The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against Tesla for alleged racism at its Silicon Valley car plant.

Black workers at Tesla's factory in Fremont, California, have routinely endured stereotyping, racial insults and hostility since at least 2015, according to the suit filed on Thursday.

Tesla also retaliated against Black workers who opposed such abuse, according to the lawsuit.

"The racial misconduct was frequent, ongoing, inappropriate, unwelcome and occurred across all shifts, departments and positions," the commission said.

The commission said Black workers routinely endured racist slurs including variations of the "N-word," along with "monkey" and "boy."

Racist graffiti at the plant included swastikas, nooses and threats, according to the suit. Some of the graffiti was allegedly on vehicles rolling off the production line.

Black Tesla workers who complained of racist treatment found themselves switched to undesirable duties or shifts, written up unjustly or even discharged, the lawsuit maintained.

Tesla supervisors and managers witnessed racial abuses but did not intervene, and Tesla failed to take steps to address the misconduct, according to the suit.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages along with compensation for wronged Black workers and an order that Tesla curb racism at the factory.

WITH AFP