BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter/fspielman@suntimes.com February 4, 2012 12:44AM
Updated: February 4, 2012 2:07AM
ThyssenKrupp — the German conglomerate that has agreed to make Chicago its North American regional headquarters — created a racially hostile work environment at a Chicago office that included frequent use of the n-word and a black face routine at a company meeting, the Illinois Department of Human Rights has ruled.
The Nov. 3 finding of “substantial evidence of discrimination” sets the stage for Montrelle Reese, a former sales representative at ThyssenKrupp Elevator, to file a lawsuit against the company that Mayor Rahm Emanuel proudly welcomed to Chicago this week.
Reese, who is African-American, worked at the Chicago office of ThyssenKrupp Elevator from November, 2007 until January, 2010, before resigning because he said he could no longer tolerate the hostility.
In addition to allegedly stripping Reese of preferred assignments, the complaint includes more explosive allegations. They include:
◆ A white supervisor who: referred to blacks as “colored people”; told a mechanic to just “n----- rig it,” referring to repairing an elevator and to use the “n----- head” to hoist an elevator up.
◆ White sales representatives who refused to travel alone to African-American neighborhoods in Indiana and on Chicago’s South and West Sides and asked Reese to accompany them.
◆ Other white sales representatives who made disparaging remarks about drugs and prostitutes in the black neighborhoods that comprised Reese’s sales turf.
◆ White sales reps who made racially-offensive jokes about black neighborhoods Reese was assigned to serve. The comments allegedly included, “We are going to the ghetto today. I had better pack me a gun because we are going to the South Side.” Another white sales rep was quoted as saying, “I’m gonna be in the hood today with the brothers. Where can we get some ribs? ... Where can I get some soul food?”
◆ A November, 2009 regional conference in Indianapolis where a “non-black” sales representative performed a skit in black face, then proudly displayed photos to co-workers who weren’t there. Photographs show the worker with brown make-up on his face and a bandana tied around his head like Aunt Jemima.
The Illinois Department of Human Rights found “substantial evidence” that Reese was harassed because of his race and that the harassment “created a hostile, intimidating and offensive work environment that substantially interfered” with his ability to perform his job.
Reese could not be reached for comment. His attorney Stephen Potts said the allegations raise serious questions about the company Emanuel proudly welcomed to Chicago this week.
“It’s one person making a complaint. But, it shows an atmosphere perpetuated and accepted by the company,” Potts said.
“It’s 2012, for God’s sake. Who in today’s job climate would allow their employees to engage in a black-face routine at a training seminar? What employee would think that’s OK if the company didn’t lead them to believe they wouldn’t get in trouble for doing something like this?”
He added, “To say it’s wonderful to have this company here for jobs is great. But, are they gonna give everybody jobs or just give employment to people who fit into what they think their company mold is? In Chicago, they [already] have almost all-white sales people and a pervasive atmosphere of racism in the office.”
Brian Jackson, an attorney representing ThyssenKrupp in the case, categorically denied any wrongdoing and said the company looks forward to refuting the allegations in court. Reese plans to seek more than $250,000 in damages.
“There was no discrimination or retaliation whatsoever. This company is no different from any other company. It’s a good place to work that has a good working relationship with its employees,” Jackson said, noting that there were no allegations that Reese was “referred to” as the n-word.
Pressed on the “substantial evidence of discrimination” finding, Jackson said, “We believe there are a lot of inconsistencies and that the report is very flawed. ... No one ever testified to any of these facts. All of this came from Montrelle Reese.”
Emanuel was not so quick to exonerate ThyssenKrupp.
A spokesperson from the mayor’s office told the Chicago Sun-Times, “Behavior of the sort alleged in the complaint has absolutely no place in the city of Chicago or anywhere. We have zero tolerance for prejudice. This is why we have organizations like the Department of Human Rights and EEOC doing the important work that they do.”
ThyssenKrupp is a German global technology and materials group with 180,000 employees in 80 countries that manufactures everything from elevators, escalators and passenger boarding bridges to automotive parts, cement and premium carbon steel.
The company neither asked for nor received a city subsidy before making its decision to come to Chicago.
Please read complete articel at link below:
http://www.suntimes.com/
Editor's note: Krupp was a major player in supplying Hitler's armies with steel for armament. A U.S. military veteran reported to this Shark that Krupp also had the contract for the production of whips for the concentration camps. Lucius Verenus, Schoolmaster, ProbateSharks.com
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