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.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
A CONTINUAL NARRATIVE AND BLACK MALE DISCIPLINE AT STATE AGENCIES
A sentient human being has to wonder about the disproportion of disciplinary actions against black male employees within Connecticut Juvenile Training School / Department of Children and Families in Connecticut. There have been numerous lawsuits, demonstrations, media reports, employee complaints, hunger strikes etc to highlight the racial animus at these two agencies. I would like to offer a theory about why the racism might be happening. In America it is documented that a continual narrative in the thinking of whites allowed in the past slavery, lynching, inhuman working conditions against African sold as slaves. The white narrative justified this barbaric treatment based on stereotypes of blacks being lazy, less than human, child like in their thinking or sinister in nature. That narrative allowed slavery to take root in the South for several hundred years and of course helped serve white people's material interests.
In contemporary society it is not politically correct to mention racism. Indeed, the Eden like atmosphere at DCF /CJTS lulls a person into thinking there are no real concerns, until you look at data which reveal 66% of all disciplinary actions target black males. Employees of color only make up between 44-45 % of the employment force. How can the termination, reprimands and other measures be justified? It all goes back to a continual narrative in the thinking of whites in charge of both agencies.
America did not acknowledge for years racial problems existed until the hideous secret could no longer be swept under the social rug. Blacks marched, sang, protested and died for a right to be viewed as human. Claims of no racial problems come out from mouths of DCF / CJTS officials with relative ease. Yet for years a continual narrative of heavy handed tactics against black males persists. Let me look at it another way. Trayvon Martin was killed by a man in Florida who had a continual narrative in his head which said " he [Trayvon] looked like a thug. " Republicans introduced legislation to have voters [ in black voting districts ] to show special identification in order to vote. These narratives from mostly white Republican males claimed such ID would help with voting integrity. Yeah right. If we juxtapose these stories next to what is happening on the DCF Plantation then it is evident a continual narrative about blacks is the norm in America.
In the final analysis something is wrong at these state run facilities when allegations of racism keep coming to the forefront.
In contemporary society it is not politically correct to mention racism. Indeed, the Eden like atmosphere at DCF /CJTS lulls a person into thinking there are no real concerns, until you look at data which reveal 66% of all disciplinary actions target black males. Employees of color only make up between 44-45 % of the employment force. How can the termination, reprimands and other measures be justified? It all goes back to a continual narrative in the thinking of whites in charge of both agencies.
America did not acknowledge for years racial problems existed until the hideous secret could no longer be swept under the social rug. Blacks marched, sang, protested and died for a right to be viewed as human. Claims of no racial problems come out from mouths of DCF / CJTS officials with relative ease. Yet for years a continual narrative of heavy handed tactics against black males persists. Let me look at it another way. Trayvon Martin was killed by a man in Florida who had a continual narrative in his head which said " he [Trayvon] looked like a thug. " Republicans introduced legislation to have voters [ in black voting districts ] to show special identification in order to vote. These narratives from mostly white Republican males claimed such ID would help with voting integrity. Yeah right. If we juxtapose these stories next to what is happening on the DCF Plantation then it is evident a continual narrative about blacks is the norm in America.
In the final analysis something is wrong at these state run facilities when allegations of racism keep coming to the forefront.
Monday, January 20, 2014
WHILE YOU HAVE A DREAM, THEY HAVE A SCHEME
The date of January 20, 2014 is celebrated in America as Martin Luther King Day. Finally America pays tribute to a black man that sacrificed his life for the betterment of African -Americans, not only in the South but the entire country. All over America black folk will wear colored robes, sing " we shall over come", read MLK speeches and then go home. At Connecticut Juvenile Training School and Department of Children & Families MLK ceremonies are in full bloom with administrators paying lip service to a black hero. In the after glow of pious platitudes from white administrators [ and their high paid Negro sycophants ] where are voices of state employees of color in opposition to current racism within both agencies?
It is quite sad to have personally witnessed how employees of color cowed before white administrators at DCF / CJTS. Documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act describe vividly how 66% of all disciplines on the DCF Plantation are aimed at black males. Yet their are only a few voices of protest; to be honest employees of color are reduced to ciphers, amorphous beings used to keep order at CJTS and enhance massa's DCF empire in Connecticut. While Negroes throughout the DCF Plantation quote from King's " I have a Dream Speech" plantation management seems to have a scheme. Their plan consists of striking fear into employees in a variety of methods.
They use policy and procedure as means to punish employees of color who forget their place. This means being investigated, written reprimands, or termination.
They send out memos to other DCF Plantations aimed at line staff and making employees responsible for what is going on , while overlooking management incompetence.
They use other colonized minded Negroes to report on co-workers, thus being kept abreast of what goes on with the natives.
They deny 20 plus years of lawsuits, media reports, and personal testimony about racism within DCF.
Yeah management allows black employees to have a dream but thwart any form of resistance with a scheme. I must point out that any oppressor can only get away with what is allowed by the masses. And certainly it has to be highlighted how employees of color willingly condone- through silence - atrocities committed on a daily basis. While blacks / other employees celebrate King in spirit, there is no inclination to follow his footsteps in reality. At this juncture Negro employees at the DCF / CJTS plantation are content to be abused while earning a paycheck. Slavery even in a golden cage is still something to denounce: Martin Luther King stood up for a cause while his descendants on the DCF Plantation are afraid to even think of denouncing racism. You can hear black employees whisper about mistreatment when ol' massa is not around. Hell, this blog receives e-mails daily about the blatant racism that exists at CJTS. Yet, nary a peep or whisper comes out of the mouths of full grown men or women about injustice. If black employees want to pay homage to MLK go right ahead. Just remember while you have a dream, they have a scheme.
