TGI Fridays, Lawsuit: ‘Blacks Lazy, Hispanic, Latinos Work Harder,’ Some Blame Race Card


TGI Fridays has cooked up a lawsuit concerning its Midtown restaurant in New York City after Black employees alleged that they were fired and replaced with Hispanic-Latino workers. New York Daily News is reporting that those same employees have launched a class action suit against the popular restaurant chain. Attorneys working on their behalf are asking a Bronx Supreme Court judge for $5 million dollars in damages, lost wages, and emotional distress among fired workers.

According to Global Grind only one black person was asked to return to the new location on 34th street. After African American workers noticed that they were not being offered their jobs back, and that Hispanic and/or Latino workers were being hired in their places, someone decided to investigate by asking one of the managers. The reply that they received from management was appalling. “Hispanics work harder.”

The race of the person who actually asked the question has not been made public, though some speculate that the person who asked was a non-black person who passed the information on to a former black wait staff member.

Information obtained in the lawsuit also states that the old TGI Fridays location was often referred to as the “black” Fridays or the “ghetto store.”

As news of the controversy makes its rounds in the national media, many say that this is just another case of blacks “playing the race card,” the go-to phrase for anyone who believes that any discrimination or race complaint made by blacks is false.

Others say that there were also some whites who applied to the new location but were not hired. Though it must be noted that the statements made by management, such as they “work harder,” and “ghetto store” cannot be overlooked. Also, it appears that none of the black workers were told they were not being rehired because they lacked a sufficient work ethic, or that they were lazy.

Statements such as Latinos “work harder” or Hispanics are “hard workers” are nothing new. But many fail to note that in many cases they are also underpaid and recognized as cheap labor by those who prefer to hire them, leading many to the conclusion that it is all about exploitation.

Here are a few comments that have been posted to social media about this controversial, racially divided case.

“Quite honestly, they do work hard.”

“I’m sure it was racist and not that they were lazy?”

“No he prefer Mexicans cause they can take advantage of them.lol”

“They must be talking about Mexicans because Puertoricans are lazy as hell.”

“Employees that do not want to work, need to be FIRED!”

“I know a lot of black people who work hard and I know a lot of Hispanic people who will be quick to say ‘f this, I’m out.’ There are hardworking people in every race and lazy people in every race as well. This is perpetuating a stereotype that Hispanics work harder than blacks and is not going to help the situation within many communities.”

“Anyone who needs a job bad enough will do what they have to do to make ends meet..regardless of race!”

[Image via Philip Lange / Shutterstock.com]

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