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Company Racism Towards Natives
PRESS RELEASE
Michael J. Snider, Esq.
Snider & Fischer, LLC
104 Church Lane, Suite 201
Baltimore, MD 21208
410-653-9060 phone
410-653-9061 fax
[email protected] email
http://www.sniderlaw.com webpage
1-800-DISCRIMINATION (sm) toll-free
On February 1, 2006 Discrimination Case# ccb06cv0278 was filed in United States District Court, District Of Maryland, Northern Division by Attorney's Michael Snider & Jeff Taylor on behalf of Thomas Atkins against Weyerhaeuser Corporation the second largest lumber company in the world, Weyerhaeuser WRECO and subsidiary Winchester Homes Inc.
Here is a brief summary of the case that the EEOC ruled as discrimination.
Thomas Greywolf Atkins is an American Indian
from the Chickahominy and Mattaponi Tribes of Virginia.
He was an employee of Winchester Homes Inc. of Baltimore and Bethesda Maryland a subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser Corp. A company who has been found to be discriminatory to non-Caucasian people in the past.
During the first almost two years Thomas was employed there, he had no problems.
In fact, He was a First Aide-First Responder for the Company and he was on the Safety Committee for 2003. As well as winning the first annual Safety Slogan contest in 2002.
The plant manager at that time was a Mr.Don Gardner.
Mr. Gardner did not allow any type of racial slur to be used by anyone, even amongst those of the same race.
Throughout 2003 & 2004 however, while working at the Baltimore Plant Thomas was called a variety of names and threatened with bodily harm on many occasions by fellow employees.
This in turn subjected him to a very hostile work environment. He was made to feel on edge and anxious during most of his work day.
He complained to his immediate supervisor's Edward Brooks Sr. and the new plant manager Edward Duffy several times. Only to be told by Edward Duffy, " Your Indian, I don't understand why you let these guys get you angry. After all, that's not the way of your people."
Thomas Greywolf Atkins tried to let these things go. This is when he noticed that he was being called into Mr.Duffy's office on a regular basis and told how he wasn't doing his job safely or his quality was slipping. As though he was trying to find any reason to write Thomas up. This went on though Thomas' yearly evaluations put him in the top six of his plant peers.
However, daily Thomas was called "Redskin", "Pocahontas", "Injun", "Cochise", "Chief", "Tonto" or "Geronimo". On a few occasions co-workers that would walk by his work station would tap their hand on their mouth and yell, "Woo Woo Woo!" like the old westerns of the 40's and 50's. Once right in front of Larry Freiert(the Baltimore Manager), Edward Duffy & Edward Brooks. When he turned around to see who did it. All three along with the employee were laughing as though it were a big joke.
Even with the bosses around, Thomas was subjected to continuous and severe racial degradation at the hands of his co-workers. He received no assistance from those supervisors who were supposed to be his protection from any wrong doing on the job.
While others on the job were allowed to play their hip-hop and heavy-metal music as loud as they wanted. Thomas was repeatedly told by Edward Brooks Sr. or Edward Duffy ( at least three times a week) to turn his music down. Just because he played the traditional powwow music of his American Indian Ancestors is no reason why Thomas should have been singled out to turn his music down while everyone else was left alone.
Thomas was made to feel less than human during much of his work hours.
On one occasion while using the restroom an employee was complaining about all the new quota's they had to make, now that Edward Duffy had taken over as Plant Manager. Thomas was told, " You know how these white people are Tom, Your a Cracker just like them" by a fellow co-worker. Thomas told him, "Never call me anything other then my name". This was even witnessed by another co-worker.
Thomas reported this to Ed Duffy and was told, "Just leave it alone, if you just ignore it then they won't want to tease you. I see you in my office more then anyone else here. Just do your job and stop complaining".
So, Thomas decided to try and not rock the boat.