It is quite sad to have personally witnessed how employees of color cowed before white administrators at DCF / CJTS. Documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act describe vividly how 66% of all disciplines on the DCF Plantation are aimed at black males. Yet their are only a few voices of protest; to be honest employees of color are reduced to ciphers, amorphous beings used to keep order at CJTS and enhance massa's DCF empire in Connecticut. While Negroes throughout the DCF Plantation quote from King's " I have a Dream Speech" plantation management seems to have a scheme. Their plan consists of striking fear into employees in a variety of methods.
They use policy and procedure as means to punish employees of color who forget their place. This means being investigated, written reprimands, or termination.
They send out memos to other DCF Plantations aimed at line staff and making employees responsible for what is going on , while overlooking management incompetence.
They use other colonized minded Negroes to report on co-workers, thus being kept abreast of what goes on with the natives.
They deny 20 plus years of lawsuits, media reports, and personal testimony about racism within DCF.
Yeah management allows black employees to have a dream but thwart any form of resistance with a scheme. I must point out that any oppressor can only get away with what is allowed by the masses. And certainly it has to be highlighted how employees of color willingly condone- through silence - atrocities committed on a daily basis. While blacks / other employees celebrate King in spirit, there is no inclination to follow his footsteps in reality. At this juncture Negro employees at the DCF / CJTS plantation are content to be abused while earning a paycheck. Slavery even in a golden cage is still something to denounce: Martin Luther King stood up for a cause while his descendants on the DCF Plantation are afraid to even think of denouncing racism. You can hear black employees whisper about mistreatment when ol' massa is not around. Hell, this blog receives e-mails daily about the blatant racism that exists at CJTS. Yet, nary a peep or whisper comes out of the mouths of full grown men or women about injustice. If black employees want to pay homage to MLK go right ahead. Just remember while you have a dream, they have a scheme.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
THE REAL PROBLEM ACCORDING TO FRONT LINE STAFF
The DCF Plantation blog has been contacted by several Youth Service Officers at Connecticut Juvenile Training School about the memo below. I will not mention the names of the YSOs, but will mention their particular Unit and comments.
Female YSO Unit 6B said- " how come DCF always places blame on front line staff ?"
Male YSO Unit 4D said- " for years management allowed the things in this memo to occur & ignored it."
Male YSO Unit 4B said- "seems to me Katz is cracking down now when management did not
discipline people they favored. One YSO hit a kid in 2009 and got 10 days off."
Female YSO Unit 6C said.- "now that the DCF plantation blog is exposing management as inept memos like
this appear. This is a joke."
Female YSO Unit 5B said- " DCF is targeting certain YSOs in this memo but not management."
Male YSO Unit 5C said- " hell, only when things were unraveling did such a memo come out."
Male YSO Unit 5D said- " no one mentioned the things Operations Staff got away i.e. computer use etc.
Now people want to correct things that were part of past practice."
DEPARTMENT of CHILDREN and FAMILIES
Making a Difference for Children, Families and Communities
Joette Katz
Commissioner
Dannel P. Malloy
Governor
MEMORANDUM
TO: Connecticut Juvenile Training School Staff
FROM: Joette Katz, Commissioner
RE: Expectations
DATE: December 31, 2013
The mission of the Connecticut Juvenile Training School is to provide a safe, secure and therapeutic environment for male youth as well as to furnish opportunities for growth and success. National best practices interventions and standards are integrated into facility operations with the goal of reducing risk of re-offending, preparing youth for community re-entry and developing positive youth outcomes. This mission is achieved by our many dedicated staff who believe in this mission and who work extraordinarily hard each day for the young men in our care and custody. The success that many of our young men have achieved is a direct reflection of our work and the connection to the changes that have occurred in the regions and within DCF.
In the past year, there have been some actions by certain staff that are damaging to this mission and serve to erode the progress occurring within CJTS. There have been allegations of abuse and neglect; lack of supervision that has resulted in youth being injured; language grievances regarding how staff speak to youth; lack of immediately reporting or accurately reporting incidents and overall a sense that some staff are not here at CJTS for the benefit of the youth we serve. These behaviors will not be tolerated.
It is the responsibility of each employee to become familiar with and adhere to department and work site policies and procedures that explicitly inform staff of expectations as state employees and behaviors that are not permitted. Incorporated among them is the mandate that employees are not to neglect their duties. Neglect of duty includes being inattentive to job functions and responsibilities; leaving a duty station or assigned responsibility without permission; failing to follow prescribed department or work site policy relevant to job duties and responsibilities; or any other activity deemed by the department administrator to endanger the health, safety, or wellbeing of clients or staff. If an employee is found to be in neglect of his/her duties, disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, may be taken. It would seem obvious that watching television or using a computer for personal enjoyment while on assignment constitutes a neglect of duty, but apparently, the recent rash of such behavior by staff who were supposed to be monitoring youth at CJTS has necessitated a reminder and this message. Additionally, any employee who engages in workplace violence will also be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. Moreover, managers and supervisors who learn of such deviations must immediately evaluate, investigate, report and take appropriate action in response thereto. Again, these are obvious employment conditions that have been set forth in our employee handbook as well as our HR policies, but recent allegations of abuse and the failure to immediately report same require this reminder.
