not anywhere "professional").
- metadat 5y ago
  Likewise, except I've never witnessed blatant racism in either "manual labor -land" or professional-land. The claims do bring back memories of being a middle schooler in the bay area, though. Kids can be quite unenlightened, predictably so if they aren't taught better. Parental and close familial norms also seem to play a significant role in shaping you children's attitudes. Additionally, confederate flag tattoos flashed by colleagues at work? Really? Inappropriate. This isn't the yard at San Quentin Federal Prison pressing and assembling y'alls' Teslas; this is claimed to be at the dear NUMI plant in Fremont, right alongside a very diverse and distinctive community. There's just no place for these things in real-life business. What is the goal with the outrageous claims? Why would management tolerate any significant amount of episodes before clamping down. It doesn't make sense.. What does Tesla have to gain by tolerating any amount of the claws behavior?
- partisan 5y ago
  I think it can happen anywhere where these sentiments are allowed to rear their heads. It only takes a few people to create this atmosphere, but if the culture of the organization turns a blind eye then this can be disproportionately detrimental to the people targeted by harassment. Calling the lawsuit "counterproductive" is troubling as well as it almost sounds like they felt the situation was previously productive, i.e. moving in a positive direction.
- ecf 5y ago
  It’s not really a surprise if you’re familiar with the area. Workers commuting from the Central Valley, which would be a good chunk of those at the Fremont plant, can be incredibly racist.
- gregjor 5y ago
  I grew up in California (LA) and lived in SF for almost 20 years. Racism isn’t exclusive to the Midwest or South. There’s plenty of racism and other bigotry in California, even in the supposedly progressive areas. Management sets the tone and allows bad behavior. I don’t know if the Tesla allegations are true or not, but I’m not surprised given what I’ve read about the company.
- fooker 5y ago
  >far less progressive and more racist than CA As an Indian guy who has lived in both California and Utah, California is far more racist than Utah (and neighboring states), almost comically so.
robbedpeter 5y ago
Given that such blatant racism is so uncommon out in the real world it would make sense if the idiot racists causing problems here come from the same source - a prison release or probationary placement program, a racist union head or hiring manager, or whatever. Something is accumulating racist people, or allowing them to build up. The scope of the problem depends on whether it's a systemic issue like described above, or a really prolific small number of people causing problems. The lack of appropriate management hints that there's a problem in the upper levels, so some guy might be giving jobs to ex convicts or some other group of racists. Some nasty bubble of deficient humans seems to have infected that plant.
- kbelder 5y ago
  Or it's not true.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- gumby 5y ago
  > Given that such blatant racism is so uncommon out in the real world… Was this ironic? I live in the Bay Area, and while I know there are worse places for racism in the US (and have lived in some of them) the conduct in the complaint did not surprise me at all.
  - t-3 5y ago
    If this type of racism is common in California, the marketing has been very good at making it seem otherwise! I wouldn't expect such blatant racial animosity even in the deep south. It's 2022, seriously.
    - gumby 5y ago
      I don’t receive it myself, but when I, with my mother I am exposed to it all the time. New England is particularly bad, MN, and yes, non urban south. Sadly, all countries I’ve visited appear to have these problems to one degree or the other, though manifested in different ways. I just mentioned the US because this was in the Bay Area.
tinalumfoil 5y ago
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- colejohnson66 5y ago
  If a company’s employees find nothing pressing about removing literal swastikas, N-word graffiti, and more (as alleged), then they need a kick in the head. A lawsuit like this isn’t a “throw everything and see what sticks”; It’s saying, “you’re doing nothing about blatant racism, so we’re enforcing the law.” It being Tesla has nothing to do with it despite what some Elon fans will say.
  - tcbawo 5y ago
    This is the problem when criminal law enforcement and prosecution fails (as it seems to be more and more in this country) and you can only rely on civil litigation. The penalties need to be tailored to both the damage done and ability to effect change in the defendant. Otherwise, persons and companies with deep pockets effectively become above the law.
ramyarjahani 5y ago
[flagged]

