State Representative Matthew Ritter held a Workplace Bullying Town Hall January 27, 2014 in Hartford, Connecticut- at a library on Albany Avenue. People arrived at the starting time of 5:30pm and spoke until 7:00pm. A room full of people [most of them women & men of color] described the pernicious effects of how workplace bullying often masquerades as a new racism. Places that were named as workplace bullying sites are Connecticut Juvenile Training School, Connecticut Valley Hospital, and Department of Children & Families. Listening to the tales of abuse was indeed hard to endure, but what really struck me is the level of pain heard in people’s voices. At one point a female black former employee of a state agency described moving out of a living situation, borrowing money from friends, and contemplating suicide all because of work place bullying by white administrators.
Then I noticed how all those telling their stories mentioned reprisals from white administrators aimed at black or Latino employees. Several questions for State Rep. Ritter from the assembled audience wanted to know how state agencies can continue to get away with blatant acts of selective racism. Statistics show 70% of terminations at CVH targeted blacks or Latinos, while 66% of DCF disciplines chose black men. In the room members from various CT Unions feverishly took notes while shaking their heads at what was being described: a criminal enterprise using strong arm tactics against employees of color and receiving state & federal funding. How can something like this occur? One thing certainly became clear at this meeting; the problem of workplace bullying is more widespread than first believed within state agencies.
If any meaningful change is to happen concerning WPB then people are going to have to demand change. At this juncture it is acknowledged how only a few people voiced concerns about this issue: and as it continues to meander unchecked, WPB targets people of color and leaves them as shells of humanity. These state agencies have resources to fight voices of dissent, while eliminating jobs of undesirables and cowing other employees with threats. As we prepared to leave the meeting a lady asked one important question “what is it going to take [a tragedy] for someone to address the issue seriously" and do something about it? She does have a point.
We are faced with a new form of racism in the workplace of 2014. Agencies claiming to care for children and the less fortunate in society are controlled by white administrators acting out a narrative toward blacks that is centuries old. Before people in America prepare to celebrate Black History Month in February. I suggest fighting for racial equality against a new version of Bull Connor and White Citizen Councils within state agencies.
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