The Napa Valley Wine Train’s chief executive issued an apology for the way employees treated members of a mostly black book club on Saturday.
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Pop culture and political analyst Lisa Durden, Essence features editor Lauren Williams and actress Adrew Lewis are on the studio to talk about the situation at 7:30 a.m. “We accept full responsibility for our failures and for the chain of events that led to this regrettable treatment of our guests”. So it’s unclear whether the book club members have accepted the company’s apologies and whether they would take up the CEO’s offer for a free ride on the train all to themselves.
The excursion appeared to start well. The book club members contend that they were victims of racism. club member Lisa Johnson, who chronicled the episode in cellphone videos and social media, told KTVU Monday.
Less than two hours after leaving the station, Johnson posted a photo of a woman with a caption that began, “we have a problem”. “Our first experience on that wine train is one that will live with us forever”. “At the same time we didn’t provide that space for our individual passengers so that they can have the experience they expected”.
Johnson said they were guilty of “laughing while black”. “When we get to St. Helena they are putting us off the train”. And during the course of that apology he said to me, ‘You know it’s really troubling for us that we’re being painted in the media to be something that we are not.
A spokesman apologized over the weekend, saying racial bias did not play a role in the treatment. Despite Giaccio’s apology and invitation, it might be their last, Johnson said.
“If guests are being severely disruptive, that’s when we discuss whether they should be removed”, said Devitt. “It was about us having to make accommodations for other people”. “And patience”. Worse, the company originally posted on their Facebook page that the women were ejected after becoming violent.
In an preliminary assertion posted to Fb, the practice firm wrote, “Following verbal and bodily abuse towards different visitors and employees, it was essential to get our police concerned”. “Many groups come on board and celebrate”.
The post has since been removed, and the company is now apologizing for the women’s “terrible experience” and the “inaccurate post”.
Giaccio noted in his statement that the walk through the train was the safest route it was also the most insensitive.
“Clearly, we knew in advance when we booked your party that you would be loud, fun-loving and boisterous”, he said. It was there that the book club members received a refund.
Napa Valley Wine Train staff called police in St. Helena Saturday to help handle the rowdy women. After exiting the train, police transported the ladies in a van to Napa.
In a letter to the entire club, he apologized repeatedly for his staff’s mistreatment of them this past Sunday as well was the way his staff handled the incident afterward.
“We were still marched down the aisle of the train auto to waiting police officers”.
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“This one incident, whatever the circumstances, is unfortunate, but I don’t think this will besmirch the Napa Valley name”, said Craig Smith, president of the Napa Downtown Association.
