CNN and TBS are well-known cable networks that are supposedly making it very difficult for African-American employees to get a promotion, no matter how hard they try - that is, if you believe a new lawsuit that has been filed by a disgruntled ex-employee.
According to TMZ, Wanda Byrd is a black woman who worked for TBS for 13 years, with her job described in the report as "a mid-level manager in quality assurance." Her side of the story is one we've heard all too often in recent years: a less-skilled and, as a result, far less-qualified white man scooped up a senior management promotion that was up for grabs, one she felt she rightly deserved based on her work history.
Unfortunately, Byrd says she's not the only one. Legal docs specify that black employees at TBS are promoted at a much lower rate than their Caucasian co-workers. What's more, a total of zero people of color have ever held the title of senior VP or something higher up. Byrd is alleging racial discrimination at the network, saying that black employees are often kept in certain divisions that are "less powerful and non-revenue generating."
Byrd is also claiming that there is a "dramatic difference" in pay between blacks and whites, while African-Americans "have to work 3 times as long as Caucasians to receive any type of promotion." Byrd is angling to stick up for others who were wronged as well, making it clear that a class action suit against TBS, CNN and Time Warner could be on the way sooner rather than later.
As of this writing, CNN and TBS have not issued official responses to the lawsuit.