Because of these recent deviations from policy, there will be adjustments made to the way we monitor and supervise. I anticipate that these modifications will cause some consternation but am confident that they will ultimately set a better tone and make all of us more accountable. We each are here at DCF to act in the best interest of children and must behave in ways that fundamentally advance the therapeutic work occurring within CJTS. You are part of a facility that has achieved many significant changes and have helped to elevate the expectations about how youth are to be treated within secure care. I am confident that I speak to the majority of you at CJTS when I express my gratitude for the difficult work you do and for the majority of you at CJTS when I remind us all that there can be no excuse or room for behaviors that jeopardize our mission
Female YSO Unit 6B said- " how come DCF always places blame on front line staff ?"
Male YSO Unit 4D said- " for years management allowed the things in this memo to occur & ignored it."
Male YSO Unit 4B said- "seems to me Katz is cracking down now when management did not
discipline people they favored. One YSO hit a kid in 2009 and got 10 days off."
Female YSO Unit 6C said.- "now that the DCF plantation blog is exposing management as inept memos like
this appear. This is a joke."
Female YSO Unit 5B said- " DCF is targeting certain YSOs in this memo but not management."
Male YSO Unit 5C said- " hell, only when things were unraveling did such a memo come out."
Male YSO Unit 5D said- " no one mentioned the things Operations Staff got away i.e. computer use etc.
Now people want to correct things that were part of past practice."
DEPARTMENT of CHILDREN and FAMILIES
Making a Difference for Children, Families and Communities
Joette Katz
Commissioner
Dannel P. Malloy
Governor
MEMORANDUM
TO: Connecticut Juvenile Training School Staff
FROM: Joette Katz, Commissioner
RE: Expectations
DATE: December 31, 2013
The mission of the Connecticut Juvenile Training School is to provide a safe, secure and therapeutic environment for male youth as well as to furnish opportunities for growth and success. National best practices interventions and standards are integrated into facility operations with the goal of reducing risk of re-offending, preparing youth for community re-entry and developing positive youth outcomes. This mission is achieved by our many dedicated staff who believe in this mission and who work extraordinarily hard each day for the young men in our care and custody. The success that many of our young men have achieved is a direct reflection of our work and the connection to the changes that have occurred in the regions and within DCF.
In the past year, there have been some actions by certain staff that are damaging to this mission and serve to erode the progress occurring within CJTS. There have been allegations of abuse and neglect; lack of supervision that has resulted in youth being injured; language grievances regarding how staff speak to youth; lack of immediately reporting or accurately reporting incidents and overall a sense that some staff are not here at CJTS for the benefit of the youth we serve. These behaviors will not be tolerated.
It is the responsibility of each employee to become familiar with and adhere to department and work site policies and procedures that explicitly inform staff of expectations as state employees and behaviors that are not permitted. Incorporated among them is the mandate that employees are not to neglect their duties. Neglect of duty includes being inattentive to job functions and responsibilities; leaving a duty station or assigned responsibility without permission; failing to follow prescribed department or work site policy relevant to job duties and responsibilities; or any other activity deemed by the department administrator to endanger the health, safety, or wellbeing of clients or staff. If an employee is found to be in neglect of his/her duties, disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, may be taken. It would seem obvious that watching television or using a computer for personal enjoyment while on assignment constitutes a neglect of duty, but apparently, the recent rash of such behavior by staff who were supposed to be monitoring youth at CJTS has necessitated a reminder and this message. Additionally, any employee who engages in workplace violence will also be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. Moreover, managers and supervisors who learn of such deviations must immediately evaluate, investigate, report and take appropriate action in response thereto. Again, these are obvious employment conditions that have been set forth in our employee handbook as well as our HR policies, but recent allegations of abuse and the failure to immediately report same require this reminder.
Because of these recent deviations from policy, there will be adjustments made to the way we monitor and supervise. I anticipate that these modifications will cause some consternation but am confident that they will ultimately set a better tone and make all of us more accountable. We each are here at DCF to act in the best interest of children and must behave in ways that fundamentally advance the therapeutic work occurring within CJTS. You are part of a facility that has achieved many significant changes and have helped to elevate the expectations about how youth are to be treated within secure care. I am confident that I speak to the majority of you at CJTS when I express my gratitude for the difficult work you do and for the majority of you at CJTS when I remind us all that there can be no excuse or room for behaviors that jeopardize our mission
Thursday, January 9, 2014
CORNELL LEWIS GIVES A SPEECH ABOUT CLASS DIVISIONS & THE DCF - CJTS PLANTATION
The purpose of publishing this speech is to highlight class divisions in state agencies. It is also serving notice to Department of Children & Families plus Connecticut Juvenile Training School that their attempts to silence me [ through job loss & making it impossible to work with youth ] is not going to work. People in the community are listening to a voice the oppressor is afraid of. The packed room erupted in applause after the speech.
