Please forward widely! Pick up the Hartford News at these locations. http://hendu39.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/hartford-news-locations/ Check out the archive of Community Party Hartford News columns at our No Sellout blog. http://hendu39.wordpress.com/
David Samuels
Founder
Community Party
DCF Plantation Report
This column appears in the July 24 - 31 edition of the Hartford News... Community Update: WFSB Face the State host / corporate shill Dennis House aired another infomercial on the Hartford stadium plan. Mayor Pedro Segarra's communications director Maribel La Luz was a guest; she talked about the stadium in terms of the facility being an anchor for high-end stores. La Luz did not mention the proposed North Hartford supermarket once. The focus of the program was how a stadium / retail complex could attract suburban whites into the city. There were no North End residents on the panel. On Monday Cornell Lewis led a protest against the stadium plan. Cornell told Fox CT that signatures were being collected to force a referendum on the stadium. 1400 signatures are needed to place this issue on the ballot...
Kennard Ray was quietly hired as the Deputy Registrar of Voters for the City of Hartford. Last year Segarra hired Ray as his Deputy Chief of Staff. Ray withdrew from the position after sensationalized corporate media reports about his legal history led to Segarra throwing Ray under the bus. Segarra said that Ray messed up because he didn't discuss his legal history during the job interview. The city's Ban the Box ordinance stipulates that an applicant does not have to talk about past legal issues during an interview. Segarra said that Ray had to be held to a "higher standard". A subsequent review by the Hartford Internal Audit Commission found that Segarra had hired several employees in his office who did not undergo a security background check; some had not even filled out a job application.
ICYMI Activist Marcia Morris wrote an essay on Cornell’s victory over the Department of Children and Families. http://dcfplantation.blogspot.com/2014/07/victory-for-us-all.html Cornell was fired by DCF July 17, 2013 in retaliation for his activism against structural racism at that agency. On July 11 an arbitrator ruled that DCF must reinstate Cornell and reimburse him fully for lost wages and benefits. Below is my reaction to Marcia's piece.
Reaction to Cornell Lewis’ Victory Against DCF
Cultural Dictionary
He who laughs last, laughs best definition
You may laugh now, thinking you have won, but you may not prevail in the end.
Marcia graciously tried to give DCF management the benefit of the doubt in her essay. I cannot be so forgiving. Data and internal management emails that Cornell, Adam Osmond, my Connecticut Valley Hospital co-worker John Hollis and I have obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and the results of CVH’s own workplace bullying survey, which they tried to suppress, say otherwise (see Resources). The racist disparity in terminations and suspensions at DCF and CVH is reprehensible. When Cornell confronted DCF management with these facts, they lynched him, just like whites lynched Blacks back in the day who didn’t stay in their place. These murderers would bring their children to witness the event. After the lynching was completed, whites would cut off pieces of the Black person’s corpse and keep them as souvenirs. DCF management behaved in a similar fashion.
Unsatisfied with just taking his job, DCF attempted to figuratively dismember Cornell by employing legal tactics to prevent him from working with children. They vigorously fought Cornell’s effort to get his job back. The response of DCF and CVH management to allegations of racism, despite the overwhelming statistical evidence, is to deny, deny, deny. Internal CVH management emails show that they have been constantly monitoring my social media activity and attempting to manufacture excuses to target me for termination and / or legal action. John, who is white, has been subjected to ruthless intimidation tactics. 50 years ago, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who were both white, were murdered along with Black activist James Chaney near Philadelphia, Mississippi. They were participating in a campaign to register Blacks to vote.
DCF and CVH management are fully conscious of their racist policies; they use Policy and Procedure to target employees, especially Blacks. My position is supported by the data we have obtained from both facilities. The pattern of racial bias is clearly systemic. Since John and I publicized the results of the CVH survey and the racist disciplinary data, the hostile behavior by supervisors and managers has continued; in grievance hearings they continue to give nonsensical excuses when we confront them with irrefutable email evidence of workplace mobbing on their part. This is an obvious indication that their superiors support and encourage their sociopathic behavior. The objective is clear; to maintain total obedience by the workers. Although racism is a key component, classism is also a major factor as employees of all colors are being oppressed. The CVH survey results are proof.
