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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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It is a small wonder that Flint Fire union President Farnsworth resigned. He plays a prominent, although recent, role in the long running saga of a sexual and racial harassment lawsuit against the City of Flint and Local 352-Firefighters union.
The two Plaintiffs are two black woman employed as firefighters, Carrie Edwards and Christa Bowers McGee. The case number is 12-099602 CD Neithercutt.
Super Chief lock is also involved as he denied Edwards training funds negotiated with the Boys and Girls Club and approved by City Council to tech CPR to the club. He also allegedly paid for the certification of Flint Paramedics but denied her request for advance life support recertification.
Edwards alleges that in November of 2012 Lock refused to allow her to attend radio system change over "Train the Trainer" course presented at Station #1 downtown when presented by the Michigan State Police. This was despite the fact that she was the only person in the Training Division working at Station #1.
During 2011 and 2012 Edwards stated she was the only person in a supervisory role to be exclude from the weekly staff meetings, although she was the only person in the Training Development.
In 2012 and 2013, the lawsuit states Edwards had all of the criteria to apply for and test for the safety Training Officers position which was vacant. In the past Medical Coordinators were allowed to test for this position.
However, according to the lawsuit, Dwyna Dunlap, a part-time temporary employee without a contractual to test for the position of Fire Administrator Clerk was allowed to test and have that position. Edwards was given a suspension for allegedly being confrontational with Dunlap.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Sat Sep 28, 2013 4:58 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Tue Sep 24, 2013 10:19 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Union President Farnsworth allegedly opposed paying Edward overtime for training she performed to approve the City ISO rating. The lawsuit claims he said she was acting out of her classification while she is the only trainer. Farnsworth also allegedly sent an insulting letter to The International Association of Firefighters in an attempt to discredit her and the union allegedly tried to dissolve her duties as EMS supervisor and have STAT EMS assume her duties.
In April of 2011 her pre-scheduled vacation was cancelled and she had to fight using all of the travel payment documents she had already paid for |
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Tue Sep 24, 2013 10:26 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The most disturbing reported incident of racial and sexual harassment is the September 21, 2010 incident. Over time Edwards had her office ransacked and some belongings thrown in the trash and had repeated computer incidents of a racial and sexual nature. However in this instance, she received a copy of a newspaper photo of herself with "Monkey Town" written on it and an arrow pointed to her.
The note with the photo read "UR1 ugly lil monkey looking black b*tch. U should stop f**king Ray and stay in your place under a f**king rock." signed your co-workers.
The Michigan State Police requested to investigate and the Ombudsman had a written request to the FBI to investigate because of the threatening nature of the letters. Not only did Lock deny these requests, allegedly the HR Director Donna Poplar also refused to investigate and found no wrongdoing.
Edwards made a complaint to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights on October 11, 2010, but by April 18, 2011 she received more letters.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Sat Sep 28, 2013 5:00 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Tue Sep 24, 2013 10:37 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Mcgee also made repeated complaints through the Chain of command regarding sexual and racial harassment. Complaints to the Human Resources Department in 2012 and 2013 brought no investigations and Poplar threatened Mcgee with firing if allegations were false. All allegations of a verbal and physical assault went uninvestigated.
In 2010 the Fire Department issued keys to all supervisors for the women's locker room. McGee reported that at a fire scene, while inside a fire, she was blindsided and pushed over by an unidentified fire fighter. Mcgee alleges she suffered verbal abuse, had her air supply shut off and was intentionally knocked down by her supervisor using a fire hose discharge while fighting a fire.
Mcgee alleges she was stalked by a firefighter who broke into her sleep room and in another instance struck her on the buttocks while she was getting her gear. She was placed on administrative leave and had to attend Therapy. When she returned her fire fighting gear was vandalized. The strap on her mask was cut and ".." was written on her face shield. The city destroyed the evidence and there was no investigation,
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Sat Sep 28, 2013 5:01 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Tue Sep 24, 2013 10:59 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint Firefighter Awarded $150,000 for Reverse Discrimination
www.adversity.net/FlintFD/B_Award_02-14-05.htm
B. Flint Firefighter Awarded $150,000 for "Reverse Discrimination" Flint Council Hands Down Settlement Mon., Feb. 14, 2005 [Flint, Michigan 02-14-05] On the ...