Then one morning about a month later, came a series of racial insults by another fellow employee whom Thomas had complained about many times. Everyone was gathered by the snack machine area when the co-worker called Thomas the "ugliest version of Pocahontas" He'd ever seen and "A broke down pale face version of Tonto". This got a laugh out of the crew, including both Edward Duffy(plant manager) and Edward Brooks(floor supervisor). Only after Thomas yelled at his co-worker to never call him that again did Edward Brooks speak up to say,” Okay, that's enough of that, let's get to work".
Later that day, Thomas was being cussed out by the same co-worker from the restroom incident for supposedly making a part the wrong size for a wall. When Thomas ignored him and didn't argue, he proceeded to fill out a negative form on Thomas' quality and safety.
That was when Thomas had enough. This time instead of going to Edward Brooks or Edward Duffy, He went to the Winchester Homes Baltimore Manager, Mr.Larry Freiert. Thomas explained everything to him. Then he called Edward Duffy in and asked him what happened.
Edward Duffy denied that Thomas had ever complained to him. Mr.Freiert told Thomas to go back to work.
They sent for the co-worker and upon his return he began yelling at Thomas, some extreme profanity and Native slurs.. Edward Brooks witnessed this but only stopped it after Thomas began yelling back at his co-worker about him being "A racist".
The only time that anything was ever said by the supervisors was when Thomas would verbally defend himself.
He even got written up after a co-worker and friend of Edward Brooks failed to do his assigned work because he had been standing around talking to Mr.Brooks most of the day. Edward Brooks wanted Thomas to do extra work to make up for it. Thomas reported this to Edward Duffy. After doing so the co-worker came into Thomas' work area and threatened him saying, "If I get written up because of your Redskin a**, I'm gonna **** you up when we get off work." Thomas stated to him,” Don’t wait till we get off. If you want a piece of me then come get it." Edward Brooks took Thomas down to Mr.Duffy's office and wrote him up for the altercation. Yet the co-worker was never disciplined in any way.
Then in February of 2004 Thomas contacted the Weyerhaeuser Employee complaint number. A line set up for employees who are being treated differently due to religion, race, sex and so on. Thomas told them everything that had been going on over the past year.
Two days later Thomas smacked his thumb with a hammer while nailing a cross-brace ( a common injury for carpenters). He was again taken to Concentra instead of a hospital. Where even after he requested that the nail (which was barely hanging on) be removed. They pushed it back under the cuticle and stitched it in place and put Thomas on light duty (even though he couldn't use his left hand). With the stitches still in and under doctors care. Thomas was told by Mr. Duffy, " You can't use your left hand, but you can use your right hand to at least push a broom.
A few days later, Thomas was called into Mr.Duffy's office and fired. Their excuse was that he was Un-safe.
Thomas found an attorney to represent him & the EEOC has ruled that Thomas Greywolf Atkins was discriminated against and issued a right-to-sue letter. They came up with any reason they could to fire him.
This was really done because Thomas is an American Indian who refused to be treated as a second class citizen and complained to his supervisors Edward Brooks Sr.( Plant Forman), Edward Duffy (Plant Supervisor), Larry Freiert (Winchester Homes Baltimore Manager) and Weyerhaeuser Corporation about the daily threatening, harsh, insensitive and racial harassment at the hands of his co-workers.
Thomas Atkins was subjected to continuous, pervasive and severe racial harassment all the way up until the day he was fired on 2-14-04 and his employer Winchester Homes and Weyerhaeuser Corp. did nothing to help. Instead they wrote him up for small things that everyone else was doing to cover up his complaints of racial intolerance. Thomas was fired for no other reason than being Native American Indian and complaining about the daily racist treatment he was subjected to.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact:
Michael J. Snider, Esq.
Snider & Fischer, LLC
104 Church Lane, Suite 201
Baltimore, MD 21208
410-653-9060 phone
410-653-9061 fax
[email protected] email
http://www.sniderlaw.com webpage
1-800-DISCRIMINATION (sm) toll-free
or Thomas at [email protected]
Michael J. Snider, Esq.