Cornell was buried alive by DCF management. He has clawed his way through the dirt, wiped off his shirt, and emerged victorious. Other victims of workplace bullying have met a different end. A 2008 study found that 15% of total adult suicides are related to workplace bullying. The CVH managers who are stalking me online will read that statistic, go to bed tonight, sleep like babies, and resume their bullying tactics when they return to work tomorrow morning. This is the criminal element that workers around the world, some who are already battling mental illness, must face every day. The Department of Health and Human Services states that workplace bullying is the equivalent of domestic violence. http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/hhs-workplace-bullying-domestic-violence_764508.html
In 2015 Sen. Gary Holder-Winfield will introduce the Community Party’s Safe Work Environment Act. http://hendu39.wordpress.com/2014/04/06/coming-in-2015-safe-work-environment-act/ The AFSCME Local 318 Safe Workplace Committee (which includes John and I as members) will call for a change to the employee grievance process. We want workplace bullying language added to the contract. Last year SEIU in California was successful in getting a Dignity Clause inserted into their agreement. We also want an independent arbitrator to hear grievances. The current process is a joke, as the employer hears worker complaints. The manager who hears the grievance at Step 1 defends the employer at Step 3. John has submitted an FOI request to obtain the outcome of state worker grievances for the last three years.
Congratulations to Cornell for winning his battle against DCF. The global war against workplace bullying continues. This week we'll share posts from Cornell's DCF Plantation blog. http://dcfplantation.blogspot.com/
*****
VOICE OF DISCONTENT AT HAMILTON STREET PLANTATION
The voice displayed only a mild tremor when discussing working conditions at Department of Children and Families office on Hamilton Street in Hartford, Connecticut. He [wishes to remain anonymous] talked for almost one hour about how a white led management is using various techniques to squeeze every ounce of work from all employees. For example if a clinical worker does not keep at least an 85% case load rating then that person gets a failing grade from DCF. When pressed for more details, the worker replied how management wants a full case load of at least 25 people for DCF workers. This means maintaining 90% or higher rating and working non stop. You do not have a personal life outside of DCF, for time is directed toward not making mistakes that drop your case load rating. The person explained how putting together treatment plans for clients can be dangerous [if not approved]. Such an error automatically drops that case worker to lower status levels. In addition it was reported to this blog how at staff meetings performance ratings are placed on a large screen for all to see [causing added stress for people named as failing].
Then the case worker reported how disproportionate disciplinary actions are aimed toward black men at DCF Hamilton Street plantation (see Resources). It is hard to work with families of color in the community providing services when there is a paucity of black men. This – the case worker states - tends to diminish black men, especially in the impressionable eyes of children. It also reinforces stereotypes of black men not being productive in workplace settings. According to the case worker in this story mostly females visit homes in service delivery, and most of these are white. In addition black men are not in the process for promotion at Hamilton Street plantation. Most of the Program Managers are women and one black man recently had his application for promotion rejected.
This staff writer felt the conversation was winding down and asked if there were any more details needed for the story. The case worker at Hamilton Street decided the conversation needed to end. We promptly ended our dialogue.
In conclusion there are one million stories on the DCF plantation. You have just read one of them.
Every truth passes through three stages before it is recognized.
* it is ridiculed
* It is opposed
* It is regarded as self evident
--attributed to German Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer ( 1788-1860)
WHO ADDRESSES BASIC SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES
Employees at Connecticut Juvenile Training School fall under the old paradigm of representatives advocating for certain things. When a meeting was held at CJTS June 24th with Department of Children & Families Commissioner Joette Katz, a proper protocol of questioning ensued. Employees at CJTS were steered toward asking questions that did not cause controversy or ruffle feathers. The one black female who raised one racial question (“why Commissioner Katz do people of color receive harsher discipline than other ethnic groups?”) had it disregarded. There are few Union Stewards or Youth Service Officers willing to broach basic social issues before management on the DCF Plantation.