GREATER HARTFORD CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL
Speech given January 8, 2014 Hartford, Connecticut -- 77 Huyshope Avenue
Introduction: I want to thank the Greater Hartford Central Labor Council for the privilege of speaking here today. In America the Union has helped millions of workers earn a decent living and overcome management abuse of employees. However, some state agencies is seeking to erode gains using a tactic of class division. Let us consider three things today: struggles to overcome management employee abuse, management within state agencies creating class divisions, the need to continue fighting management and raise uncomfortable questions.
In point number one I read Philip Foner’s book History of the Labor Movement in the United States volume I [ from colonial times to the founding of the American Federation of Labor ]. Foner describes the embryonic beginnings of Unions. He describes the struggles of people losing jobs, the sacrifices of enduring long strikes, how a group called the factory girls fought for less work and equal pay. Foner wrote how our present educational system was established by the Union plus workers seeking a better life for their children. Foner then highlighted that Unions sought to destroy class divisions in workplaces. Union workers described management was the upper class [ with resources & power ], workers the lower class with no power or resources. A herculean struggle took place by the masses to end class divisions. However, it seems as if now we are satisfied with past victories while class divisions are making in roads in workplaces. In Greek mythology Argus is depicted as a giant with 100 eyes who was made guardian over Io.We [ Union members] must be Argus eyed [ observant; vigilant ] about class divisions.
My second point is how management within state agencies creates class divisions. I obtained through Freedom of Information request, documents showing how the Department of Children & Families plus Connecticut Juvenile Training School created class divisions among workers. Management at both agencies favored one group over another; at CJTS you have a hierarchy of administration, clinicians then Youth Service Officers [ line staff ]. CJTS gave clinicians power over YSO’s thus creating class divisions. This is strange seeing how clinicians... YSOs should work in tandem. The administrators and clinicians receive top pay, while YSOs receive lower pay with more disciplinary actions. My final point is the need to continue fighting management and raise uncomfortable questions. Please do not stop fighting management about their divisive policies. Those FOI documents I obtained describe how 66% of DCF / CJTS disciplinary actions target black – Latino men. Such unfairness causes divisions in the workplace. State agencies are not feudal European kingdoms with serfs. There is a need to “agitate / educate” employees about class divisions.
The Union in 2014 cannot think past strategies will or can work against employers in this society. Where are new tactics? One man said “it is one thing to shout slogans and sign manifesto statements. It is another thing to spend long days / nights seeking solution to problems.” I am out of time. Let me move swiftly, finally but reluctantly to a conclusion. If Union members fail to curtail employer’s tactic of class division then those words of T.E.Lawrence will come back to haunt us:
“Yet when we achieved and the new world dawned,
The old men came out again and took our victory,
To remake in the likeness of the former world they knew.”
GREATER HARTFORD CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL
Speech given January 8, 2014 Hartford, Connecticut -- 77 Huyshope Avenue
Introduction: I want to thank the Greater Hartford Central Labor Council for the privilege of speaking here today. In America the Union has helped millions of workers earn a decent living and overcome management abuse of employees. However, some state agencies is seeking to erode gains using a tactic of class division. Let us consider three things today: struggles to overcome management employee abuse, management within state agencies creating class divisions, the need to continue fighting management and raise uncomfortable questions.
In point number one I read Philip Foner’s book History of the Labor Movement in the United States volume I [ from colonial times to the founding of the American Federation of Labor ]. Foner describes the embryonic beginnings of Unions. He describes the struggles of people losing jobs, the sacrifices of enduring long strikes, how a group called the factory girls fought for less work and equal pay. Foner wrote how our present educational system was established by the Union plus workers seeking a better life for their children. Foner then highlighted that Unions sought to destroy class divisions in workplaces. Union workers described management was the upper class [ with resources & power ], workers the lower class with no power or resources. A herculean struggle took place by the masses to end class divisions. However, it seems as if now we are satisfied with past victories while class divisions are making in roads in workplaces. In Greek mythology Argus is depicted as a giant with 100 eyes who was made guardian over Io.We [ Union members] must be Argus eyed [ observant; vigilant ] about class divisions.
My second point is how management within state agencies creates class divisions. I obtained through Freedom of Information request, documents showing how the Department of Children & Families plus Connecticut Juvenile Training School created class divisions among workers. Management at both agencies favored one group over another; at CJTS you have a hierarchy of administration, clinicians then Youth Service Officers [ line staff ]. CJTS gave clinicians power over YSO’s thus creating class divisions. This is strange seeing how clinicians... YSOs should work in tandem. The administrators and clinicians receive top pay, while YSOs receive lower pay with more disciplinary actions. My final point is the need to continue fighting management and raise uncomfortable questions. Please do not stop fighting management about their divisive policies. Those FOI documents I obtained describe how 66% of DCF / CJTS disciplinary actions target black – Latino men. Such unfairness causes divisions in the workplace. State agencies are not feudal European kingdoms with serfs. There is a need to “agitate / educate” employees about class divisions.
The Union in 2014 cannot think past strategies will or can work against employers in this society. Where are new tactics? One man said “it is one thing to shout slogans and sign manifesto statements. It is another thing to spend long days / nights seeking solution to problems.” I am out of time. Let me move swiftly, finally but reluctantly to a conclusion. If Union members fail to curtail employer’s tactic of class division then those words of T.E.Lawrence will come back to haunt us:
“Yet when we achieved and the new world dawned,
The old men came out again and took our victory,
To remake in the likeness of the former world they knew.”
