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August 29, 2009

Walnut Creek noose-hanging controversy update: community service not termination for Midas employees

A North Main Street Midas shop mechanic who used racial slurs and hung a noose in the workplace, and the manager who supposedly allowed it to continue, won't get fired, according to the Contra Costa Times.

Even though their boss, Mike Glad, initially wanted to, the Times says. Instead Glad, the owner of the shop, has listened to the suggestion of a Pittsburg minister, who led a protest outside the shop on Monday. The minister agreed that the mechanic and manager committed offenses worthy of termination, but suggested to Glad that they be given the chance to try community service and counseling first. These options provide an opportunity for change and redemption, the minister said.

The complaints about the mechanic and manager came from an employee, Donovan McBride. He was so frustrated about repeated racial slurs, the hanging of the noose, and the manager's failure to reprimand the mechanic that he took his complaints to KTVU. McBride, who is white but who is married to a black woman, agreed that community service might be the way to go--"as long as you get something postive out of it."

6 comments:

Thud said...

oh goody....no doubt the chaps involved will see the error of their ways when subjected to a quick bit of corrective thinking.

Martha Ross said...

Hi Thud,
Like your username, and thanks for contributing to the different conversations on my silly site!

Jojo Potato said...

What a hoot! Since when did some random preacher from another town have anything to say that I should care about?

Thud said...

As a part time denizen of WC and a Brit to boot I find your blog rather informative as I while away the hours in a rather wet England waiting to return to sunny WC.

21stCenturyMom said...

Perhaps the PreacherMan is unaware that it is illegal to create and/or support a hostile environment in the workplace. I say we let the legal system take care of this issue. If a judge deems community service and counseling to be the correct course of action then so be it. This assumes that Mr. McBride will sue Midas, as he should.

Anonymous said...

I saw McBride interviewed on KTVU and he is most definitely black.