B. Flint Firefighter Awarded $150,000 for "Reverse Discrimination"
Flint Council Hands Down Settlement Mon., Feb. 14, 2005
[Flint, Michigan 02-14-05] On the evening of February 14, 2005, the Flint (Michigan) City Council approved a $150,000.00 settlement to Flint Firefighter John Linker. Mr. Linker, a white male, was the victim of reverse racial discrimination when he applied for promotions to the Flint Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief position in the years 2000-2001.
The Linker case was originally dismissed but, on November 25, 2003, the Michigan Court of Appeals reversed and reinstated the Linker case. Last night, the case settled for $150,000.00.
The evidence showed that the then Flint Fire Chief, Thereon Wiggins, on an almost daily basis, used racist terms such as "honky" and "white boy". Mr. Linker was passed over for two (2) promotions despite the fact that he had superior test scores and seniority.
The Linker case is one of a number of reverse discrimination cases successfully brought against the regime of the then Flint Mayor Woodrow Stanley. Stanley was eventually recalled amid charges of reverse racial discrimination.
Mr. Linker’s attorney, Glen N. Lenhoff, criticizes Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm on the issue of reverse discrimination. Governor Granholm supported Mayor Stanley in the Recall election, and is now taking a position against the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative – a Ballot Initiative that would combat reverse discrimination and that will be on the Ballot in November of 2006.
Middle-class white males deserve the same civil rights protection as any other group. Linker is a strong precedent in favor of such protection.
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Lawyer for the Plaintiff
Attorney Glen N. Lenhoff litigated this case on behalf of firefighter John Linker. As a result of Attorney Lenhoff's efforts,a on Feb. 14, 2005 the Flint, Michigan City Council approved a $150,000 settlement payment to plaintiff John Linker.
Attorney Contact Info:
Posted 02-14-05
Glen N. Lenhoff
328 Saginaw Street
8th Floor, North Building
Flint, Michigan 48502
Phone: (810) 235-5660
Fax: (810) 235-5641
Email: Lenhofflaw@usol.com
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END Case 38: B. Flint Firefighter Awarded $150,000 for Department "Reverse Discrimination" |
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Tue Sep 24, 2013 1:20 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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www.efiglobal.com/content/includes/.../Maxwell%20James%202011NR....
Mr. Maxwell was also certified as an Accelerant Canine ... James Maxwell • 800-326-5980 •james_maxwell@efiglobal.com ... Flint Township Fire Department.
Case :
Maxwell, James V City of Flint
00 66920 Cl Yuille
Atty Lenhoff & Freifeld
James Maxwell was a Flint Fire Dept. Lt. and the lead arson investigator for the City of Flint. He was removed from the site of a fire and he complained it was because he was a white male. Shortly after his complaint, he was removed from his position
despite the fact he was a widely acclaimed arson investigator. His lawsuit was based on retaliation and he was awarded $95,000 for mental anguish. He was reinstated 6 months later. |
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Tue Sep 24, 2013 2:05 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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There are numerous other lawsuits against the Flint Fire Department.
Shawn Borowicz-discrimination and harassment because he was a Native American.
I am tying to locate the records of a white firefighter poisoned with Ipecac by two black co-workers on the job. His injuries were so severe that he has died.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Mon May 04, 2015 1:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Tue Sep 24, 2013 2:09 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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WWW.employment-lawyer-blog.com.2009/07/houston-fire dept
Perhaps the Justice Department could review Flint.
Houston Fire Department Scorched by Allegations of Racial and Sexual Harassment
July 21, 2009
Two female Houston firefighters, Paula Keys and Jane Draycott, came forward on Thursday July, 9th with allegations of sexual and racial harassment at their workplace. Their claims have prompted a formal Federal Justice Department investigation and have the potential to bring down Houston's fire chief
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The firefighters alleged that their peers (the majority of whom are white and male) have harassed them for years. According to the claimants' attorney, perpetrators in the department turned off the water in the women's showers and set off firecrackers in their bathroom. This already egregious and illegal harassment was child's play compared with the latest, horrific incident, in which as-yet-unidentified perpetrators defaced and vandalized the women's lockers. Someone scrawled the word "die" on firefighter Jane Draycott's face and scrawled the word "dead" on a picture of her deceased teenage daughter. That this kind of sociopathic behavior could flourish could spell serious political problems for key leadership figures in the fire department.
