Ford chiefs’ letter to staff on ‘tragic dying’ of George Floyd

Ford Motor Govt Chairman Invoice Ford and CEO Jim Hackett despatched a letter to staff concerning what they known as the “tragic killing of George Floyd” in addition to the coronavirus pandemic and America’s “systemic racism.”

“There aren’t any simple solutions. We’re not fascinated by superficial actions. That is our second to guide from the entrance and totally decide to creating the truthful, simply and inclusive tradition that our staff deserve,” Monday’s letter stated.

It stated Ford leaders all through the nation will maintain dialogues with their groups “to know how individuals are feeling and talk about how we are able to get higher collectively.”

“And whereas we want to say that racism has no place in our society, we all know that systemic racism nonetheless exists regardless of the progress that has been made,” the letter stated. “We can not flip a blind eye to it or settle for some sense of ‘order’ that is primarily based on oppression.”

The message was despatched Monday afternoon earlier than President Donald Trump threatened to herald the army if states and cities fail to deliver an finish to protests and riots throughout the nation following Floyd’s dying.

Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for practically 9 minutes throughout an arrest regardless of cries that he couldn’t breathe.

Ford joins different corporations equivalent to Apple and Snap in addressing staff concerning Floyd’s dying. Different corporations equivalent to Amazon and Nike have launched statements and messages as effectively with blended reactions.

Ford Chief Communications Officer Mark Truby stated late Monday the letter was despatched to all the automaker’s staff globally and posted on the corporate’s inside intranets. In an electronic mail to CNBC, he stated response from staff “has been very constructive.”

Ford’s message additionally addressed the coronavirus pandemic’s influence on black communities, citing “the legacy of financial disparities in our own residence metropolis of Detroit.”

Michigan, particularly Detroit, was severely impacted by Covid-19. Greater than two dozen United Auto Employees members with the Detroit automakers have died from the illness.

Here is a full copy of the message from Hackett and Invoice Ford, great-grandson of firm founder Henry Ford:

Ford Staff,

That is a unprecedented second in our historical past. , we’re grappling with a public well being disaster that has claimed a whole bunch of 1000’s of lives, an financial shock that has pressured us to adapt on the fly, and social upheaval that has difficult all of us to assume and act otherwise.

Within the midst of this, the tragic killing of George Floyd, compounded by different mindless killings over time, has sparked the expression of many years of collective anger and frustration over the unacceptable abuse of energy and authority. This ache is felt throughout the communities our staff name dwelling.

There isn’t a doubt that the burden of those challenges disproportionately fall on the black neighborhood. We’ve seen this disparity amongst our personal Ford workforce members affected by COVID-19, and the legacy of financial disparities in our own residence metropolis of Detroit. It’s ache that lots of our workforce members have lengthy felt of their each day lives.

There aren’t any simple solutions. We’re not fascinated by superficial actions. That is our second to guide from the entrance and totally decide to creating the truthful, simply and inclusive tradition that our staff deserve.

Ford, and our labor companions, particularly the UAW, have proven management on range and inclusion over time. Constructing on this, and the work of the Ford Motor Firm Fund in black communities, there may be way more we are able to do collectively.

At the moment is the beginning of a good deeper dialogue inside Ford on these crucial points. We will probably be assembly with staff throughout the corporate, together with participating with the Ford African Ancestry Community (FAAN). We additionally plan to ask leaders all through the corporate to carry dialogues with their groups to know how individuals are feeling and talk about how we are able to get higher collectively. We promise to share updates as we proceed on this journey. 

We’re an organization made up of extraordinary folks of each race, faith, and background, all worthy of the identical dignity. We view our variations as considered one of our nice strengths. We’re a workforce – not in phrase, however in bond.

And whereas we want to say that racism has no place in our society, we all know that systemic racism nonetheless exists regardless of the progress that has been made. We can not flip a blind eye to it or settle for some sense of “order” that is primarily based on oppression. 

Many people can not know what it’s actually prefer to be a part of a neighborhood of colour, to know what it’s prefer to be afraid for our youngsters each time they depart the home, or to fret that this present day may be our final. However so long as so lots of our colleagues, our associates, reside with that concern, how can we reside with ourselves? So long as we’ve the privilege to breathe, it is on all of us to summon new ranges of empathy and humanity.

Lastly, we need to say to anybody combating concern and despair, we’ve sources that may assist. Please go to @FordOnline and see beneath for extra data.

In a time of hardship and upheaval, one factor is for sure: we stay a household and an organization that’s stronger collectively and dedicated to racial and social justice.

Thanks for all you do for Ford Motor Firm.

Invoice and Jim