After settling down beside JPMC building I called CBT. He said I need to talk to Linda only. Then I called site director. Same answer. I told both that I am unable to reach her. By 11:30 CST I got a call from Linda asking whether I will be able to take a call at 1:30 PM CST, Judith also will be joining she said. She further suggested that it's better to be at home since this is a 'sensitive' issue. I was thinking - what is sensitive here, it's been a mess anyway, it doesn't matter anymore. I said ok, cellphone is fine.
At 1:33 PM the call came. Here's the conversation:
Me - "Hello"Linda - "Hi BrownMan, How are you?"Me - "Hi, Fine"Linda - "Judy is here"Me - "OK"Linda - "BrownMan, where are you? near JPMC building?"Me - "I am inside a restaurant"Linda - "Are you ok there?"Me - "Yes"Linda - "You have been fired, today is your last day"Me - "OK, but why?"Linda - "Misconduct"Me - "Misconduct? What do you mean?Linda - "It has lead to unfavorable working condition"Me - "You know that it's not fair assessment"Linda - "We don't believe so, we can talk next week"Me - "OK, Are you going to send a written confirmation of this?"Linda - "Yes"Me - "OK"
The long distance firing was not totally unexpected considering the turn of events, but what surprises me is the fact that the reason is very flimsy. So here is the post-mortem.
Once it became apparent that I won't be forced to accept their incompetent and unfair verdict they were in quandary how to handle this. My resolve was firm. Denying me of work email access and subsequent building access were arm-twisting efforts that did not bear any fruit for them. My peaceful satyagraha further complicated it for them. Then they let this drag while fervently looking to "build a case"; but they could not find really anything against me; I was a good employee. And when they tried unethical tricks, like presumed absence or presumed unstable mental condition, I hit back at them exposing their hypocrisy. The only equitable option that was always available and simplest one of all - having me back under a different manager - for reasons I will explain was simply not agreeable to them, so they ran out of options!
Let me rewind and consider what was stated in the last FedEx letter, they wanted to discuss - "status of my current absence, future employment at the firm and disability package"
This call was supposed to be that discussion. Their earlier plan probably was to "force me to believe" that I have a mental problem and extend the presumed absence into some sort of disability leave, gradually push me to labelling me as 'disabled' person and eventually say that I am unfit to work for JPMC. Very sleazily suave and sleazily sophisticated way of getting rid of me! I did not let that happen! Reminds me of the saying - "what a tangled web they weave when they begin to deceive!" Thus among 3 the first and last topics weren't touched at all. The future employment at the firm at the firm turned out to be about future unemployment at the firm!
So something triggered a change since last FedEx letter. It's my resend of gmails which got past JPMC mail servers. Here's a summary of what effect each had:
1. My 3rd letter had exposed that HR lacks an effective mechanism to handle my case, in fact any case that involves a colored man from a non-Christian background. I argued against Eurocentrism and thus hit the nail on the head regarding their hypocritical analysis including "denial" and "blaming the victim" techniques.2. They must have thought - how dare I reach out to higher management again. Lower management was concerned that this episode will reveal to higher management that racism exists within the firm in Houston. On the other hand if senior management gets a wind of this it is an embarassment for them that they cannot "handle" an associate level employee "appropriately" and cover it up.3. Some gmails in line with my asking - how can I work with denial of work facilities, can you clearly state my employment status with FedEx attachment back to them and HR's obscene game of forcing a disease on me was clearly a big embarrassment which they had successfully blocked from being revealed earlier. The people who were initially CCed on my OOO gmail were part of that email chain. Also I had to state to them why I was FOOO. Thus HR's unethical techniques were exposed to all. At a personal level it revealed how sleazy Linda, Anna and such ilk can be.
So in summary without considering the equitable option they believed they had no option but to get rid of me, even that was unprofessional - remote termination over the phone. Sure, Linda's reply was absolutely right per her frame of reference, it's misconduct because I did not conduct myself to their Eurocentric line of thinking, I did not succumb to their verdict of reporting to a racist, I argued on behalf of righteousness etc., etc.,
If it has created unfavorable working condition what is the root cause? An unfavorable working condition affecting me - i.e prejudice - was the root cause. They are letting that root cause persist. An unfavorable working condition further breeds unfavorable working condition. Why ignore that? Why indulge in short term fixes like firing the victim instead of disciplining the criminal who created the unfavorable working condition in the first place? OR the least they could have done is solve the problem equitably as stated above?
Anyway they could not handle the Truth!
Satyameva Jayate? I had asked all along.
Satya (Truth) won because it did not succumb and refused to be subjugated!
I am waiting for the written confirmation of my termination and the actual verbage!