Monday, January 6, 2014
PUBLIC RELATIONS MOMENT BUT IGNORING REAL ISSUES
The DCF Plantation blog was contacted January 2, 2014 about Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy coming to speak at Connecticut Juvenile Training School. For many years Murphy championed the causes of common people and fought against gun violence in Hartford. In short, Senator Murphy is a good man. Staff writers for DCF Plantation blog wondered however if Murphy is aware of the racism, bias, vitriol and mis-management going on at CJTS. I am sure Murphy was sincere in giving a speech to residents at the school on CJTS grounds; wanting these kids to succeed as responsible citizens is a goal of Murphy's. Also, a round table discussion with various political dignitaries took place and looked at a state wide reduction in high risk youth returning to incarceration. A feel good scene at CJTS with all the fancy hoopla.
It must be noted however in the last five years CJTS has been rocked by a class action lawsuit, employee hunger strike, protests outside the CJTS facility, negative media coverage and a white female employee calling residents of color "porch monkeys." Ergo, it is safe to conclude the invitation for Senator Murphy to speak is nothing but a public relations moment.. but ignoring real issues. In examining the visit of Murphy it appears no Youth Service Officers were invited to the public relation event; take note other important administrators from the DCF /CJTS plantation attended. This method of not having front line staff at such events is by design, CJTS cannot afford to have anyone comment negatively with media present.
Such deceit is part of oppressors methods in hope of fooling the masses. Give the appearance of tranquility and happiness at CJTS, while underneath this facade, a cauldron of racial animus is threatening to boil over.
In closing let me point out that all is not well in Eden ( CJTS ).
It must be noted however in the last five years CJTS has been rocked by a class action lawsuit, employee hunger strike, protests outside the CJTS facility, negative media coverage and a white female employee calling residents of color "porch monkeys." Ergo, it is safe to conclude the invitation for Senator Murphy to speak is nothing but a public relations moment.. but ignoring real issues. In examining the visit of Murphy it appears no Youth Service Officers were invited to the public relation event; take note other important administrators from the DCF /CJTS plantation attended. This method of not having front line staff at such events is by design, CJTS cannot afford to have anyone comment negatively with media present.
Such deceit is part of oppressors methods in hope of fooling the masses. Give the appearance of tranquility and happiness at CJTS, while underneath this facade, a cauldron of racial animus is threatening to boil over.
In closing let me point out that all is not well in Eden ( CJTS ).
Friday, January 3, 2014
CONNECTICUT VALLEY HOSPITAL PLANTATION
This column appears in the January 2 - 9 edition of the Hartford News. Please forward widely!
David Samuels
Founder
Community Party
https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1
Connecticut Valley Hospital Plantation
Connecticut Valley Hospital management's response to the Community Party's December 19 report on the racist disparities in terminations and wages at CVH (data analysis by Adam Osmond) was to send out mass emails to employees, in which they continue to talk vaguely about "changing the culture" at the hospital. CVH started their "Achieving Excellence Together" campaign in response to the introduction of workplace bullying legislation at the State Capitol. The Department of Administrative Services, which oversees state facilities like CVH, has testified against strengthening the currently toothless employment laws, which would provide viable legal options to bullied employees. DAS claims that they already have mechanisms in place to address racism and bullying, but DAS is the violator. It is preposterous to leave it up to the violator to police the problem that they created; that's the ultimate conflict of interest (fox guarding the henhouse, etc.). The statistics at CVH and the Department of Children and Families are overwhelming evidence that DAS isn't doing squat; they're only interested in limiting state employers' exposure to legal liability.
The Department of Health and Human Services states that workplace bullying is the equivalent of domestic violence. CVH's self-serving campaign is akin to a physically abusive husband bringing his wife flowers and candy, promising her that the beatings will stop and he will change. CVH's own workplace bullying survey results (which they tried to suppress) show that over 80% of employees view CVH management as retaliatory bullies who perpetuate a culture of abusive workplace conduct. CVH fires Black employees at a rate of 70% compared to just 22% of whites. 70% of the employees who earn $120,000 or more per year are white, compared to a mere 3% of Black workers. Blacks are 30% of CVH hires yet they are disciplined at a rate of 39%, which is 10% more often than all other employees. White CVH employees are promoted at a rate of 56%, dwarfing the numbers for Blacks (30%) and Latinos (8%) combined. This structurally racist pattern was also discovered at DCF by Adam and Cornell Lewis. The data is available at Cornell's DCF Plantation blog. http://www.dcfplantation.blogspot.com/ CVH management is talking out of both sides of their mouths. They claim to want to "change the culture" at the hospital, while they simultaneously pay their team of attorneys to defend them against legal complaints by workers regarding their racist, bullying behavior. None of the CVH management emails to employees have addressed the racial disparities that we have discovered.
"Changing the culture" at CVH means acknowledging and remedying the egregious racial disparities in terminations, disciplinary actions, wages, promotions, hiring and employment in addition to ending the cowardly, despicable management practice of manipulating policy and procedure to target workers, especially Black males. Promising to be kinder, gentler plantation owners isn't good enough. The internal CVH emails that my co-worker John Hollis and I obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show what CVH executives and managers say when they think that no one is looking. Rosa Badillo and Carlos Vargas, who complained about racism against Latinos by their bosses in a column I wrote about CVH last year, were mentioned in an email exchange between a CVH executive and a manager. The executive forwarded the column to the head of Rosa and Carlos' department and gave that manager permission to forward the piece to Rosa and Carlos' other bosses. Rosa and Carlos have both experienced retaliation from CVH since the column was published. This is an ongoing pattern.