In fact, the head of the Houston Black Firefighters Association excoriated the HFD for failing to provide "strong leadership" amidst the crisis. On the other hand, the head of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association has come out tentatively in support of the chief. Some in the regional media have noted parallels between this gender and race harassment case and the case of firefighter Frank Ricci of New Haven. In the Ricci case - which has recently become famous thanks to its association with President Obama's Supreme Court justice nominee, Sonia Sotomayor -- the plaintiffs alleged so-called "reverse" discrimination. In the Houston firefighters' case, the matter involves more "traditional" discrimination against minorities and women. However this matter turns out, it will no doubt yield significant implications for racial and gender politics in the Houston region.
If you've been subjected to harassment, threats, or retaliation at the workplace, the law provides you with significant recourse. Explore your avenues to seek justice and compensation today by getting in touch with the attorneys here at Joseph & Kirschenbaum LLP. |
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Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:24 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Sex discrimination and sexual harassment in firefighting
On behalf of John A. Klassen, P.A. posted in Sexual Harassment on Thursday, September 26, 2013.
Many lines of work in Minnesota are historically dominated by men and have only in recent years come to grips with the problem of sex discrimination. Unfortunately, as these jobs have slowly opened up to female workers, these pioneering women employees have often faced another problem related to discrimination, sexual harassment.
One line of work that has struggled with overcoming sexual discrimination in recent years is firefighting. For years, fire departments argued that women weren't big enough or strong enough to handle the work of firefighting, but as women started to succeed at entrance exams, these departments had to change their ways.
Women now occupy important firefighting positions in departments all over the country, but sex discrimination and sexual harassment are still frustratingly common at fire departments. Saint Paul's Fire Department has been subject of several high-profile lawsuits over the past 25 years. In these suits women allege that the department was purposefully rigging its entrance exams to exclude women
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Sexual harassment lawsuits over fire departments in other states have alleged even more disturbing behavior. In one recent case, a female firefighter claimed that she was subjected to severe sexual harassment including unwanted sexual advances and having a co-worker place a hidden camera in her bathroom.
Often, the problem appears to be that fire departments don't take sexual harassment seriously. In one case, a female firefighter's sexual harassment lawsuit revealed that her employer's anti-sexual harassment training consisted of showing workers a video about sexual harassment on a split screen so that they could watch a NASCAR race at the same time.
Whether female or male, any employee that believes that they are being discriminated against in the workplace might have some recourse. If it is determined that they are a victim of sexual harassment or discrimination, they could seek compensation for their damages.
Minnesota's firefighters put their lives on the line to keep the public safe, and should be able to carry out their tasks at work without dealing with sexual harassment or discrimination. Employees should understand that no matter their occupation they should not have to deal with these situations or a hostile work environment. It is often best to speak with a qualified professional about the situation so rights and options can be explained.
Source: Fire Engineering, "The Dilemma of Being a Woman Firefighter, Part 1," John K. Murphy, Sep. 19, 2013
Tags: hostile work environment, sex discrimination, unwanted sexual advances
John A. Klassen, PA is an employment law and Sexual Harassment Attorney |
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Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:34 pm |
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LOLFlint
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
untanglingwebs schreef:
There are numerous other lawsuits against the Flint Fire Department.
Shawn Borowicz-discrimination and harassment because he was a Native American.
I am tying to locate the records of a white firefighter poisoned with Ipecac by two black co-workers n the job. His injuries were so severe that he has died.
Untanglingwebs:
The firefighter you are referring to is Lieutenant Ken Harris. He was poisoned after two firefighters put syrup of Ipecac in the station's coffee pot. There was a massive cover-up (Theron Wiggins) to protect the two firefighters who did it. I can assure you that Mr. Harris, although he suffered severe stomach and intestinal problems in the aftermath, is still very much alive today. |
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Fri Sep 27, 2013 7:03 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| I am glad to hear he is still alive as I was told he finally died of his injuries. And yes, he did suffer. |
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Fri Sep 27, 2013 7:19 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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04/06/2015 EMA1442015 Resolution Approving the Settlement of Christa Bowers McGee and Carrie Edwards v. City of Flint, Case No. 12-99602-CD, as to both Plaintiffs, Pursuant to Individual Full and Final Releases of all Claims. (Law)
City of Flint Emergency managers Resolution. Click on the link and the resolution is unavailable. Another confidential settlement! |
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Mon May 04, 2015 1:16 pm |
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