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Topic: Transsexual harrassed out of job by fellow union members

Hephaestion
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4795

posted 29 March 2005 06:39 PM

This didn't really belong in the "Racism and Sexism within 'Unions'" thread, so I'm starting a new one...

Transsexual says bigotry of co-workers forced her to resign

quote:
It's been two years since Lesley Morgan became a woman, but she still isn't used to the ugliness of bigotry -- especially when it appeared in the autoparts plant where she worked. "They just don't like the fact that I was once a male, and now I'm a female," sighed the 48-year-old resident of Windsor, Ont. "It just rubs them the wrong way, I guess." A post-operation transsexual, Ms. Morgan resigned last week from her line position at the Siemens VDO plant because of what she calls a "hate war" waged against her by anonymous fellow workers. Ms. Morgan said a special washroom -- built for her after she was told by management that she couldn't use the regular female or male washrooms -- was blemished with hateful graffiti and urine. She said she resigned after someone called her home telling her: "Freaks go away, or you'll need your health benefits."

From: goodbye... :-( | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

Coyote
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4881

posted 29 March 2005 06:47 PM

This is absolutely wrong. It's time for a completely thourough investigation, and I hope the union brings in an independent investigator.

From: O’ for a good life, we just might have to weaken. | Registered: Jan 2004 | IP: Logged

Mr. Magoo
guilty-pleasure
Babbler # 3469

posted 29 March 2005 07:01 PM

I remember an interesting documentary I saw a few years back in which a trans police officer was interviewed, and she said that the one thing that seemed to matter most with regard to her treatment was the treatment her superiors gave her. In her case it was respectful, so the rank and file followed suit and treated her respectfully. Others interviewed in the documentary were not so lucky. Superiors behaved inappropriately (or let it be known that they would if they could) and so the co-workers had carte blanche to do the same.

From: ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø, | Registered: Dec 2002 | IP: Logged

Negad
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7863

posted 29 March 2005 07:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Coyote:
This is absolutely wrong. It's time for a completely thourough investigation, and I hope the union brings in an independent investigator.

How disturbing but not an isolated case at all. I sure hope that the union bring an independent investigator but I seriously doubt it. From what I have seen unions don't tend to take harrassment of those "marginalized" serious.

From: Ontario | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195

posted 29 March 2005 07:07 PM

Heph, do you have a link to any articles about this besides the one in the National Post? I cannot access the National Post article because I am not a subscriber.

From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001 | IP: Logged

Hephaestion
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4795

posted 29 March 2005 07:25 PM

Sorry, Robbie. Me neither. (Who'd give those losers MONEY?!) I was made aware of that link only because of a blurb at queerday.com Hopefully someone else will pick this story up?

From: goodbye... :-( | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195

posted 29 March 2005 07:46 PM

[ 29 March 2005: Message edited by: robbie_dee ]

From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001 | IP: Logged

robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195

posted 29 March 2005 07:54 PM

Your quoted paragraph doesn't indicate what union the workers at Siemens VDO belonged to or whether "the union" itself got involved in Ms. Morgan's case. My own research indicates that at least some of the Siemens VDO workers in Windsor are members of CAW Local 195.

It definitely sounds to me, from what your excerpt of the article says, that Ms. Morgan has been treated terribly and I hope she is able to pursue some sort of recourse such as a grievance or lawsuit.

[ 29 March 2005: Message edited by: robbie_dee ]

From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001 | IP: Logged

radiorahim
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2777

posted 29 March 2005 11:06 PM

quote:
How disturbing but not an isolated case at all. I sure hope that the union bring an independent investigator but I seriously doubt it. From what I have seen unions don't tend to take harrassment of those "marginalized" serious.

I would be careful not to jump to conclusions at this point. All we've seen is one report in the anti-union "National Post" and I wouldn't consider it a reliable source of news.

From: a Micro$oft-free computer | Registered: Jun 2002 | IP: Logged

Negad
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7863

posted 30 March 2005 09:31 PM

I am glad that the issues of discrimiantion within unions is brought forward. For too long and too often people have been subject to dicrimiation and harrssement by unions and it is kept husshed the same way as sexual assault of women or child abuse by faith leaders has been kept hushed.

No more of this; abusers and bigots have to be exposed and people should be encourgaed to speak out and put an end to dicrimination by unions.

It is not enough to speak about discrimination and bigotary while all along commiting it. enough is enough no more hiding behind words.

No individual should loose their job (meaning loosing their livilihood and menas of survival and in many cases the livilihood and survivial of their children) due to bigotary regardless of who those bigots may be not to mention harrassment that perpatuated by the union.

From: Ontario | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

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