Two drivers working on behalf of FedEx were fired after posting a video to social media that showed a confrontation between them and a White Georgia customer. According to NBC News, the two delivery workers, who were Black, were threatened off camera.
“FedEx called and told me to take down this video and fired both of us today,” one of the men involved tweeted with a short clip of the confrontation that took place. “I’m reposting this video because people like him doesn’t matter white or any race should never disrespect essential workers putting their lives in jeopardy especially with this covid-19.”
In a twitter post describing the incident, user @Toniob38, identified simply as Antonio on a GoFundMe page started on behalf of him and his colleague Felinzay, says all the men did was deliver a package. That seemingly prompted the customer to run out of his house “cursing and threatening” the two men. “While we were looking confused we just apologized for being on his yard but he keep going on then kept saying he would whoop our Black asses and then he told his wife to call the cops,” Antonio claimed.
He said after the customer made his threats, he pulled out his phone and began “playing victim.” It was at that time that Antonio pulled out his own phone to start recording what was taking place. Viewers can see the driver, who was donning a FedEx shirt, tell the customer that he felt disrespected by his actions. Antonio and his colleague pulled off before the police arrived.
The driver, who NBC reports was employed by an independent service provider, added that he posted the video because “we go through racism every day on that route in Leesburg but he [the White customer] was the first one to actually come up and actually threaten us.”
In a statement to NBC News, FedEx said that it would “be conducting a thorough investigation into the claims” and that it takes allegations of discrimination and employee misconduct seriously. The GoFundMe set up to aid the two men who are now out of work over this incident is close to reaching its $75,000 goal.