[lg policy] Resort Fired Workers for Speaking in Spanish

[Harold Schiffman]

*esort Fired Workers for Speaking in Spanish*

When more than two dozen workers at the facility joined together to protest
the policy, some of the workers say they were, in turn, retaliated against
and fired for participating in the protest.

Now the EEOC is suing the company alleging that they broke the 1964 Civil
Rights Act by discriminating against Latino workers.

“Imposing a language policy — together with demeaning references to
Hispanic workers – strongly indicates workplace prejudice rather than a
legitimate business need,” said EEOC regional attorney Robert A. Canino.

*Company Defends Spanish Language Policy*

However, the company defended the policy saying that Spanish made some of
its guests uncomfortable.

“We have taken measures to establish what we call a professional, yet
aware, language practices, which again, means be aware who is in proximity
… If you’re speaking a language I don’t understand, I might wonder if
you’re speaking about me or just wondering what’s being said. So we’ve
continued to reinforce that, so that can get cloudy in someone’s mind. I
guess that’s reasonable,” said John Spomer, vice president and managing
director of La Cantera Resort and Spa.

For more and a copy of the complaint, go to local ABC Affiliate KSAT
<https://www.ksat.com/news/la-cantera-resort-and-spa-staff-punished-fired-for-speaking-spanish-feds-allege>

*Four Roses Whiskey Workers Win Strike in Kentucky*

Earlier this month, Payday Report covered workers on strike at Four Roses.

Now, after a two-week strike, the workers have ended the strike after
defeating the company’s proposal to create a two-tier wage structure;
effectively giving older workers better benefits than new, incoming
workers.

The workers celebrated the new contract as a major victory for their
willingness to go on strike.

“We’re all just excited. It’s a good day for Four Roses and it’s a good day
for workers,” Jeff Royalty, president of United Food and Commercial Workers
Local 10d told the Louisville-Courier Journal.
<https://www.courier-journal.com/story/money/companies/2018/09/21/four-roses-strike-ends-union-deal/1382131002/>

In addition, the union won wage increases of 30 to 50 cents an hour as well
as signing bonuses totaling $3,500.

*DC DSA Leader Fired from Department of Justice Protesting Trump *

Here in DC, a well-respected DSA leader, Allison Hrabar, was fired from her
job as a paralegal in the Anti-trust Division.

Ace Reporter Kelly Weill has the story at NewsGuild-represented Daily B
<https://www.thedailybeast.com/top-justice-department-official-personally-ousted-anti-trump-worker>


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 Harold F. Schiffman

Professor Emeritus of
 Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

Phone:  (215) 898-7475
Fax:  (215) 573-2138

Email:  haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

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