The California autoworker who is suing Toyota and others in a whistle-blower lawsuit said Tuesday she was merely carrying out the quality-conscious "Toyota way" in spotting defects when managers cracked down on her efforts and demoted her.
Katy Cameron, 54, employed for 23 years at New United Motor Manufacturing Inc., a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Corp. in Fremont, Calif., is suing the companies in a lawsuit, filed Nov. 6 in Alameda County Superior Court.
The lawsuit accuses management at NUMMI of routinely deleting or downgrading defects that Cameron found as a certified auditor — including broken seat belts, faulty headlights, inadequate braking and steering wheel alignment problems — and demands $45 million in damages for retaliation against a whistle-blower and intentional infliction of emotional distress.