Robert Garza thought he was engaging in a standard salary discussion when he met with a supervisor at Campbell Soup Company. Instead, he witnessed what he says was an hour-long tirade that left him feeling sick.
Garza suggested to Local 4 News that he felt “something was wrong with Martin,” the food company’s vice president and chief information security officer (1).
What Garza heard – and also recorded – would ultimately cost him his job. Now, the Monroe, Michigan, resident is suing Campbell’s, claiming he was fired in retaliation for trying to do the right thing.
Garza began working remotely as a security analyst for Campbell’s Camden, New Jersey, headquarters in September 2024. Later that year, he met with Bally at a restaurant to discuss his compensation. But the conversation quickly veered off course.
According to Garza’s lawsuit filed in Wayne County Circuit Court (2), Bally engaged in what the complaint describes as “disgusting” talk about the company’s products and employees. The recording, which lasted more than an hour and 15 minutes, allegedly filmed Bally making racist remarks toward his Indian co-workers and derogatory comments toward Campbell’s customers.
“We got shit for the fucking poor people. Who buys our shit? I hardly buy Campbell’s products anymore. It’s not healthy now that I know what’s in it,” Bally allegedly said in the recording. “Bioengineered meat – I don’t want to eat a piece of chicken from a 3D printer.”
The speech did not stop there. According to the lawsuit, Bally made several disparaging comments about Indian employees, calling them “idiots” and saying they “couldn’t think for themselves.”
Garza also alleges in the filing that Bally admitted to regularly coming to work under the influence of edible marijuana.
“He has no filter,” Garza said. “He thinks he’s an executive at a Fortune 500 company and he can do whatever he wants because he’s an executive.”
Garza initially kept the recording to himself. He said he felt “pure disgust” after the meeting and needed time to process what he heard. But in January 2025, he decided he couldn’t stay silent.
He went to his direct superior, JD Aupperle, to report Bally’s behavior, in particular the racist comments towards his colleagues.
“He really stood up for others,” said Zachary Runyan, Garza’s attorney. “He went to his boss and said, ‘Martin is saying this about our Indian colleagues, he’s saying this about the people who buy our food – who keep our business open, and I don’t think that should be allowed.'”
Twenty days later, Garza was blinded. He was fired on January 30, 2025.
“The answer to Robert standing up for others is that he gets fired, which is ridiculous,” Runyan said.
The firing was particularly shocking, Garza said, because Bally had praised his job performance at that same December meeting. According to Runyan, Garza was never disciplined or criticized. “He was never disciplined, they never disciplined him for his job performance,” Runyan said.
Garza said he received no follow-up from human resources or anyone at Campbell’s. No investigation. No explanation. Just a termination.
It took him 10 months to find another job.
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The lawsuit accuses Campbell Soup Company of maintaining a racist work environment and retaliating against Garza for expressing concerns. It names the company, Bally and Aupperle as defendants. Garza is particularly frustrated by the disconnect between Campbell’s public image and the way he was treated.
“They have a motto: ‘We treat you like family here at Campbell’s – come work for us,’” he said. “‘We treat our employees like family.’ This is not the case.”
Campbell Soup Company released a statement Thursday evening saying, “If accurate, the comments contained in the recording are unacceptable. They do not reflect our values and our company culture. We are actively investigating this matter.”
But for Garza, that response seems too short and too late. He calls the company’s handling of the situation “just terrible.”
If you witness misconduct at work, whether it’s discrimination, harassment, or anything else that violates company policy, here are some steps you can take:
Document everything. Keep detailed records of what happened, when and who was involved. If your state allows recording of a party’s consent, this may constitute strong evidence (3).
Report it through the appropriate channels. Go to HR or use your company’s ethics hotline. Put your complaint in writing so that there is a record (4).
Know your rights. Federal law protects employees from retaliation when they report discrimination or harassment. If you are fired or demoted after filing a complaint, you may have legal recourse.
Consult an employment lawyer. If you think you have been retaliated against, talk to an employment lawyer. Many offer free consultations.
** Consider outside agencies. **The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigates complaints of discrimination. You generally have 180 days to file a complaint (5).
For Garza, standing up seemed like the only option, even if it cost him everything. He now hopes that the legal system will prove that he made the right choice.
We rely only on verified sources and credible third-party reports. For more details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Detroit Local 4 News (1); Law.com (2) Barrett and Farahany (3); United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (4); EEOC (5)
This article provides information only and should not be considered advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
