KENTUCKY (WCPO-TV)— Four current and former employees are taking Delta Airlines to court on claims of racial discrimination.
On Friday, the four black employees filed a class action complaint in federal court against the airline, as well as six managers and supervisors working at the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport for “systemic race discrimination.”
The lead plaintiff, Brandon Freeman, now works for the Cincinnati Fire Department after — according to the complaint — he was terminated from Delta in June 2014, following months of management harassment stemming from an inter-racial relationship he had with a white female co-worker.
Freeman also claims that raising the allegations last year resulted in "retaliation against him for asserting his right to be free of race/color discrimination at the work place."
Additionally, the suit alleges Delta management attempted to conceal and destroy evidence and silence witnesses in the matter, as well as tried to "whitewash" the matter by conducting a "sham internal investigation" and fabricating witness testimony.
The plaintiffs are asking for punitive and compensatory damages, as well as any back pay and benefits lost as a result of the alleged discriminatory practices.
WCPO has reached out to Delta Airlines for comment regarding the lawsuit and is awaiting response.