State-Of-Black-Oregon-2015

CASE STUDY 13THE STORY OF ONEWORKER’S FIGHT AGAINSTDISCRIMINATION AT WORKEvery Oregonian deserves a workplacefree from discrimination. The state’s laborcommissioner confirmed this when sixworkers at Daimler Trucks North Americawon a $2.4 million settlement after sufferingracial abuse and discrimination at the company’sSwan Island, Portland, plant.The six were forced to take sick leave with no payfor stress, after months of daily racial abuse anddiscrimination, including:• Repeatedly being shown a rope nooseand physically threatened• Being assaulted at the time clock• Having chicken bones and watermelondumped in a personal locker• Simulated whippings• Frequent use of the n-word as well asracial and sexual epithetsMuch of the abuse was witnessed by supervisors.Despite frequent complaints to the plant’s HRdepartment, the company failed to stop theharassment and abuse.One of those who bore the brunt of the abuse, aBlack materials handler, described being showna noose in the parking lot on the night shift: “Hepointed at me and showed me a noose. He saidhe was going to tie me up and drag me down theroad, and when he was finished I was going to be100 pounds lighter.”Other workers were confronted with noosesin the production areas. Nazi hate symbolsremained in the rest rooms. When two of theworkers signed up as shop steward candidates,their names were crossed off the election list.“I’m very uncomfortable at work. It’s a veryhostile and unfair work environment. Since Icomplained about the noose and the hostile workenvironment, I haven’t felt safe. I feel threatened,harassed and uncared-for.”On the advice of the Urban League, he filed acomplaint with the state Bureau of Labor andIndustry (BOLI). He’d experienced weight loss,sleeplessness and anxiety resulting from theconstant threat of harassment and violence atwork.As part of the settlement, Daimler agreed to:• Installing a civil rights complaint hotlinefor workers• Mandatory supervisor trainingsorganized by BOLI• Training at least two designatedmanagers to conduct internalinvestigations in any future incidents• Supervisor logbooks for recording anyfuture incidents104