Nooses at Work in 2025?! Fort Worth Company Fined $525K After 2023 Racist Allegations Come to Light
- Shalena
- Aug 5
- 4 min read
It’s 2025. We've got self-driving cars, AI that can write novels, and TikTok running our lives—but Black workers are still walking into job sites and seeing nooses hanging in plain sight.
That’s not a horror movie. That’s real life in Fort Worth, Texas.
A company called TNT Crane & Rigging has just been forced to pay a $525,000 settlement after a deeply disturbing federal investigation revealed shocking levels of racism in the workplace. But here’s the kicker: this nightmare unfolded back in 2023.
That’s right. In 2023, five Black employees came forward with allegations of racial harassment so severe that it triggered a full-on lawsuit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)—and in 2025, justice finally caught up.
Let’s break it all the way down.
What Happened at TNT Crane & Rigging in 2023?
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit filed in 2023, Black workers at TNT’s Fort Worth and Dallas branches were subjected to a work environment straight out of the Jim Crow era. The reported incidents include:
Nooses being displayed on-site
White supremacist symbols, including SS-style lightning bolt stickers
Racial slurs and racist jokes being thrown around openly
A manager who reportedly brushed off a noose as a “cowboy knot”
Let me stop you right there. Ain’t no version of “cowboy” that involves lynching symbols. We know exactly what a noose means.
These symbols weren’t hidden. They weren’t subtle. They were in your face, and management allegedly did nothing to stop it.
Worse, the workers who spoke up faced retaliation:
One man’s hours were slashed, his pay reduced, and he was labeled a “snitch.”
Another said his car tires were flattened, his life was threatened, and he ultimately quit for his safety.
This wasn’t about sensitivity. This was a hostile, racially charged, and unsafe workplace—and it happened just two years ago.
2025: The EEOC Brings the Heat
After those 2023 allegations were filed, the EEOC launched an investigation. And the facts were damning.
In 2025, TNT Crane & Rigging reached a $525,000 settlement with the five Black employees who endured the trauma.
But the money was just the beginning.
As part of the settlement, the company must:
Implement a comprehensive anti-discrimination policy
Provide real anti-racism and harassment training to all staff
Report any new complaints of racial harassment to the EEOC
Prevent retaliation moving forward or face further legal action
Let’s be honest, though—$525K divided by five people is not enough for what they went through. You don’t get your peace of mind back. You don’t get back the nights you couldn’t sleep, the fear, the humiliation.
But you do get accountability. You do get public exposure. And you get the power of a precedent.
Racism in 2023 Wasn’t an “Old Problem”
Some people love to talk like racism is a relic from history—like we should move on and stop “bringing up old stuff.”
But this isn’t 1965. It’s not even 2005. This happened in 2023.
Let’s repeat that for the people in the back:
In 2023, Black workers were still being harassed with nooses and Nazi symbolism—and punished for speaking up.
TNT’s work environment wasn’t a fluke. It’s a reflection of what many Black folks experience in industrial, blue-collar, and labor-heavy jobs—where HR departments are weak, and racism is seen as “part of the culture.”
According to EEOC data:
Black employees file more racial discrimination complaints than any other group
Retaliation is the #1 type of complaint in workplace lawsuits
And most racism goes unreported because of fear, intimidation, and hopelessness
That’s why this 2025 victory matters. Because it says, finally: you can’t get away with this anymore.
A Noose Is Never “Just a Knot”
Let’s talk about it.
That noose wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t a misunderstanding. It’s a weapon. A psychological attack. A reminder that the workplace is just another battlefield for Black survival.
The fact that a manager had the nerve to call it a “cowboy knot” isn’t ignorance—it’s gaslighting. It’s deliberate. And it speaks to a culture that would rather protect white supremacy than protect its Black employees.
So let’s be clear:
A noose is never just a rope. It’s a message. And we hear it loud and clear.
To the Five Black Men Who Fought Back: You’re Heroes.
These men could’ve stayed quiet. They could’ve shrugged it off. But instead—they chose truth. They chose courage. And in doing so, they protected not just themselves, but every Black worker who walks through that company’s doors in the future.
They risked everything to speak out. They were punished, threatened, and humiliated. But they stood tall—and because of that, a company was exposed.
And to those reading this who’ve faced racism and said nothing out of fear? You’re not weak. You’re surviving. And your story still matters.
Protect Yourself. Know Your Rights.
If you’re dealing with workplace discrimination, here’s how you can fight back:
📁 Document everything—times, dates, names📞 Call the EEOC at 1-800-669-4000💻 Visit eeoc.gov to file a claim📣 Find a civil rights attorney who believes in you💬 Talk to people you trust. You are not alone.
You deserve better than silence. You deserve a workplace free from hate. You deserve justice.
This case is a reminder that history isn’t behind us. It’s repeating itself in real time.
And if companies like TNT Crane & Rigging think they can hide behind lawsuits, HR reports, and PR statements—they’ve got another thing coming. We’re watching. We’re documenting. And we’re going to keep speaking up.
To all the Black workers still dealing with subtle racism, overt hatred, and everything in between: Keep your head up and your receipts ready. The tide is turning.
✍🏾 Sound Off Below!
Have you ever dealt with racism at work? How did you handle it? Drop your story in the comments, because this blog is more than content—it’s community.
Comments