Trending Topics

A Plant Manager Allegedly Referred to His Workers as ‘Roaches’ — So They Walked Off the Job

Chicken Plant Protest

Several Gold Kist plant workers said they were hurt or offended by the manager’s “roach” comment. (Video screenshot/WIS News)

Hundreds of workers protested outside a South Carolina chicken plant Thursday after they say a manager at the plant made a racially-charged comment.

Employees of the Gold Kist plant in Sumter County walked off the job in protest after the manager allegedly referred to the workers as “roaches,” local station WIS News reported. Those offended by the comment said that’s not the type of environment they care to work in.

“He’s still in there working,” an unnamed employee who said he was hurt by the comment told the news station. “…That’s why a lot of people don’t want to go back in there because he’s still in there working after he made that comment,”

“From someone that’s supposed to run the plant and be professional, for you to say something like that and have the heart to say something like that, it’s wrong,” he added.

There’s no word on if that manager will be disciplined.

Back to top