Re: Alleged Discrimination Against Black Ford Employees

Dear Mr. Trotman:

We are writing you because we are aware of alleged discrimination, harassment, and retaliation against African-American ("Black") employees at Ford Motor Company ("Ford"). We are aware that various groups have sued and/are suing your company in the years 1993 and 1995, and at the following sites: Chicago Taurus/Sable, Chicago Stamping, and Ford Motor Credit Company in Maryland, respectively. We are aware that Ford is using standard defenses such as, "discrimination does not occur at all levels..., discrimination does not occur at all divisions..., managers are allowed discretion with regard to personnel policy..., not all Blacks are experiencing discrimination (they are afraid to report offenses due to threat of retaliation)..., employees making the accusations are poor performers...have bad attitudes...are extortioners, and have mental and/or emotional defects..."

Remember that African-Americans purchase an estimated 20% of Ford's North American output. Just because you showcase a few well-placed Black managers, advertise in Black-owned media, support Black organizations, and have"zero-tolerance" policies does not absolve Ford of liability. Further, it is Ford's failure to drive systemic and structural changes in your corporate culture that is the root cause of your problems. As an agent of the company, you can not deny that you are/were unaware of disparate treatment and/or disparate impact at Ford. By the way, I have owned three (3) new Ford vehicles in the past eight (8) years. The "Dateline NBC" program on June 1, 1998 convinced me to never buy from Ford again.

To paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "justice delayed is justice denied." We recommend that Ford resolve all recent and/or pending cases with all deliberate speed. Record profits at your company indicate that you have the financial resources to either dismiss plaintiffs, or repair damages. We suggest that you choose the latter option. We are prepared to use every legal and economic sanction at our disposal, including boycott, to bring closure to this "Texaco-style" debacle.

 

Regards,

 

Sharon Williams, President

Enclosures

cc: M. Louis Camardo, Ms. Connie Orr