Employee's letter to Deaton
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 4:28 PM
Subject: Intimidation, Harassment, & Stalking
Dear General Manager Ron Deaton,
I asked for and received authorization from my supervisor for time off from work today to express my opinions at a public City Council meeting about the current state of affairs here at Department of Water and Power and on a motion (Item 5) introduced by Tony Cardenas and Bernard Parks.
Some 20 years ago, new civil servants had to take an oath to serve the city in the public's best interest. Namely, "To fulfill their own moral obligations to the City by disclosing to the extent prohibited by law improper governmental activities. Sandra Miranda, a custodial supervisor, and a number of other Department employees, myself included, where there to fulfill our obligations.
Department of Water and Power management has found it difficult to retaliate against Ms. Miranda directly. As in my case, Thomas Hokinson and his agents are orchestrating an old drill sergeant's tactic - disciplining the group and encouraging subordinates and co-workers to exert pressure on the offending employees. Portraying them as outcasts and disgruntled workers.
The retaliation cases and the confidential settlements at DWP have existed for a reason. This administration has used them successfully to the detriment of employees and the institution of public service. And, as you can see by the complaints from the employees, businesspersons, and vendors we purport to serve and represent, we are mismanaging this situation.
I have spoken before the Board of Water and Power and the City Council and what I see in response is silence and a resolve to maintain the status quo from a body of leaders that I think should be outwardly appalled, disgusted, and called to action.
I wrote an email to you on December 9, 2004. For whatever reason, you did not respond. I see that the quagmire remains and it has become an ugly display of mismanagement we endure. It serves no good purpose to allow this situation to exist, much less to allow it to escalate. It speaks volumes that the Union is not acting on the employees' behalf, too.
If you look further into management decisions and reorganizations, I think you will see directions that are not prudent management nor in the public's best interest.
For one, the issue before the committee has two facets: Purchasing administration and personnel management. Ernie Netka is responsible for purchasing. He has no direct authority over custodial personnel. Therefore Netka is not a root problem. The root problem exists at the nexus where purchasing administration and personnel management meet. That nexus is with Assistant General Manager Thomas Hokinson.
System problems are management's responsibility and management needs to address them. It is frightening but logical to me that the issue has become managerial self-preservation and, as such, management is unable to resolve the problem.
We cannot continue to destroy employees' careers to protect management. For it is civil servant's who are our cities first responders and notification system against corruption and crimes against the public.
I have personal experience with retaliation by, and the ruinous nature of, Assistant General Manager Thomas Hokinson and subordinate employees empowered to act on his behalf. It is no coincidence that Mr. Thomas Anderbery hired three Fleet Services Managers instead of one. It was no coincidence that Thomas Patzlaff, my new supervisor, Mark Howard and DeMarlo Simms, Senior Labor Relations Representatives, and Peter Lakatos, Labor Relations Manager were sent to the City Council meeting to observe us today. It is my belief that there was nothing on the agenda requiring their attendance. Nothing that they could not have observed later. The meeting was televised. In my opinion, it was an act of intimidation, harassment, and stalking. The same pattern and practice that has been reported in my case and in the cases of the custodians.
This is management-orchestrated systemic psychological abuse of employees who are exercising their right to free speech. I want this intimidation harassment stopped!
I hope that the Council Members appointed you to see that the management culture at DWP is reformed. I look forward to helping you in any way I can to improve this terrible waste of resources and talent. Please help us.
Subject: Intimidation, Harassment, & Stalking
Dear General Manager Ron Deaton,
I asked for and received authorization from my supervisor for time off from work today to express my opinions at a public City Council meeting about the current state of affairs here at Department of Water and Power and on a motion (Item 5) introduced by Tony Cardenas and Bernard Parks.
Some 20 years ago, new civil servants had to take an oath to serve the city in the public's best interest. Namely, "To fulfill their own moral obligations to the City by disclosing to the extent prohibited by law improper governmental activities. Sandra Miranda, a custodial supervisor, and a number of other Department employees, myself included, where there to fulfill our obligations.
Department of Water and Power management has found it difficult to retaliate against Ms. Miranda directly. As in my case, Thomas Hokinson and his agents are orchestrating an old drill sergeant's tactic - disciplining the group and encouraging subordinates and co-workers to exert pressure on the offending employees. Portraying them as outcasts and disgruntled workers.
The retaliation cases and the confidential settlements at DWP have existed for a reason. This administration has used them successfully to the detriment of employees and the institution of public service. And, as you can see by the complaints from the employees, businesspersons, and vendors we purport to serve and represent, we are mismanaging this situation.
I have spoken before the Board of Water and Power and the City Council and what I see in response is silence and a resolve to maintain the status quo from a body of leaders that I think should be outwardly appalled, disgusted, and called to action.
I wrote an email to you on December 9, 2004. For whatever reason, you did not respond. I see that the quagmire remains and it has become an ugly display of mismanagement we endure. It serves no good purpose to allow this situation to exist, much less to allow it to escalate. It speaks volumes that the Union is not acting on the employees' behalf, too.
If you look further into management decisions and reorganizations, I think you will see directions that are not prudent management nor in the public's best interest.
For one, the issue before the committee has two facets: Purchasing administration and personnel management. Ernie Netka is responsible for purchasing. He has no direct authority over custodial personnel. Therefore Netka is not a root problem. The root problem exists at the nexus where purchasing administration and personnel management meet. That nexus is with Assistant General Manager Thomas Hokinson.
System problems are management's responsibility and management needs to address them. It is frightening but logical to me that the issue has become managerial self-preservation and, as such, management is unable to resolve the problem.
We cannot continue to destroy employees' careers to protect management. For it is civil servant's who are our cities first responders and notification system against corruption and crimes against the public.
I have personal experience with retaliation by, and the ruinous nature of, Assistant General Manager Thomas Hokinson and subordinate employees empowered to act on his behalf. It is no coincidence that Mr. Thomas Anderbery hired three Fleet Services Managers instead of one. It was no coincidence that Thomas Patzlaff, my new supervisor, Mark Howard and DeMarlo Simms, Senior Labor Relations Representatives, and Peter Lakatos, Labor Relations Manager were sent to the City Council meeting to observe us today. It is my belief that there was nothing on the agenda requiring their attendance. Nothing that they could not have observed later. The meeting was televised. In my opinion, it was an act of intimidation, harassment, and stalking. The same pattern and practice that has been reported in my case and in the cases of the custodians.
This is management-orchestrated systemic psychological abuse of employees who are exercising their right to free speech. I want this intimidation harassment stopped!
I hope that the Council Members appointed you to see that the management culture at DWP is reformed. I look forward to helping you in any way I can to improve this terrible waste of resources and talent. Please help us.
posted by The Gadfly at 6:10 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home