Two-time presidential nominee and civil rights activist, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., offered a letter supporting McDonald’s franchisee Herb Washington in its lawsuit against McDonald’s USA.
A Washington-based public relations firm released a letter Thursday from Jackson saying that McDonald’s must “implement a respect-based plan for black operators” and that Jackson will “contact McDonald’s senior management on these issues contact”.
Washington, who lives in Mahoning County and runs seven McDonald’s restaurants in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, claims McDonald’s raced him and other black franchisees and resisted Washington when he talked about it.
McDonald’s, in response to Washington’s claims, has stated that the problems Washington is raising are “the result of years of mismanagement by Mr. Washington”.
The letter said Jackson, 79, recently learned of the lawsuit Washington filed in District Court Tuesday “that I met in the 1980s when I was running for president. Herb Washington is a man of integrity who served on the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank for many years. “
Jackson’s letter continues: “His lawsuit against McDonald’s caught my attention and I am concerned about its resolution.”
It notes, “There is a growing crisis emerging between McDonald’s and its operators, black owners who have historically been allies and the face of the company.
“While McDonald’s has made tremendous strides over the years, there seems to be a negative wind in the face of black operators.”
The letter will be written under the letterhead of the National Headquarters of the Rainbow Push Coalition, based in Chicago, of which Jackson is the founder and President.
Washington had 27 McDonald’s restaurants at one time, but now has 14 because McDonald’s “tightly controls who can enter its system,” restricting who the franchisee can sell their restaurants to and forcing owners to sell restaurants, Washington and its attorneys said they didn’t meet certain standards.
“As part of its efforts to reduce illegal participation in its system, McDonald’s approached Mr. Washington for unfair classifications and ratings in order to make him ineligible for further operation of its restaurants,” the lawsuit said.
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