Snider & Fischer, LLC
104 Church Lane, Suite 201
Baltimore, MD 21208
410-653-9060 phone
410-653-9061 fax
[email protected] email
http://www.sniderlaw.com webpage
1-800-DISCRIMINATION (sm) toll-free
On February 1, 2006 Discrimination Case# ccb06cv0278 was filed in United States District Court, District Of Maryland, Northern Division by Attorney's Michael Snider & Jeff Taylor on behalf of Thomas Atkins against Weyerhaeuser Corporation the second largest lumber company in the world, Weyerhaeuser WRECO and subsidiary Winchester Homes Inc.
Here is a brief summary of the case that the EEOC ruled as discrimination.
Thomas Greywolf Atkins is an American Indian
from the Chickahominy and Mattaponi Tribes of Virginia.
He was an employee of Winchester Homes Inc. of Baltimore and Bethesda Maryland a subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser Corp. A company who has been found to be discriminatory to non-Caucasian people in the past.
During the first almost two years Thomas was employed there, he had no problems.
In fact, He was a First Aide-First Responder for the Company and he was on the Safety Committee for 2003. As well as winning the first annual Safety Slogan contest in 2002.
The plant manager at that time was a Mr.Don Gardner.
Mr. Gardner did not allow any type of racial slur to be used by anyone, even amongst those of the same race.
Throughout 2003 & 2004 however, while working at the Baltimore Plant Thomas was called a variety of names and threatened with bodily harm on many occasions by fellow employees.
This in turn subjected him to a very hostile work environment. He was made to feel on edge and anxious during most of his work day.
He complained to his immediate supervisor's Edward Brooks Sr. and the new plant manager Edward Duffy several times. Only to be told by Edward Duffy, " Your Indian, I don't understand why you let these guys get you angry. After all, that's not the way of your people."
Thomas Greywolf Atkins tried to let these things go. This is when he noticed that he was being called into Mr.Duffy's office on a regular basis and told how he wasn't doing his job safely or his quality was slipping. As though he was trying to find any reason to write Thomas up. This went on though Thomas' yearly evaluations put him in the top six of his plant peers.
However, daily Thomas was called "Redskin", "Pocahontas", "Injun", "Cochise", "Chief", "Tonto" or "Geronimo". On a few occasions co-workers that would walk by his work station would tap their hand on their mouth and yell, "Woo Woo Woo!" like the old westerns of the 40's and 50's. Once right in front of Larry Freiert(the Baltimore Manager), Edward Duffy & Edward Brooks. When he turned around to see who did it. All three along with the employee were laughing as though it were a big joke.
Even with the bosses around, Thomas was subjected to continuous and severe racial degradation at the hands of his co-workers. He received no assistance from those supervisors who were supposed to be his protection from any wrong doing on the job.
While others on the job were allowed to play their hip-hop and heavy-metal music as loud as they wanted. Thomas was repeatedly told by Edward Brooks Sr. or Edward Duffy ( at least three times a week) to turn his music down. Just because he played the traditional powwow music of his American Indian Ancestors is no reason why Thomas should have been singled out to turn his music down while everyone else was left alone.
Thomas was made to feel less than human during much of his work hours.
On one occasion while using the restroom an employee was complaining about all the new quota's they had to make, now that Edward Duffy had taken over as Plant Manager. Thomas was told, " You know how these white people are Tom, Your a Cracker just like them" by a fellow co-worker. Thomas told him, "Never call me anything other then my name". This was even witnessed by another co-worker.
Thomas reported this to Ed Duffy and was told, "Just leave it alone, if you just ignore it then they won't want to tease you. I see you in my office more then anyone else here. Just do your job and stop complaining".
So, Thomas decided to try and not rock the boat.
