By Bob Seidenberg
A group of Latino city employees has hit out at what they called a “disturbing slander campaign” that suggests favoritism was at play in job promotions they have received.
“It seems like whenever a Latino is promoted, instead of being celebrated, we are investigated and devalued, like we can’t possibly be capable of success of our own,” said Lucio Jimenez, a 20-plus-year employee of the city’s Public Works Department.
Jimenez was flanked by fellow Latino employees as he read from a statement during the public comment portion of Monday’s City Council meeting, expressing the group’s concerns.
“Recently, there has been a push to fill open positions, and while many of us have gone through the hiring process and advanced based on our skills and merit, there is a disturbing slander campaign targeting Latino employees,” he told council members.
“Comments like, ‘They must have been given the answers to do so well,’ and questions such as, ‘Who do you know to get this job?’ have been directed at Latino employees, including myself,” said Jimenez, who was promoted to a crew leader position in the Streets Department.
“There are unfounded accusations that Latino management is ‘setting up Mexicans in other departments to fit an agenda,’” he noted. “These comments aren’t just hurtful; they are meant to undermine the hard work and sacrifices we make to be the best we can be.
“In my case, my hunger for knowledge comes from knowing the courage my parents had to leave their home in Mexico to give their children a better education,” he continued.
“I promised never to let their sacrifice be in vain. That’s why I stayed after hours, started early, and worked to develop the skills needed to be a leader. I sought out guidance from people with more experience and took advantage of the same learning opportunities offered to every Public Works employee. Through my own efforts, I rose to the position of crew leader.”
Investigation sought
He said other employees who joined him at the meeting could relate similar experiences. Most came from Public Works but other departments were represented, too, he said.
“All of us here worked hard, stayed late, came early and we’ve done our share,” he said.
“We Latinos in Public Works are asking for fairness,” Jimenez continued. “Give the job to the most qualified person — the one who performs best in the interview and demonstrates their ability through merit. We are not asking for special treatment; we are asking for equality. We are asking for the baseless accusations to be investigated and addressed so we can end the racial divides that poison our work environment.”
Asked about the concerns, City Manager Luke Stowe’s office released a statement.
“The City takes any concerns about hiring practices and related Human Resource matters seriously. Leadership will thoroughly review the issues raised by Public Works staff,” it said.
“Most of the City’s Public Works employees are union members,” the statement noted, “and the city is contractually required to follow the Collective Bargaining Agreement in all hiring decisions for union positions.”
AFSCME Local 1891 represents 350 members throughout the city, 120 of whom are in Public Works, according to the union’s website.
Union pickets in April
Union members picketed outside a meeting of the Evanston City Council’s Administration & Public Works meeting on April 29 of this year, maintaining the city wasn’t honoring workers’ standby pay, seniority rights and the progressive discipline process. With the department’s falling short by as many as 30 workers, the union was seeing a sharp uptick in the number of on-the-job injuries, union officials maintained.
At the APRIL A&PW meeting itself, Eileen O’Neil, local AFSCME 1891 president, told committee members that the union worked well with all city departments. “We only have a challenge with one department,” she said, referring to Public Works.
After he delivered the statement at Monday night’s meeting, Jimenez was asked by reporters the source of the comments that suggested the Latino employees were undeserving of the promotions.
“We’ve had questions from other employees, and unfortunately we’ve been questioned by our own union,” he said.
Asked about the issue Tuesday, Anders Lindall, spokesperson for AFSCME 31, the statewide organization, said that the organization doesn’t play a role in hiring and promotion of employees other than to ensure that the terms of the union contract are followed.
Any instance in which management does not uphold the contract would be subject to the grievance procedure, he said.
