General Motors will hold moments of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds at its plants Friday, Juneteenth, as a sign of solidarity and support for the Black community, according to an internal note.
General Motors will hold moments of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds on Friday, Juneteenth, as a sign of solidarity and support for the Black community, according to an internal memo.
The time frame, as referenced in the Tuesday afternoon message by GM President Mark Reuss, represents how long a Minneapolis police officer knelt on the neck of George Floyd before he died in police custody. The incident, which was videotaped, has led to weeks of protests and rallies around the world, particularly in the U. S.
The moments of silence, according to the message, will occur at 8:46 a.m. local time for workers on first shifts and 8:46 p.m. for second-shift workers. Timing for third-shift workers and other global employees will be determined individually. U. S. salaried workers are encouraged to participate in the moment of silence in the morning, a company spokesman confirmed to CNBC.
“I really believe eight-plus minutes of solid reflection will benefit everyone,” Reuss wrote. “I’m sure many of you have felt the same glut of emotions I have while watching recent events unfold… disbelief, anger, shame, grief, and ultimately heartbreak. This is not who we are as humankind, nor as a country. We can and must be better than this.”
If moments of silence aren’t “culturally meaningful” for employees outside of the U. S., Reuss encouraged people “to take the time to reflect on diversity and inclusion in their own way.”
Some companies and organizations such as the National Football League, Nike, Twitter and Cruise, GM’s majority-owned autonomous vehicle subsidiary, have made Juneteenth, which celebrates the emancipation of Blacks from slavery in the U. S., a paid holiday.
Target said Monday that it would also make the day a holiday. Stores will remain open and those employees who work the day will be paid time and a half. All eligible Target team members have the option to take the day off with full pay. Headquarters offices will be closed in observance.
Reuss’ message is the most recent communication to GM employees after Floyd’s death regarding racial injustice.