As I reported in my last column, the CVH manager who said in an email exchange that "something must be done soon" about me in response to a grievance that I filed called the CVH police on me in retaliation for my activism. This manager made the ridiculous claim that I threatened her in a 2012 column on workplace bullying at CVH, where I made a reference to the spree killing by James Holmes at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. Here is the exact quote from that column. "Last week a Connecticut Valley Hospital manager called a staff meeting which appeared to be a veiled attempt to respond to the Community Party's release of the CVH workplace bullying survey results and our July 19th Hartford News column on abusive workplace conduct at CVH ("Connecticut Valley Hospital: Poster Child for Workplace Bullying"). She spoke at length about CVH "owning" internal emails and "partisan political activity" being unacceptable. I will address that individual in this forum. Workplace bullying isn't a partisan political issue, it's a public safety threat. The mass shooting which took place on July 20th in Aurora, Colorado underscores how vulnerable we all are to violence in public places. There is clearly a structured effort among CVH management and selected employees to intimidate individuals who speak out against abusive conduct at the facility."
After the column was published, a CVH police officer visited my office and questioned me. He offered to take me to a private area but I insisted that our conversation take place in full view of my co-workers. The officer immediately said that the CVH police had reviewed my column and did not find my commentary to be threatening in any way. When I asked why then was I being questioned if I wasn't suspected of intending to commit workplace violence the officer said, "I'm just doing my job." This manager's actions demonstrates the pathology of those who engage in abusive workplace conduct. She knows that I live in Hartford yet she did not call the Hartford police, which would have been the logical move if she honestly thought that I had threatened her life. If I was actually a threat, it would have been imperative that she act quickly to ensure that I did not arrive on the CVH campus and inflict harm on her or others. She instead waited until I came to work and then contacted the CVH police, who she knew she could manipulate with the backing of CVH management.
This individual's compulsion to show employees who's the boss resulted in a childish, ineffective attempt to embarrass and intimidate me in front of my co-workers. CVH emails show that she has continued to target me since that pathetic display, and that the executives who are claiming to want to change the hospital's bullying culture are collaborating with her. It's not hard to see why 85% of CVH workers fear retaliation from CVH management if they report that they have been bullied. This manager is desperately trying to maintain the status quo. She is the best example of why legislators must act in 2014 to begin the process of empowering employees who are subjected to abusive workplace conduct. CVH's sham morale campaign will not help anyone but the megalomaniacs who are currently operating with impunity. Over 200 people in the United States committed suicide as a result of workplace bullying in 2008, the highest total since these deaths have been tracked. The changes which are desperately needed at CVH, DCF and the rest of the state employers must be implemented by the Connecticut General Assembly.
We'll present more information on structural racism at CVH in the coming weeks, as we're in the process of analyzing data regarding hiring and employment at the facility. State Representative Matt Ritter will host a workplace bullying town hall on Monday, January 27, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Albany Branch library, 1250 Albany Avenue in Hartford. If you’re being bullied at work by co-workers and/or your employer, this is an opportunity to tell your story and be a part of a discussion about solutions. Check out the Albany Branch website for directions. http://www.hplct.org/locations-hours/Albany
Stay tuned for updates on the Safe Work Environment Act and the Trayvon Martin Act, which we'll introduce during the 2014 legislative session (starts February 5th). Check out CP's Stop Racial Profiling - Obey the Law! Facebook page for more info on the Trayvon Act. http://www.facebook.com/PennAct Follow CP on on Twitter for state, national and global headlines. https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1 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. Happy New Year!
Resources
Freedom of Information Act website:
http://www.ct.gov/foi/site/default.asp
Workplace Violence News, featuring resources for preventing workplace violence and bullying:
http://workplaceviolencenews.com/
Twitter page for John McPhilbin, a workplace bullying activist in Australia:
https://twitter.com/JohnMcPhilbin
David Samuels
Founder
Community Party
https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1
Connecticut Valley Hospital Plantation
Connecticut Valley Hospital management's response to the Community Party's December 19 report on the racist disparities in terminations and wages at CVH (data analysis by Adam Osmond) was to send out mass emails to employees, in which they continue to talk vaguely about "changing the culture" at the hospital. CVH started their "Achieving Excellence Together" campaign in response to the introduction of workplace bullying legislation at the State Capitol. The Department of Administrative Services, which oversees state facilities like CVH, has testified against strengthening the currently toothless employment laws, which would provide viable legal options to bullied employees. DAS claims that they already have mechanisms in place to address racism and bullying, but DAS is the violator. It is preposterous to leave it up to the violator to police the problem that they created; that's the ultimate conflict of interest (fox guarding the henhouse, etc.). The statistics at CVH and the Department of Children and Families are overwhelming evidence that DAS isn't doing squat; they're only interested in limiting state employers' exposure to legal liability.
