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TECH GUILD SYNDROME

Tech Guild Syndrome

To the Editor:

I would like to issue a warning that the Civil Service Technical Guild's executive board is infected with a virulent strain of Hoof-and-Mouth Disease. Several members of the board have recently expressed or exhibited homophobic, anti-Semitic, anti-union views and even used very offensive language over the last few months. I fear this epidemic will reach pandemic proportions if it is not immediately contained and then eradicated.

There are at least four instances in which President Claude Fort demonstrated the debilitating side-effects of Hoof-and-Mouth Disease:

1. On Feb. 8, 2007, while waiting for an elevator after visiting the Department of Design and Construction's main office, President Fort called Chapter 11 President Veerappan Chockalingham "stupid" and said, "You ask stupid questions in meetings. You are an idiot.";

2. President Fort yelled "F--- You" to DDC Ch. 4 Delegate Vaino Ader during a delegates meeting because Brother Ader did not agree with one of President Fort's policies.

3. President Fort shouted "shut up" towards DDC Ch. 4 President Muhammad Sheth during a recent executive board meeting; and

4. After a heated and highly contested motion passed during March's delegates meeting, President Fort screamed to the remaining dissidents, "You lose again; get a life and move on."

Note: President Fort is on record as having "never" apologized to anyone for any of the above actions, insults and disparaging comments.

Vice President Michelle Keller also fell victim to this epidemic. VP Keller, who served as chair for this year's Black History Month celebration, never should have allowed the Official Program to be printed quoting the late auto-maker Henry Ford. With so many prominent black leaders and heroes, past and present, that she could have turned to for a quote, why she chose Mr. Ford is unforgivable. Sister Keller said in a letter to this newspaper, "In a quote that appears in the Black History Program, my intent was and is and continues to be an empowerment of the members; lifting them to new heights spiritually."

May I remind Sister Keller that Mr. Ford was a notable white anti-Semite and union buster! I do not need a person with those credentials to empower and lift me to new heights spiritually.

The Labor and Political Action Committee unanimously passed a resolution condemning Michelle Keller's decision to "nurture" the membership with the Henry Ford quotation. It was blocked from being reported "out of committee" to the delegate meeting and the executive board meeting directly by President Fort.

Executive Chair and HPD (Housing Preservation & Development) Ch. 38 President George Lawrence unexpectedly became another casualty of this outbreak. Brother Lawrence maliciously blurted out "faggots" when someone asked what Pride at Work is [one of six constituent groups sponsored by the AFL-CIO] during a Guild Budget Committee Meeting on March 14, 2007. I doubt he would use such derogatory language to describe members belonging to the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. Other than a forced apology by the committee members, no other action was taken by the local's leaders condemning this vulgar and disparaging remark, which was clearly aimed at our gay brothers and sisters; unlike when these same leaders openly attacked and condemned Brother Mitchell Feder, via a resolution for his criticizing DC 37 Executive Director, Lillian Roberts, with an "on her knees" comment!

Financial Secretary Steve Cooper, surprisingly, is the latest victim to succumb to this dreadful illness. The diagnosis of his infection was clearly visible when a packed room heard Brother Cooper's use of the word "f---" when speaking on a motion during April's Executive Board Meeting. His choice of words was unconscionable.

It would be medically prudent to quarantine these four infected Guildists to protect all innocent members from being infected, and to halt the spread of this dreadful disease. Their release from quarantine should not be granted or sanctioned until they and the remaining executive board members satisfactorily complete sensitivity training.

It is hypocrisy to condemn Fred Smith at the Transit Authority for any anti-immigrant statement if we do not do likewise with our own bigots.

JEFFREY OSHINS, Pride at Work Member and Local 375 Delegate