Automaker Tesla has landed in controversy again after a Black gay woman employee recently filed a case against the company. As per reports, the employee accused the company of turning a blind eye towards the ‘rampant’ and ‘unchecked’ racism and physical stress she faced at the Tesla facility in California. The former employee also mentions instances of physical attacks on her at the facility in her complaint.
As per international reports, Kaylen Barker, who was a former contract worker at a sub-assembly plant of Tesla has now filed a case against the company. Barker, in her complaint, states that she was subjected to racial and homophobic insults during her stint at the company. Her complaint further claimed that she was even struck with a hot grinding tool by a White co-worker. She said that she was targeted on racial lines as well as for her sexual orientation.
Speaking about the events, Barker in a statement said, “I feel like I have been tortured and sent back in time before African Americans had civil rights.” The former employee launched an attack on the company by stating that her complaints about the attacks were ignored by her supervisors. She said that she was fired from her job on October 29, only weeks after she raised the matter. Tesla is yet to issue a statement on the accusation.
Tesla racism row continues
The latest lawsuit comes as a potential hit on the image of Tesla. However, this is not the first time the company has run into similar controversies. Earlier in May 2021, a former Black employee of the Elon Musk owned company won a USD 1 million discrimination award in arbitration after he filed a case against his supervisors for using the ‘N’ word. The ex-employee in his complaint noted that the company took no action in stopping his supervisors from using the racial slur.
Several instances of employees complaining of racial and/or sexual harassment have been reported against Tesla in the past. It is noteworthy that the Tesla employees do not have a formal union, unlike other big companies of the world. Tesla has been on the news for multiple reasons in the past including the bad work environment in its factories as well as technological failure in its cars.
Elon Musk says the US President is ‘treating Americans like fools’
In more controversy, Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently made a harsh remark on US President Joe Biden after he omitted Tesla’s name in a post about the future of electric cars in the US. Biden shared a post on Twitter about the makers of electric vehicles and the future of those automobiles in the country and omitted Tesla’s name, which prompted the billionaire to say, “Biden is treating the American public like fools.”
In his Twitter post, Biden shared a video message with the CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra about his agenda of climate change and how EVs can help. Biden stated in the Tweet that when he declared that the future would be produced right here in America, he meant it and added that companies like GM and Ford are producing more electric automobiles in the United States than ever before. Following this, the Tesla CEO slammed the US President and made a strong-worded comment. Moreover, Musk also put the name “Tesla” in all caps, spelling out the name of his electric vehicle company in the comment section of the post.
(With agency inputs)
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