In the fall, Makayla Starks purchased her car from Kunes Buick GMC in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. In January, she went in for her complimentary oil change service. As far as she knew, the dealership service went smoothly…until she was back at work.
Starks started getting phone calls. “While I was at work, the employees from Kunes started contacting me, and they were insisting that there was a tool in my vehicle and they were sending an employee out to retrieve the tool,” she told Fox 6. “I told them there was no tool, and they were not welcomed on my property.”
Even after telling them to leave her alone, they kept calling…even from blocked numbers. One message came through from an employee to check her oil change sticker. She got the message as the employee who printed said sticker arrived at her house.
Starks checked the oil change sticker…and burst into tears
“It was the N-word,” she said. “When I first saw the sticker, I cried – immediately – I just sat there in my car and cried.”
To add to the insult, Starks says the staff damaged her vehicle during the appointment. She says the safety features weren’t accessible, either. The info screen still said she needed an oil change, too.
The dealership fired the employee and issued a statement
Kunes said it immediately fired the employee who printed the sticker. In a statement on Facebook which the company removed, the dealership claimed the employee in question did it as a “joke” to another employee.
On February 8, the dealership issued the following statement:
“We are deeply disturbed and saddened by the incident that has come to light involving one of our employees and a customer, her sense of safety and dignity. We want to be unequivocal: this behavior and the hateful sentiment it implies are absolutely against our values as a company. There is no place for racism or discrimination within our dealership or community.
“Upon learning of these allegations we took immediate action. The employee known to be involved has been terminated, effective immediately.
“We have been in contact with this customer over the last month to offer our apologies and have offered her credits for future service at other locations.
“This incident stands in stark contrast to who we are as a company. We recognize the seriousness of this matter and accept our responsibility to ensure a safe, welcoming environment for every person who walks through our doors. While words are important, we know that real change comes from action, and we are fully committed to demonstrating our values through measurable steps. We are moving forward addressing this with our entire staff, reinforcing our corporate values.”
That same day, Starks, her fiance, and supporters arrived at the dealership to protest the sticker incident. Her attorney told Fox 6 that he wants the dealership boycotted. Starks said she wants everyone involved in the incident either disciplined or terminated. She requested their names. She also wants to see policies put in place so that no one else is treated in the same manner.