The Department of Health and Human Services states that workplace bullying is the equivalent of domestic violence. CVH's self-serving campaign is akin to a physically abusive husband bringing his wife flowers and candy, promising her that the beatings will stop and he will change. CVH's own workplace bullying survey results (which they tried to suppress) show that over 80% of employees view CVH management as retaliatory bullies who perpetuate a culture of abusive workplace conduct. CVH fires Black employees at a rate of 70% compared to just 22% of whites. 70% of the employees who earn $120,000 or more per year are white, compared to a mere 3% of Black workers. Blacks are 30% of CVH hires yet they are disciplined at a rate of 39%, which is 10% more often than all other employees. White CVH employees are promoted at a rate of 56%, dwarfing the numbers for Blacks (30%) and Latinos (8%) combined. This structurally racist pattern was also discovered at DCF by Adam and Cornell Lewis. The data is available at Cornell's DCF Plantation blog. http://www.dcfplantation.blogspot.com/ CVH management is talking out of both sides of their mouths. They claim to want to "change the culture" at the hospital, while they simultaneously pay their team of attorneys to defend them against legal complaints by workers regarding their racist, bullying behavior. None of the CVH management emails to employees have addressed the racial disparities that we have discovered.
"Changing the culture" at CVH means acknowledging and remedying the egregious racial disparities in terminations, disciplinary actions, wages, promotions, hiring and employment in addition to ending the cowardly, despicable management practice of manipulating policy and procedure to target workers, especially Black males. Promising to be kinder, gentler plantation owners isn't good enough. The internal CVH emails that my co-worker John Hollis and I obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show what CVH executives and managers say when they think that no one is looking. Rosa Badillo and Carlos Vargas, who complained about racism against Latinos by their bosses in a column I wrote about CVH last year, were mentioned in an email exchange between a CVH executive and a manager. The executive forwarded the column to the head of Rosa and Carlos' department and gave that manager permission to forward the piece to Rosa and Carlos' other bosses. Rosa and Carlos have both experienced retaliation from CVH since the column was published. This is an ongoing pattern.
As I reported in my last column, the CVH manager who said in an email exchange that "something must be done soon" about me in response to a grievance that I filed called the CVH police on me in retaliation for my activism. This manager made the ridiculous claim that I threatened her in a 2012 column on workplace bullying at CVH, where I made a reference to the spree killing by James Holmes at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. Here is the exact quote from that column. "Last week a Connecticut Valley Hospital manager called a staff meeting which appeared to be a veiled attempt to respond to the Community Party's release of the CVH workplace bullying survey results and our July 19th Hartford News column on abusive workplace conduct at CVH ("Connecticut Valley Hospital: Poster Child for Workplace Bullying"). She spoke at length about CVH "owning" internal emails and "partisan political activity" being unacceptable. I will address that individual in this forum. Workplace bullying isn't a partisan political issue, it's a public safety threat. The mass shooting which took place on July 20th in Aurora, Colorado underscores how vulnerable we all are to violence in public places. There is clearly a structured effort among CVH management and selected employees to intimidate individuals who speak out against abusive conduct at the facility."
After the column was published, a CVH police officer visited my office and questioned me. He offered to take me to a private area but I insisted that our conversation take place in full view of my co-workers. The officer immediately said that the CVH police had reviewed my column and did not find my commentary to be threatening in any way. When I asked why then was I being questioned if I wasn't suspected of intending to commit workplace violence the officer said, "I'm just doing my job." This manager's actions demonstrates the pathology of those who engage in abusive workplace conduct. She knows that I live in Hartford yet she did not call the Hartford police, which would have been the logical move if she honestly thought that I had threatened her life. If I was actually a threat, it would have been imperative that she act quickly to ensure that I did not arrive on the CVH campus and inflict harm on her or others. She instead waited until I came to work and then contacted the CVH police, who she knew she could manipulate with the backing of CVH management.
This individual's compulsion to show employees who's the boss resulted in a childish, ineffective attempt to embarrass and intimidate me in front of my co-workers. CVH emails show that she has continued to target me since that pathetic display, and that the executives who are claiming to want to change the hospital's bullying culture are collaborating with her. It's not hard to see why 85% of CVH workers fear retaliation from CVH management if they report that they have been bullied. This manager is desperately trying to maintain the status quo. She is the best example of why legislators must act in 2014 to begin the process of empowering employees who are subjected to abusive workplace conduct. CVH's sham morale campaign will not help anyone but the megalomaniacs who are currently operating with impunity. Over 200 people in the United States committed suicide as a result of workplace bullying in 2008, the highest total since these deaths have been tracked. The changes which are desperately needed at CVH, DCF and the rest of the state employers must be implemented by the Connecticut General Assembly.
We'll present more information on structural racism at CVH in the coming weeks, as we're in the process of analyzing data regarding hiring and employment at the facility. State Representative Matt Ritter will host a workplace bullying town hall on Monday, January 27, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Albany Branch library, 1250 Albany Avenue in Hartford. If you’re being bullied at work by co-workers and/or your employer, this is an opportunity to tell your story and be a part of a discussion about solutions. Check out the Albany Branch website for directions. http://www.hplct.org/locations-hours/Albany
Stay tuned for updates on the Safe Work Environment Act and the Trayvon Martin Act, which we'll introduce during the 2014 legislative session (starts February 5th). Check out CP's Stop Racial Profiling - Obey the Law! Facebook page for more info on the Trayvon Act. http://www.facebook.com/PennAct Follow CP on on Twitter for state, national and global headlines. https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1 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. Happy New Year!
