CITY OF DETROIT HOUSING COMMISSION

[Gaynell Kendrick <blackcreator@aol.com>]

MY NAME IS GAYNELL KENDRICK AND I'M THE FIRST & ONLY WOMAN JOURNEYMEN PLASTERER HIRED BY THE CITY OF DETROIT.  I HAVE SUFFERED MANY INJUSTICES AT THE HANDS OF THIS DEPARTMENT FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS, WITH NO RESOLVE.  WHEN I HAVE FOUGHT FOR MY RIGHTS, IT IS "ALWAYS" MET WITH TOTAL DISREGARD AND RETALIATION.  I HAVE SUFFERED SEXUAL HARASSMENT,  FORCE TO WORK IN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENTS, INTIMIDATED INTO CHANGING TRUE STATEMENTS SUBMITTED ON A SUPERVISOR, PLACE IN LIFE- THREATENING SITUATIONS, PLACED IN CITY VEHICLES THAT WERE KNOWINGLY DANGEROUS,  FIRED WHILE ON F. M. L. A.  LEAVE, GROSS $15,000 LESS THAN MY MALE COWORKERS AND WE MAKE THE SAME RATE OF PAY, REPEATEDLY DENIED OVERTIME, DENIED WORKMAN'S COMP WHEN MY DOCTOR'S TOOK ME OFF WORK DUE TO JOB-RELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS, REFUSED THE PROPER EQUIPMENT TO PREVENT FUTURE HEALTH PROBLEMS, FORCE TO WORK IN UNSANITARY CONDITIONS, SET UP & FALSELY ACCUSED,
DENIED UNION REPRESENTATION, THREATEN BY SUPERVISORS, PLACED ON 2-3 PERSON JOBS ALONE & PLACED ON A TIME SCHEDULE, SENT TO UNITS IN THE PROJECTS THAT HAD BEEN OVERTAKEN BY DRUG DEALERS, AND TOLD TO HANDLE ASBESTOS WITHOUT PROPER PROTECTION.  MY FINAL PLEAS FOR HELP CAME IN AUGUST 99, WHEN I FILED SEXUAL HARASSMENT CHARGES AGAINST A COWORKER, WHO WAS INTOXICATED ON THE JOB SITE.  HE APPROACHED ME AND ASKED FOR SOME ASS AND ATTEMPTED TO TOUCH MY BREAST.  SIX MONTHS AFTER MY CLAIM, FEBRUARY 2000, THE RESULT WAS "IDLE CHITCHAT AND NOTHING MORE."  THIS FINAL ACT OF DISCRIMINATION WAS MORE THAN I COULD HANDLE.  

I HAVE FOLLOWED THE PROPER CHAIN OF COMMAND AND STILL HAVE YET TO RECEIVE CLOSURE.  AFTER 2 YEARS OF THIS ABUSE, I SUBMITTED 22 PAGES OF DOCUMENTATION AND THE RESULT WAS "UNFOUNDED WITHOUT MERIT."  I HAVE BEEN TO THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE WITH THIS ISSUES AND WAS PROMISED RESOLUTION, I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE.  I HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND RECEIVED EMPTY PROMISES.  THIS FINAL INCIDENT PROMPTED MY UNION FILED A GRIEVANCE ON MY BEHALF AND EVERY HEARING SET THUS FAR HAS BEEN CANCELED.  I WENT TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEPARTMENT & RENDERED A STATEMENT, JUST TO BE TOLD, THEY COULD NOT ASSIST ME WITH MY PLIGHT BECAUSE I HAD A PENDING HEARING.

