Zohar McMillan

For years, I was a proud employee of General Motors. I loved my work as a Journeyman Electrician. Unfortunately, my work was transformed into a horror story when I was assigned to Pontiac Assembly Center. There, I was routinely bullied, harassed, and threatened by co-workers and supervisors. When I asked GM management for help, they responded by aligning themselves with my persecutors.

I was threatened with physical violence, stalked, denied safety rights, forced to do work others were unwilling to do, and refused medical treatment. I was removed from a coveted job by a Superintendent, who cited my MS condition, blatantly ignoring rights afforded under ADA. I was called "Black Nigger Bitch”. There were pictures posted about the plant, where I was depicted as "ROADKILL". KKK style nooses were hung in the plant. A General Foreman pressed his face close to mine and said, "I can’t promise you you’re going to live the next few minutes.”

I next turned to the justice system for help. When my case went before a Circuit Court Judge, he swiftly and willfully granted summary disposition judgments in GM’s favor. Undaunted, I began my own investigation. In doing so, I discovered that 108 pages of my deposition had disappeared. I uncovered a letter from a GM executive threatening a union official who planned ..ing me. My lawyer lied to me about having filed an appeal.

Where is the justice when a court of law condones this as acceptable behavior in a civilized society? How can America hold itself out as a free and just society that other countries would choose to emulate? Should corporate entities such as GM be allowed to not only bend the law, but to break the law? How and why could such travesty have been allowed to occur?

About the Author I have lived my entire life in the state of Michigan, home of the auto industry. I am 50 years old and was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1995. I became an author not by chance or choice, but through necessity. My voice was unheared by my former employer, GM, an then unanswered by the U.S. justice system. Now, I have taken the necessary step to speak out in my own behalf. I reach out to those of you that have been unfairly treated and/or abused by an employer or our justice system.

I chose to empower myself through the medium of the written word. I am now free from the shackles and bonds of the painful, negative, intrusive, and traumatic memories of the mistreatment that I suffered at GM. There, I was treated more like an object than a person. This too was how I felt by the failed efforts of attempting to seek redress through our justice system.

To have become an author is a major breakthrough and accomplishment for me. It signals that I have truly earned the status of being a survivor.

Free Preview On March 18, 2003, I was working overtime to support production. I was sent to C-Zone to work with the regular Electrician, Ben. His partner was off for the day. Reed Small said he wanted me to do Preventive Maintenance on the line.

I said, " The area has incoming and outgoing conveyors, and a transfer machine controlled by interlocking stations. Because of the nature of the line, I need to pull the power disconnect on that particular cell."

He did not ask his regular man to perform the work. I did not mind doing the work, but wanted to do it safely.

Reed said, "I don't think you need to do that."

"Reed, I have spoken with the safety rep who assured me I am within my rights to do so. I have to wedge my body in the transfer machine to do the job and contend with the robots. The Monitored Power System does not constitute full Lock-Out under MiOSHA (Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards. It is electrically controlled. Look it up on the internet."

"I will personally help you lock out."

I asked in amazement, "You are telling me you will take personal responsibility for my safety?"

"Yes I will."

"Reed, that is against General Motors Lock-Out policy. You can't assist me in locking out. GM does not want the liability."

"I'm going to get Amos."

I was speaking to the Union Steward who happened to be Chad. This union official had no intentions of helping me. As Chad and I were speaking, Amos charged in enraged.

Amos said, "If you pull that disconnect, I will use discipline and put you in the streets.There is nothing in there to injure you." Chad looked scared and ran away.

I recited what happened on L-Zone and asked, "Amos I need a hand written Safe Operating Procedure if you do not allow me to lock out. Can you guarantee nothing will move on me as it has before?"

Amos pressed his face close to mine, gritted his teeth and said,"I can't promise you you're going to live the next few minutes. Do the job or I will put you in the streets." At that moment, I had tremendous fear of Amos. His eyes glazed over as he stared in mine and I did the job unsafely.

The following morning General Foreman Buford Mulrooney wanted to talk to me about Amos. He said he promised Amos he would straighten out the situation. Buford knew that the lock out issue was against GM policy and I could have lost my life. Buford Mulrooney was a tall huge man. He had me closed in a small office while he tried to persuade me not to do anything about the lock out situation. I could not get out of the office. His massive frame blocked the door. His radio went off and he was called away to a job. I had placed a call to my safety rep and he was out of line. It was clearly another intimidation method.

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