GM responds on Twitter to claims of unchecked racism

The automaker faces a lawsuit and public claims that black employees were harassed and threatened at a factory in Ohio. After a slow start, GM has ramped up its messaging online.

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Race relations might be the third rail of American culture, but a clear and decisive response is essential when your company makes the news for a racially charged incident.

Your PR team might be inclined to avoid highlighting the matter. You might want to issue a holding statement, investigate properly and wait for the hubbub to die down.  However, in today’s charged political atmosphere and social media news cycle, waiting would be a disastrous first move.

That’s what GM discovered after news reports of harassment of black workers at a plant in Toledo, Ohio. Workers reported nooses, verbal threats and other mistreatment, leading to a lawsuit against the carmaker.

Newsweek reported:

Pictures taken by black workers at a General Motors plant in Ohio show the level of abuse they had to endure, as they sue the company for discrimination.

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