Then one morning about a month later, came a series of racial insults by another fellow employee whom Thomas had complained about many times. Everyone was gathered by the snack machine area when the co-worker called Thomas the "ugliest version of Pocahontas" He'd ever seen and "A broke down pale face version of Tonto". This got a laugh out of the crew, including both Edward Duffy(plant manager) and Edward Brooks(floor supervisor). Only after Thomas yelled at his co-worker to never call him that again did Edward Brooks speak up to say,” Okay, that's enough of that, let's get to work".
Later that day, Thomas was being cussed out by the same co-worker from the restroom incident for supposedly making a part the wrong size for a wall. When Thomas ignored him and didn't argue, he proceeded to fill out a negative form on Thomas' quality and safety.
That was when Thomas had enough. This time instead of going to Edward Brooks or Edward Duffy, He went to the Winchester Homes Baltimore Manager, Mr.Larry Freiert. Thomas explained everything to him. Then he called Edward Duffy in and asked him what happened.
Edward Duffy denied that Thomas had ever complained to him. Mr.Freiert told Thomas to go back to work.
They sent for the co-worker and upon his return he began yelling at Thomas, some extreme profanity and Native slurs.. Edward Brooks witnessed this but only stopped it after Thomas began yelling back at his co-worker about him being "A racist".
The only time that anything was ever said by the supervisors was when Thomas would verbally defend himself.
He even got written up after a co-worker and friend of Edward Brooks failed to do his assigned work because he had been standing around talking to Mr.Brooks most of the day. Edward Brooks wanted Thomas to do extra work to make up for it. Thomas reported this to Edward Duffy. After doing so the co-worker came into Thomas' work area and threatened him saying, "If I get written up because of your Redskin a**, I'm gonna **** you up when we get off work." Thomas stated to him,” Don’t wait till we get off. If you want a piece of me then come get it." Edward Brooks took Thomas down to Mr.Duffy's office and wrote him up for the altercation. Yet the co-worker was never disciplined in any way.
Then in February of 2004 Thomas contacted the Weyerhaeuser Employee complaint number. A line set up for employees who are being treated differently due to religion, race, sex and so on. Thomas told them everything that had been going on over the past year.
Two days later Thomas smacked his thumb with a hammer while nailing a cross-brace ( a common injury for carpenters). He was again taken to Concentra instead of a hospital. Where even after he requested that the nail (which was barely hanging on) be removed. They pushed it back under the cuticle and stitched it in place and put Thomas on light duty (even though he couldn't use his left hand). With the stitches still in and under doctors care. Thomas was told by Mr. Duffy, " You can't use your left hand, but you can use your right hand to at least push a broom.
A few days later, Thomas was called into Mr.Duffy's office and fired. Their excuse was that he was Un-safe.
Thomas found an attorney to represent him & the EEOC has ruled that Thomas Greywolf Atkins was discriminated against and issued a right-to-sue letter. They came up with any reason they could to fire him.
This was really done because Thomas is an American Indian who refused to be treated as a second class citizen and complained to his supervisors Edward Brooks Sr.( Plant Forman), Edward Duffy (Plant Supervisor), Larry Freiert (Winchester Homes Baltimore Manager) and Weyerhaeuser Corporation about the daily threatening, harsh, insensitive and racial harassment at the hands of his co-workers.
Thomas Atkins was subjected to continuous, pervasive and severe racial harassment all the way up until the day he was fired on 2-14-04 and his employer Winchester Homes and Weyerhaeuser Corp. did nothing to help. Instead they wrote him up for small things that everyone else was doing to cover up his complaints of racial intolerance. Thomas was fired for no other reason than being Native American Indian and complaining about the daily racist treatment he was subjected to.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact:
Michael J. Snider, Esq.
Snider & Fischer, LLC
104 Church Lane, Suite 201
Baltimore, MD 21208
410-653-9060 phone
410-653-9061 fax
[email protected] email
http://www.sniderlaw.com webpage
1-800-DISCRIMINATION (sm) toll-free
or Thomas at [email protected]
