Subj: Lesa Donnelly: Open Letter to USDA/FS, Chief Tom Tidewell, 4/18/11USDA, Forest Service
Attn: Thomas L. Tidwell, Chief
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250
April 18, 2011
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CHIEF
Dear Chief Tidwell –
I received a copy of your March 22, 2011, letter to Forest Service employees identifying measurestaken to support Secretary Vilsack's "Cultural Transformation" initiative. I felt compelled to respond because this letter does not echo the conversations we have had, the reality of what is actually happening to your employees out on the ground, and your failure to address Forest Service working conditions. Ironically, you sent this letter the same week women in Region 5 filed a class action civil rights complaint based on diversity.
I am particularly interested in this action you claim to have taken - "A dialogue on diversity, inclusiveness, and civil rights by the National Leadership Council to ascertain root causes of the slow progress on diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace." I wonder how that "dialogue" went because when you and I had our dialogue about these matters you ignored every issue we discussed and have taken no action to address specific incidentsof discrimination, exclusiveness, and civil rights violations.
When I met with you and Randy Moore (R5 Regional Forester) on November 29, 2010, I provided you with credible information about incidents of civil rights violations, workplace bullying, workplace violence, and retaliatory actions against Forest Service employees in Region 5 and other regions. I questioned why a male employee was not terminated after he brutally beat a female coworker on government time and property. We discussed a woman who was sexually assaulted by a Forest Fire Management Officer and continues to be retaliated against for reporting it. I shared information with you about a male employee physically assaulted three times; women threatened with guns; and numerous concerns about the unfair and abusive treatment of male and female fire fighters. We discussed the lack of accountability for repeat offenders. I was shocked at your callous and disingenuous attitude toward your own employees. You refused to acknowledge or address any issue. You denied that a Forest Service official would retaliate against an employee. Most disturbing was your statement that you will not hold any perpetrator accountable if the victimized employee files an EEO complaint. I am curious to know what section of Secretary Vilsack's Cultural Transformation these attitudes and decisions fall under.
Region 5 may have the highest number of EEO complaints, but other regions have the same issues of harassment, discrimination, and reprisal. Assistant Secretary Joe Leonard advised The Coalition that Region 3 is a close second in employee complaints. In fact, I have had many complaints about your Albuquerque Service Center's personnel practices. Attached is a transcript of the April 5, 2011, National Public Radio program on sex discrimination in the workplace. A Region 3 female employee called the show and discussed issues of discrimination and workplace violence. Please note that she too, has seen an escalation of these problems in the past 5-8 years.
Based on the statements in your March letter, you admit you are aware of the civil rights and diversity problems in the Forest Service. But I question your sincerity at finding the root causes for the "slow progress in diversity, inclusiveness, and civil rights" because you have been given that information many times by the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees in meetings and via letters and emails. I refer you to the attached April 1, 2011, letter we sent to Randy Moore. In this letter we discuss the pervasive civil rights issues, the lack of inclusiveness for all employees, and how these actions are perpetuated by the same Line Officers and managers who are unethical, self-serving, and violate the law–all with your full knowledge.
Chief Tidwell, you know that a root cause of the slow progress in diversity is the practice of hiring relatives and cronies to the exclusion of women and minorities, and that retention is impossible when you treat these folks as second-class citizens. Unfair competition in the fire hire program amounts to favored sons (and daughters) receiving the jobs and promotions. This has a direct effect on diversity, because it is generally the people of color, people with disabilities, and women who are purposely not included in this buddy system.
It is easy to bandy about words such as "inclusiveness" while you knowingly allow your managers to practice shunning, isolation, and intimidation as tools for retaliation. Clearly, when you withhold respect and dignity to employees they are not going to feel included. It is commonly understood that inclusiveness is conveyed through mentoring, training, details, special projects, awards, and promotions. Since these are handed out to some while others sit on the sidelines with no opportunities, what is your "plan" to correct this?
The lack of inclusiveness, poor retention, low diversity, and bad morale are indications of a very sick Forest Service culture. I believe you know that harassment and discrimination (including workplace bullying and workplace violence), and the use of Human Resource and Civil Rights policies to retaliate against those who complain are the root causes to your slow progress on diversity, civil rights, and inclusiveness. You and your staff know that the continual promotion of repeat offenders perpetuates this culture. What we want to know is what you are going to do about it. I must ask, have you discussed any of these issues with your Sensing Groups and National Leadership Council?
In conclusion, I would like to address your statement, "The health and well-being of employees is vitally important to me." If that is true, how can it be possible that you have a female employee recently hospitalized for a nervous breakdown due to the harassment and reprisal by forest management? How is it possible that employees consider suicide as an alternative to going to work in a hostile, demoralizing, and terrorizing work environment? Why are so many of your employees on anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, and blood pressure medicines in order to get through a day at work? How can it be that fire fighters who have given twenty (plus) years of their lives to the Forest Service protecting natural resources and people's lives are "vitally important" to you, but when they make a minor mistake or their bodies break down you toss them out of the Forest Service like yesterday's trash?And finally, how can you treat people this way and still sleep at night???
Chief Tidwell, I request that while you and your staff travel on your "diversity and inclusiveness journey" you have a dialogue about these issues, but most importantly, please take action. In the meantime, I would like to remind you of your November 2010, commitment to provide Alternative Dispute Resolution (EEO mediation) to agreed-upon employees. It has been almost six months and NO mediations for these employees have happened. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or comments.
Sincerely,
/s/Lesa L. Donnelly
Vice President, USDA Coalition of Minority Employees
Attachments: National Public Radio transcript
April 1, 2011, letter to Randy Moore
Cc: Secretary Tom Vilsack & staff
Lawrence Lucas, President, USDA Coalition of Minority Employees
Senator Charles Grassley
Senate Ag Committee
House Ag Committee
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Re: Lesa Donnelly: Open Letter to USDA/FS, Chief Tom Tidewell, 4/18/11
On Wed, May 18, 2011 at 12:07 PM, <LawrLCL@aol.com> wrote:
