Ford Worker Who Heckled Trump Gets Suspended Amid Controversy Over President's Response
A video has surfaced showing Ford Motor Co. employee TJ Sabula yelling at President Donald Trump, calling him a "pedophile protector," during the president's visit to a Dearborn factory on Tuesday. Trump responded with an expletive and displayed a middle finger as he walked away.
The worker, 40-year-old Sabula, was identified by the Washington Post as a member of UAW Local 600 and had been suspended pending investigation. The union's representative, Laura Dickerson, said that Sabula is a proud member of the UAW and believes in freedom of speech, and the union will ensure he receives "full protection of all negotiated contract language safeguarding his job and his rights as a union member."
The incident has sparked controversy over Trump's response to Sabula's outburst. White House communications director Steven Cheung described Sabula as a "lunatic" who was "wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage," while U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) said that Ford Motor Company is sending a message that people can't stand up for sexual abuse survivors.
The Democratic National Committee has denounced Trump, saying he is more concerned with his ego than the economy, and has called on Ford to investigate whether Sabula was fired or suspended in violation of his free speech rights. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) also expressed concern over the matter, saying that she believes in free speech and hopes that Sabula is not being fired.
Ford's response to the incident has been limited, with a spokesperson stating that the company cannot comment on the matter due to its human resources policies. The incident highlights the tension between workers' rights and the presidency, and raises questions about what constitutes acceptable behavior for employees in public-facing roles.
A video has surfaced showing Ford Motor Co. employee TJ Sabula yelling at President Donald Trump, calling him a "pedophile protector," during the president's visit to a Dearborn factory on Tuesday. Trump responded with an expletive and displayed a middle finger as he walked away.
The worker, 40-year-old Sabula, was identified by the Washington Post as a member of UAW Local 600 and had been suspended pending investigation. The union's representative, Laura Dickerson, said that Sabula is a proud member of the UAW and believes in freedom of speech, and the union will ensure he receives "full protection of all negotiated contract language safeguarding his job and his rights as a union member."
The incident has sparked controversy over Trump's response to Sabula's outburst. White House communications director Steven Cheung described Sabula as a "lunatic" who was "wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage," while U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) said that Ford Motor Company is sending a message that people can't stand up for sexual abuse survivors.
The Democratic National Committee has denounced Trump, saying he is more concerned with his ego than the economy, and has called on Ford to investigate whether Sabula was fired or suspended in violation of his free speech rights. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) also expressed concern over the matter, saying that she believes in free speech and hopes that Sabula is not being fired.
Ford's response to the incident has been limited, with a spokesperson stating that the company cannot comment on the matter due to its human resources policies. The incident highlights the tension between workers' rights and the presidency, and raises questions about what constitutes acceptable behavior for employees in public-facing roles.
. I mean, come on, Trump's just giving it back to the guy who was yelling at him 
. Sabula might have gone a bit too far with that "pedophile protector" comment, but at the same time, Trump's reaction seemed kinda petty 
.
. I mean, they're standing up for Sabula's right to free speech and all that jazz 
. The union rep is being super supportive too 
. It's about time we started talking about what constitutes acceptable behavior in the workplace – maybe Trump should learn a thing or two from Sabula 
.
... I mean, I get where TJ Sabula was coming from, but come on, yelling at Trump like that? And then he gets suspended? That's pretty harsh 
... that middle finger thing is just cringeworthy. But can we really say that Ford's suspension of Sabula was unfair? I mean, the company did say they couldn't comment on the matter due to HR policies, which suggests they might've had a reason to let him go or suspend him.
. I mean, they're not even commenting on it, which is pretty unusual. But at the same time, you can't blame Trump for responding the way he did 
. I mean, that guy's got a reputation for being a bit of a sore loser, and that middle finger was a low blow 
. The question is, what constitutes acceptable behavior for an employee in a public-facing role? Is it okay to lose your temper and yell at someone who's trying to provoke you? 
. Maybe we should all take a page out of his book and stand up for what we believe in, even if it means getting suspended or fired 
and then act all surprised when ppl call him out 
