SEATTLE (AP) - A Black manager at Boeing’s Everett jet assembly plant found racist symbols on his desk Tuesday, prompting Boeing to begin an internal investigation and report the incident to police.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal reacted with a message to all 65,000 employees in his division Wednesday, expressing “my sadness, disappointment and disgust that anyone at Boeing would do this.”
A company spokesperson told The Seattle Times Boeing is withholding details of the symbols for purposes of the investigation and to avoid giving whoever did it a platform.
“Racial discrimination, harassment and acts of intimidation will never be tolerated anywhere within Boeing,” Deal wrote. “I am committed to taking every action possible, including termination, for anyone involved in this incident.”
Deal also wrote, without giving details, that in the past few days Boeing has dismissed several employees after investigation found they engaged in behavior that is not consistent with company values.
“Over the last few weeks the racial inequity our Black teammates face has been top of mind for many of us – and rightfully so,” Deal told employees.
Describing these incidents as “disheartening and a stark reminder of how far our society has to go,” he asked employees to “respectfully stand up for our values” by speaking up and reporting it when they witness acts of intimidation or harassment at work.
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