Resources
Freedom of Information Act website:
http://www.ct.gov/foi/site/default.asp
Workplace Violence News, featuring resources for preventing workplace violence and bullying:
http://workplaceviolencenews.com/
Twitter page for John McPhilbin, a workplace bullying activist in Australia:
https://twitter.com/JohnMcPhilbin
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
INCIDENT ON UNIT 6B INVOLVING WHITE EMPLOYEES IS NOT BEING INVESTIGATED
The New Year 2014 arrived with people all over the world celebrating it as sacred. However in the year 2013 certain things continued to happen at Connecticut Juvenile Training School that defies reason. On December 27, 2013 the Unit 6B had a incident involving two residents fighting. At CJTS residents fighting is a normal happening, but YSOs are suppose to monitor activities to prevent such things. Well, the story is told by sources within CJTS that between 9:20pm -9:30pm two residents fought in a bathroom and were not detected by staff. When the altercation become known it seemed strange there was no uproar from management about this incident. Juxtapose this incident with another involving three YSOs on October 6, 2012. These three YSOs were placed on paid administrative leave in November, after two residents fought in a Multi -Purpose Room ... Unit 4D. Two YSOs in this case were fired and one brought back to work.
I bring this 2012 incident up because DCF / CJTS spared no expense to trumpet their investigation of the 4D incident. However in the incident on 6B a male / female YSO are still working; no lengthy investigation or placing them on paid administrative leave took place. I wonder why? Well, both YSOs involved in the 6B fracas are white, this might be one reason no disciplinary actions took place.The two YSOs from that 4D incident are black and Puerto Rican. Oh, by the way, the YSO that came back to work from that 4D incident is white. It has been widely documented that DCF / CJTS discipline blacks, Latinos and other people of color with more severity than others. Graphs and charts posted on this blog are incontrovertible proof of the bias against employees of color [ data gained through Freedom of Information from DCF ] over several years. These two 6B YSOs are guilty of the same infraction DCF /CJTS vilified those YSOs from 4D about. Yet the punishment for two 6B white YSOs seems more lenient. One black 4D YSO in particular proved to be a thorn in the side of white management at CJTS; going on hunger strikes, holding a rally outside DCF / CJTS, holding a public hearing at the Legislative Office Building about racism in state agencies. And it is reasonable to suspect DCF management used the 4D incident to rid themselves of a black man who dared speak up against injustice.
I do not want to digress from the main point though, another incident happened [ 6B ] where residents were not supervised. CJTS management did not use heavy handed discipline on white YSOs like they have a history of doing to employees of color.We must look for logical reasons as to why management failed to investigate with vigor two newly hired YSOs. This brings to mind another salient point, two YSOs hired within 60-90 days working on Unit 6B without another veteran staff available...If such a thing did happen, is not management held responsible for Neglect of Duty? Hell, those YSOs from 4D were charged with Neglect of Duty. Yet management at CJTS are not called to task for their Neglect of Duty; nor are leaders at CJTS placing 6B YSOs on a hot seat, for failure to do their job the night of Dec. 27, 2013.
Seems as if 2014 will be a carbon copy of 2103 with a white management at CJTS still using a disciplinary boot to kick YSOs of color in their arse.
I bring this 2012 incident up because DCF / CJTS spared no expense to trumpet their investigation of the 4D incident. However in the incident on 6B a male / female YSO are still working; no lengthy investigation or placing them on paid administrative leave took place. I wonder why? Well, both YSOs involved in the 6B fracas are white, this might be one reason no disciplinary actions took place.The two YSOs from that 4D incident are black and Puerto Rican. Oh, by the way, the YSO that came back to work from that 4D incident is white. It has been widely documented that DCF / CJTS discipline blacks, Latinos and other people of color with more severity than others. Graphs and charts posted on this blog are incontrovertible proof of the bias against employees of color [ data gained through Freedom of Information from DCF ] over several years. These two 6B YSOs are guilty of the same infraction DCF /CJTS vilified those YSOs from 4D about. Yet the punishment for two 6B white YSOs seems more lenient. One black 4D YSO in particular proved to be a thorn in the side of white management at CJTS; going on hunger strikes, holding a rally outside DCF / CJTS, holding a public hearing at the Legislative Office Building about racism in state agencies. And it is reasonable to suspect DCF management used the 4D incident to rid themselves of a black man who dared speak up against injustice.
I do not want to digress from the main point though, another incident happened [ 6B ] where residents were not supervised. CJTS management did not use heavy handed discipline on white YSOs like they have a history of doing to employees of color.We must look for logical reasons as to why management failed to investigate with vigor two newly hired YSOs. This brings to mind another salient point, two YSOs hired within 60-90 days working on Unit 6B without another veteran staff available...If such a thing did happen, is not management held responsible for Neglect of Duty? Hell, those YSOs from 4D were charged with Neglect of Duty. Yet management at CJTS are not called to task for their Neglect of Duty; nor are leaders at CJTS placing 6B YSOs on a hot seat, for failure to do their job the night of Dec. 27, 2013.
Seems as if 2014 will be a carbon copy of 2103 with a white management at CJTS still using a disciplinary boot to kick YSOs of color in their arse.
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