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A group of six African-American women who are Emeryville city employees have accused city management of discriminating against them based on their race. 

According to their union, the women have been harassed on the job and unfairly disciplined for the past four months. At least three of them said the city began targeting them after they confronted a white city employee they say made racial slurs. 

“No one likes to talk about race, but we are very concerned that what is going on is racism,” said union representative Larry Hendel during public comment at the Emeryville City Council meeting Tuesday night. 

According to Hendel, who works for the Service Employees International Union local 790, the employees have filed internal complaints with the Human Resources department, union grievances as well as a complaint to the state Fair Employment and Housing Commission/Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If the issue is not resolved, the union has also threatened litigation. 

“We don’t want [litigation],” said Hendel. Instead the employees and the union hope the City Council will step in. 

At least one of the women has once before been involved in a discrimination case with the city. Leslie Pollard, who works in the planning department, won $125,000 several years ago. Since then she said she has continually been a target. 

While addressing the City Council Tuesday night she had to pause several times because she was overcome with emotion. 

Pollard and two other employees were the ones who confronted the white employee who is accused of making the racial comments.  

Pollard was called into a meeting with the employee after both sides filed internal complaints. After the meeting the city asked her to see a psychiatrist who determined she was unfit to work. She said she was immediately told to clear her stuff out of her office and was placed on paid family medical leave. Last week she was told she was being fired after 27 years on the city staff. 

Pollard said the city has refused to tell her what she was diagnosed with and why they won’t let her work.  

“No one has ever told me what the mental disorder is,” said Pollard. “Yet I have to stand here and convince [the City Council] there is nothing wrong with me.” 

Rose Flippan, another city employees who said she was offended by racial slurs, also said she has continually been a target since addressing the issue. 

“When I went to speak to my boss [about the slurs] I was told I was the problem because I was the one who was complaining,” said Flippan.  

Flippan said she’s also been disciplined unfairly for minor infractions. 

Charles Bryant, director of planning and Pollard’s boss, would not comment when contacted by the Daily Planet. Emeryville City Manager John Flores said he could not comment either but forwarded the following statement as part of press release issued by the city. 

“The City of Emeryville’s policies and practices dictate that we not discriminate against any applicant or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or because she or he is a disabled veteran….. The city’s implementation of these policies has achieved the diverse workforce we have today—and we are proud of that diversity.” 

The press release also said the city is “obligated to maintain confidentiality of employment related matters involving our employees, and therefore responding to specific questions regarding employment actions is inappropriate.” 

“It’s the policy of the council not to discriminate and it’s the policy of the staff not to discriminate,” said Richard Kassis, the mayor. “I’d be shocked if any of it turned out to be true.” 

Kassis said even though the City Council is being asked to intervene, it will likely let the city management handle the case. 

“It’s not our role as policy makers to insert ourselves into the personnel process,” he said. “We have confidence in our city manager,” whose job it is to address the issues. 

City Councilmember Ken Bukowski said he would like to investigate the case more but is prevented by city law from contacting any of the women directly.›