Issues concerning social issues need illuminating before CJTS management; employee’s recent existential angst, petition / letter to Katz are derived from earlier incidents around bias and discrimination. Now the hierarchy at DCF will dispute that claim and say “CJTS is in turmoil because certain YSOs love controversy” but the real reasons seem more profound--- complex. Until Key Stone Cops management develops courage to discuss basic social justice issues, problems at that facility will continue. Also it is the time for YSOS to demand social justice issues get pushed to the front of their agenda. Do not think any management people will decide in favor of unveiling race as a topic of discussion: America is still not comfortable talking about slavery or racism in some broader context. The only way race gets air time in America is when the people force it out in the open; after Trayvon Martin’s shooting death race became this hot topic. When basic social justice issues do not have the necessary public forum society suffers. At CJTS all those problems manifesting themselves in various forms have beginning points with suppression of not discussing social justice concerns.
If people peruse history correctly please notice how social upheavals always result when issues are stuffed down then not allowed public forums for dialogue.
ANONYMOUS COMMENT FROM READER
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WHO ADDRESSES BASIC SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES":
DCF can't and won't address any prevalent issues;
Race
Political motivation
Poor leadership
Because they're focus is not for the protection or aide of Families or youth. The facility operates under Capitialistic dogma. Each child is a number, that gets an amount of financial backing that DCF benefits from. This is new age slavery. Its operated with no bias. Also If DCF can make it increasingly more of a stressed work environment, or more unsafe, they save more money by making it difficult to retire.
*****
Resources
DCF / CVH disciplinary data, obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests:
http://dcfplantation.blogspot.com/2012/11/dcf-disciplinary-2011-harsher-penalties.html?spref=tw
https://twitter.com/CTLotteryWatch/status/412319176674799616/photo/1
Community Party Hartford News columns on structural racism at CVH. Includes CVH workplace bullying survey results and data / internal CVH management emails obtained through FOI requests:
http://hendu39.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/workplace-bullying-report-structural-racism-at-connecticut-valley-hospital/
http://hendu39.wordpress.com/2014/01/02/connecticut-valley-hospital-plantation/
Special Report: Racism and Homophobia at Connecticut Valley Hospital:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/david-samuels/special-report-racism-homophobia-at-connecticut-valley-hospital/10151418650215432
Bullying Caused Women’s Suicide, Inquiry Told. The Sidney Morning Herald. Suicide, When Related to Workplace Bullying. by ABC
This column appears on the ABC-Anti-Bullying Crusader’s Weblog:
http://antibullyingcrusador.wordpress.com/2008/07/13/bullying-caused-womens-suicide-inquiry-told-the-sidney-morning-herald-suicide-when-related-to-workplace-bullying-by-abc/
Workplace Bullying Report - A Survivor’s Story:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/david-samuels/workplace-bullying-report-a-survivors-story/10151447046360432
Cornell Lewis Legal Defense Fund:
http://dcfplantation.blogspot.com/2013/07/help-with-legal-fund.html
Proposed Nevada workplace bullying bill:
http://abusergoestowork.com/nys-proposed-healthy-wkpl-bill/
Follow CP on Twitter for state, national and global headlines and updates on the status of our Trayvon Martin and Safe Work Environment Acts. https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1 Check out CP's No Sellout blog for the archive of our Hartford News columns. http://hendu39.wordpress.com/ Listen to WQTQ 89.9 FM for CP's public service announcements on our racial justice initiatives. https://www.facebook.com/wqtqfm Contact us at 860-206-8879 or info.community.party@gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment