Black employees sue Huntsman for racial discrimination at California plant

Two former employees of Huntsman International LLC filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the specialty chemicals maker, alleging hostility toward them as Black employees at the company's manufacturing plant in Los Angeles.

The employees, Reggie Williams and Ronda Davis, say the hostility led to a segregated work environment, including "Africa" and "Mexico" sides of a production area, that ruined their careers.

Officials of The Woodlands, Texas-based company deny the allegations in a statement issued April 19.

"The former employees are claiming they faced hostile and discriminatory treatment at that worksite due to their race, national origin and sex, and that they were wrongfully terminated. These charges are false," the statement says.

Huntsman officials conducted a thorough investigation that led to the plaintiffs being fired last November by local management for misconduct and unprofessional behavior in the workplace, according to the statement.

The pair took unauthorized extended breaks and engaged in intimate encounters throughout the facility on West San Fernando Road, the Huntsman statement says.

"The decision to terminate their employment was not racially motivated in any way," it says.

However, the plaintiffs' attorney, Arthur Kim of the Arthur Kim Law Firm in Beverly Hills, Calif., says a racially motivated witch hunt resulted in their terminations.

"Huntsman has a real race problem at the Los Angeles plant. They need to face the music and get it under control. Otherwise, you will end up with victims like Reggie Williams and Ronda Davis, who are innocent, hardworking people," Kim said in an email.

Davis worked as a chemical operator at the plant from 2019 to Nov. 1, 2021. She says she was subjected to severe and pervasive harassment based on her race and sex, which created a hostile work environment.

Williams, who had worked at Huntsman for 15 years, alleges his work environment was split into an "Africa" side and a "Mexico" side.

Black employees on the Africa side were forced to do heavier, more punishing work, Williams also alleges.

"This hurt me to the core," Williams said in a news release issued by Kim's firm.

In their response, Huntsman officials said they don't typically comment about pending lawsuits but in this case the company is publicly defending its reputation and the integrity of its employees.

"Huntsman stands firmly against all forms of discrimination in and outside of the workplace and thoroughly investigates all claims of misconduct or unethical behavior," the statement says. "Claims and concerns can be raised through multiple channels — including an anonymous hotline, none of which these former employees chose to utilize. Huntsman will aggressively defend the case and the integrity of its local workforce against these false charges."

Williams and Davis are seeking a jury trial in their case filed April 1 in Los Angeles Superior Court against Huntsman Advanced Materials LLC and Huntsman International LLC; an individual chemical operator, Sergio Silva; and 1-100 John and Jane Doe defendants, who could be added to the lawsuit when their names and roles are determined.

The case has been assigned to Judge Theresa M. Traber.

Williams started working at Huntsman in June 2006 and held the positions of chemical operator, lead chemical operator and senior lead chemical operator until November 2021. He alleges that from about 2019 to the end of his employment, he was forced to work in a racially segregated work environment.

During that period, Williams worked in Building 25, which the lawsuit says "was split" into Africa and Mexico sides with the knowledge and participation of plant managers.

"Mexican or Hispanic employees worked on the Mexico side and benefited from lighter and easier work. African-American employees worked on the Africa side and were harmed and prejudiced by heavier and more difficult work," the lawsuit says. "Williams suffered physical pain and injury as a result of working on the Africa side. Williams continues to suffer physical injury and pain as a result of working on the Africa side."

The one individual named so far, Silva, repeatedly made racial comments to Williams, the lawsuit says, including "I don't want no Blacks working over here," "Why you over here on the Mexico side?" "That's Africa; go back over there" and "This is my scale; this is Mexico."

Williams complained about the segregation at Building 25 to plant management, the lawsuit says, but his complaints were ignored or dismissed.

During the same time period, Williams was subjected to physical and verbal sexual harassment, the lawsuit says.

An employee in the packaging department allegedly made a grab for Williams' penis on three separate occasions in the employee locker room area, making physical contact once. Other employees also stared at the area of his penis, made hand gestures simulating sex and made comments such as, "You know he's a Black guy, so he has a long sling" or "Reggie, handle this guy; he wants a big one."

The suit also claims Huntsman discriminated against Williams because of his race by failing to promote him when he applied in 2020 and 2021, the lawsuit says, "even though Williams was one of the best employees in the plant."

The company's conduct caused Williams physical pain and injury, loss of income and benefits, loss of employment, humiliation, embarrassment, and severe mental and emotional distress, the lawsuit says.

As for Davis, the lawsuit says she had a supervisor constantly "nitpicking" her work and a co-worker who made a threat of "I'm gonna get that bitch" when she acted as a temporary supervisor.

In 2021, employees spread rumors that Davis was engaging in sexual conduct in the workplace with co-workers, the lawsuit also says.

"One of the rumors was that she was engaging in sexual conduct in the workplace with Reggie Williams, which was false," attorney Arthur Kim said in an email.

In addition, the lawsuit says co-workers went through a bag of Davis' personal clothing and spread rumors about its contents, including the size of a bra.

The lawsuit also says, "During her employment at Huntsman, Davis constantly heard employees make sexual comments. This included comments by male employees about other male employees. This included multiple comments in 2021 about a female co-worker."

Huntsman's supervisors and management were aware or should have been aware of the retaliation, discrimination and harassment suffered by Davis but failed to correct or prevent it, the lawsuit says.

Huntsman's conduct has caused Davis loss of income and benefits, loss of employment, humiliation, embarrassment and severe mental and emotional distress, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit against Huntsman seeks compensatory and punitive damages in an amount to be determined at trial.

Huntsman employs 9,000 worldwide at 70 facilities to produce polyurethanes and other specialty plastics and chemicals. The company posted sales of about $8 billion in 2021.