Amazon workers in Chicago angered by 'tokenized' Juneteenth celebration offering chicken and waffles

[JonLP24]

Workers at an Amazon warehouse in Chicago have voiced outrage at the company after the facility offered employees "an authentic meal" of chicken and waffles in celebration of Juneteenth.

The facility, known as DCH1, notified employees on Thursday that it's "honoring the Black community by supporting local Black businesses" and would offer employees chicken and waffles on Juneteenth, according to a document obtained by CNBC. The document appears to have been placed on a TV in the facility's break room.

Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 that Texas slaves received news of their freedom, two years after the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation.

In a private online group for Chicago Amazon workers, employees said they were angered and insulted by the "racist form of celebration." Others said Amazon could have shown support for Black workers by designating Juneteeth as a paid company holiday.

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/06/19/chicago-amazon-workers-angered-by-tokenized-juneteenth-celebration.html

[Demovictory9]

1. lol... and watermelon too?

nothing wrong with chicken and waffles but come on!

[NurseJackie]

2. Seriously? OMG! What is wrong with some people?

[CatWoman]

9. LOL!!!!

[Solly Mack]

3. No. Full body rejection. No.

Just no. No. No. No.

[Thomas Hurt]

4. Stunningly ignorant or on purpose out of bigotry.

[jimfields33]

6. They should do nothing. It's not for a company to tell workers how to celebrate

Totally insulting.

[DeminPennswoods]

5. Did you look at the picture of the document?

I don't know what official notices from Amazon look like, but kinda doubt it's like that.

[cayugafalls]

8. Just to point out some overlooked facts...the meal was not Chicken and Waffles...

It was a meal crafted by a local black owned business called Chicago's Chicken and Waffles.

They still removed the flyer and apologized. Seems like it was a popular place to eat...Yes, it was insensitive.

I just wanted to point out that the article is misleading and out of context.

[58Sunliner]

10. Unreal.