WHILE ON FMLA LEAVE, CARE FOR MY TERMINALLY ILL FATHER, THEY ONCE AGAIN SENT ME THREATENING LETTERS TO RETURN TO WORK OR IT WILL BE CONSIDERED A "VOLUNTARY QUIT." WHEN I HAD SUBMITTED ALL DOCUMENTATION FROM MY FATHER'S PHYSICIAN, EXPLAINING THE DEPTH OF HIS ILLNESS AND THE AROUND THE CLOCK CARE HE REQUIRED.  I WAS FORCED TO RESUBMITTED THE SAME DOCUMENTS AGAIN.  WHILE ON LEAVE, I MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT I WOULD NOT RETURN TO THAT VERY TOXIC ENVIRONMENT.  I COULD NOT LONGER CONTINUE TO WORK UNDER THESE CONDITIONS AND I FELT MY LIFE WAS IN DANGER, BECAUSE I HAD TO WORK WITH THESE SAME INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD VIOLATED ME AND RECEIVED NO TYPE OF DISCIPLINE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.  I MADE IT CLEAR, THAT WORKING IN VACANT HOUSES WITH AS MANY AS 10 MEN & ME WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE OF THE NEGLECT & INCOMPETENCE OF AN ADMINISTRATION THAT REFUSES TO PROTECT ME.  MY OPTIONS TO THEM WERE TO TRANSFER ME TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OR FIRE ME, BECAUSE I HAD TAKEN AS MUCH OF THIS AS I COULD TAKE.

APRIL 1ST WAS MY RETURN TO WORK DATE.  I WENT TO ADMINISTRATION FOR THE VERDICT.  THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME TO RETURN TO THE SAME WORK SITE OR QUIT.  I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS NOT A QUITTER AND THEY WOULD JUST HAVE TO FIRE ME.  THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD NO GROUNDS TO FIRE ME AND IF I REFUSED TO RETURN, IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A "VOLUNTARY QUIT."  I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD NOT RETURN UNTIL I RECEIVED A RESOLUTION.

TODAY IS APRIL 20, 2000.  THIS WAS THE DAY I WAS TO HAVE MY HEARING & ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS CANCELED.  

I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF 3 BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN.  I HAVE BEEN OFF WORK ALL THIS TIME WITH NO INCOME.  I HAVE DEPLETED MY SAVINGS AND, AM, FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS AT THIS TIME.  I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING I KNOW HOW TO DO.  I FEEL LIKE I, AM A LOSING BATTLE.  MY CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THIS, THEY HAVE NOT MISSED A MEAL, BUT THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE.  ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD, DO I HAVE SHELTER & UTILITIES, THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO WITH $128.00 A WEEK IN CHILD SUPPORT.  

I HAVE NO RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ME.  TO GO FROM BRING HOME OVER $500 A WEEK TO SUPPORT MY FAMILY TO HAVING VERY LITTLE TO NONE, HAS LEFT ME FEEL VERY UNWORTHY AS A PARENT. WHEN I STARED THIS JOB, I HAD A 5 WEEK OLD SON, WITH A NEW BORN, A 3 YEAR OLD & A 10 YEAR OLD, I STILL WENT TO WORK EVERYDAY, ON TIME AND GAVE 100% WORK PERFORMANCE.   I HAVE BEEN VICIMIZED ALL BECAUSE OF A FACT THAT I CANNOT CHANGE, "GOD IN ALL HIS INFINITE WISDOM CREATED ME A WOMAN" WHO EDUCATED HERSELF AND ENTERED A MALE DOMINATED FIELD.  I KNOW THAT I WAS CHOSEN TO FACE THESE ADVERSITIES TO PREPARE THE WAY, TO LAY A SOUND FOUNDATION OF EQUALITY & JUSTICE FOR THE WOMEN WHO DECIDE TO ENTER THE TRADES.  BEING THE FIRST HAS MADE ME THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB FOR WOMAN EVERYWHERE.  REST ASSURED, I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, BUT I REQUEST ASSISTANCE, GUIDANCE, & ENCOURAGEMENT FROM WOMAN WHO CAN IDENTIFY WITH THE EMOTIONAL & FINANCIAL STRAIN THIS HAS CAUSED IN MY LIFE. 

PLEASE HEAR MY CRIES FOR HELP. 

DESPERATELY SEEKING JUSTICE
GAYNELL KENDRICK