FedEx accused of firing employees who recorded encounter with customer who racially abused them

A pair of delivery drivers claim that they were fired by FedEx after posting a video to social media showing a customer racially abusing them. The accusation prompted a call to boycott FedEx on social media.

The video was uploaded to Twitter by a man named Antonio, who also goes by the username @Toniob38. The caption alongside the video makes it sound like FedEx told Antonio to take the original clip down, with the delivery driver decided to upload it again after the pair were fired.

"Update FedEx called and told me to take down this video and fired both of us Today .. 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 the video a FedEx worker, who reportedly is named Felinzay, can be seen talking to an irate man in front of his FedEx truck. 

"You didn’t have to come out there cussing me like that, like I’m some child," the delivery person says. "I ain’t no little boy. I’ll wait till the police come."

In a series of further tweets, Antonio states that the pair was delivering a parcel to the man's house when "he ran out his house cursing and threatening us, and we just apologized, but he kept escalating the situation then kept saying he would whoop out [sic] black asses."

"That’s when we told his wife to get the police on us," Antonio alleges. "That’s when he kept following us then he pulled out his phone to record us and start playing the victim role we drove off at first but they yelled 'fuck y’all.'"

"So we stop the truck and that’s when i started recording the incident.. after the video the police came and we told our side of the story & the man said to the police 'they look like they would’ve broke into my house while my wife is there' the white dude was lying the whole time."

Antonio went on to state that he and his colleague experience this kind of thing all the time.

"Mind y’all we go through this all the time he was the first to actually come at us crazy and all we doing is our job we work 6 days out the week to deliver these packages during this coronavirus going on."

Antonio then went on to discuss his apparent dismissal, writing: "I really appreciate the job opportunity I had with FedEx .. no hard feelings but I pray I can get back on my feet because I have a daughter now."

According to a GoFundMe campaign set up for the pair by the GAFollowers Twitter account, which has over 1.5 million followers, the incident took place in Leesburg, Georgia.

"These funds will be given to the two employees seen in the video who are now out of a job," the crowdfunding page explains. "We've spoken to both former employees and they will be grateful for any type of support as they transition to finding a new job."

The local sheriff’s office confirmed to CNBC that the Leesburg Police Department responded to the incident, though they could not be reached for comment.  

FedEx told the publication in a statement that the drivers had been employed by an independent service provider. FedEx confirmed with the contractor that “the drivers are no longer providing service on behalf of FedEx Ground.” 

FedEx said that they take any allegations of discrimination, retaliation, or improper employment actions seriously and would “be conducting a thorough investigation into these claims.”

“While we conduct this investigation FedEx will provide employment for these drivers,” the company said. 

Unsurprisingly, the video went viral on social media, with many calling for a boycott of FedEx over the incident.

"Y’all are trash and racist ! I’ll continue to find other ways to get my parcels shipped to me @UPS @amazon @USPS @DHLUS will always be available," one user tweeted at FedEx directly.

"From now on, if I need a package delivered overnight, I'll be using the USPS instead of FedEx," another person tweeted. Adding," We DON'T NEED FedEx to fire Black guys for standing up to racist jerks" and including the hashtag #BoycottFedex.

There's no excuse for this kind of behavior.