LOCAL 207 ORGANIZER

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF AFSCME LOCAL 207

313-965-1601, or 796-3376                                  Issue # 41, April 17, 2003                                               afscme207.com

 

Fire Gary Smith!

 

A recent racist incident at the Sewage Plant requires immediate and uncompromising action. Local 207’s leadership considers the event serious enough to warrant the firing of Head Sewage Plant Operator Gary Smith.

 

The Racist Incident

 

On April 4, 2003, Smith and several supervisors (black and white) were in the Complex I Head’s Office. Smith was criticizing the Complex II, 5th floor hoppers, and the Ovations computer operating system. 

 

Smith said that those responsible should be chained to a pickup and dragged down the road, and that he knew a couple people in Texas who could do the job, but they’d have to get out of jail first.

 

This was an obvious reference to the racist murder of James Byrd in Jasper, Texas in 1998. Byrd, a black man was brutally tortured and murdered by two Klan supporters who chained him to the back of a pickup and dragged him till Byrd’s body parts were strewn along the road. They left his mutilated corpse in front on a black church.

 

Smith’s remark is unacceptable racist behavior, especially from someone who supervisors mostly black employees.

 

Past Complaints and Management’s Responsibility

 

Individual members, as well as the top officers of Local 207 have told plant management that Smith’s biased attitudes were resulting in unjustified discipline being issued to our members. This incident only proves our point.

 

This incident occurred within the context of the racist legal attacks against affirmative action and other civil rights, and the constant racist scape goating of Detroit’s Water & Sewerage Department by suburban news media and politicians. Smith’s behavior is no isolated event. Such events threaten the stability of the plant.  Smith must be fired and the unjust discipline he has issued must be rescinded.

 

Based on their so-called “zero tolerance for workplace violence”, management has been firing union members for as little as allegedly talking to someone about what they feel like doing to someone else. Smith’s infraction is far worse than that. If management was sincere about “violent” statements, Smith would have been fired already.

 

Those in management who are responsible for seeing that the work environment is free from harassment and intimidation must act now, or they will rightly be seen as having covered for Smith’s racist remarks.

 

Do the Right Thing Now

 

Those white supervisors who witnessed this incident, and who may be tempted to say that they “can’t remember”, or “didn’t hear” are now faced with a decision.

 

Either they do the right thing and tell the truth, or get labeled as people who cover for racism.

 

In a plant with many proud black people, the second choice would be a mistake.