21 points by trs8080 5y ago

t-3 5y ago

Wow. The allegations are horrifying, almost fantastically so. I have a hard time believing them, honestly. My midwestern state is supposed to be far less progressive and more racist than CA, but I've never encountered such blatant racism in any workplace here (and I have worked exclusively in low-wage manufacturing and retail, not anywhere "professional").

metadat 5y ago
Likewise, except I've never witnessed blatant racism in either "manual labor -land" or professional-land. The claims do bring back memories of being a middle schooler in the bay area, though. Kids can be quite unenlightened, predictably so if they aren't taught better. Parental and close familial norms also seem to play a significant role in shaping you children's attitudes. Additionally, confederate flag tattoos flashed by colleagues at work? Really? Inappropriate. This isn't the yard at San Quentin Federal Prison pressing and assembling y'alls' Teslas; this is claimed to be at the dear NUMI plant in Fremont, right alongside a very diverse and distinctive community. There's just no place for these things in real-life business. What is the goal with the outrageous claims? Why would management tolerate any significant amount of episodes before clamping down. It doesn't make sense.. What does Tesla have to gain by tolerating any amount of the claws behavior?
partisan 5y ago
I think it can happen anywhere where these sentiments are allowed to rear their heads. It only takes a few people to create this atmosphere, but if the culture of the organization turns a blind eye then this can be disproportionately detrimental to the people targeted by harassment. Calling the lawsuit "counterproductive" is troubling as well as it almost sounds like they felt the situation was previously productive, i.e. moving in a positive direction.
ecf 5y ago
It’s not really a surprise if you’re familiar with the area. Workers commuting from the Central Valley, which would be a good chunk of those at the Fremont plant, can be incredibly racist.
gregjor 5y ago
I grew up in California (LA) and lived in SF for almost 20 years. Racism isn’t exclusive to the Midwest or South. There’s plenty of racism and other bigotry in California, even in the supposedly progressive areas. Management sets the tone and allows bad behavior. I don’t know if the Tesla allegations are true or not, but I’m not surprised given what I’ve read about the company.
fooker 5y ago
>far less progressive and more racist than CA As an Indian guy who has lived in both California and Utah, California is far more racist than Utah (and neighboring states), almost comically so.

robbedpeter 5y ago

Given that such blatant racism is so uncommon out in the real world it would make sense if the idiot racists causing problems here come from the same source - a prison release or probationary placement program, a racist union head or hiring manager, or whatever. Something is accumulating racist people, or allowing them to build up. The scope of the problem depends on whether it's a systemic issue like described above, or a really prolific small number of people causing problems. The lack of appropriate management hints that there's a problem in the upper levels, so some guy might be giving jobs to ex convicts or some other group of racists. Some nasty bubble of deficient humans seems to have infected that plant.

kbelder 5y ago
Or it's not true.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
gumby 5y ago
> Given that such blatant racism is so uncommon out in the real world… Was this ironic? I live in the Bay Area, and while I know there are worse places for racism in the US (and have lived in some of them) the conduct in the complaint did not surprise me at all.
- t-3 5y ago
  If this type of racism is common in California, the marketing has been very good at making it seem otherwise! I wouldn't expect such blatant racial animosity even in the deep south. It's 2022, seriously.
  - gumby 5y ago
    I don’t receive it myself, but when I, with my mother I am exposed to it all the time. New England is particularly bad, MN, and yes, non urban south. Sadly, all countries I’ve visited appear to have these problems to one degree or the other, though manifested in different ways. I just mentioned the US because this was in the Bay Area.

tinalumfoil 5y ago

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
colejohnson66 5y ago
If a company’s employees find nothing pressing about removing literal swastikas, N-word graffiti, and more (as alleged), then they need a kick in the head. A lawsuit like this isn’t a “throw everything and see what sticks”; It’s saying, “you’re doing nothing about blatant racism, so we’re enforcing the law.” It being Tesla has nothing to do with it despite what some Elon fans will say.
- tcbawo 5y ago
  This is the problem when criminal law enforcement and prosecution fails (as it seems to be more and more in this country) and you can only rely on civil litigation. The penalties need to be tailored to both the damage done and ability to effect change in the defendant. Otherwise, persons and companies with deep pockets effectively become above the law.

ramyarjahani 5y ago

[flagged]