SATYAGRAHA - day 3 - uneventful

Today I was sitting under the bus stop but busy making or taking calls most of the time. After about an hour I went to park shops. Met few JPMC folks there. Meanwhile I got a call from my wife that there was a FedEx package, this time it came knocking on my door. Since there was hurricane alert people were leaving downtown in the PM. I left soon after, the buses were crowded. Not a ideal day for satyagraha, also since I have received some communication from JPMC I want to proceed after knowing what it is.

SATYAGRAHA - day 2 - getting permit to protest

I had a dentist appointment in the morning so could not be in front of JPMC building in the AM. I let people at work know that I am FOOO. Only communication today from JPMC was from Judith of EAP.

Since the cop like guy was complaining that I need to have a protest permit I drove to downtown City Hall to get it. There I was told to go to 611 Walker. After waiting half an hour they said I don't need any permit since I was not obstructing any vehicular traffic by blocking any lanes. They issue only permits of that kind. Good. I explained my way of protest. A lady said to go back to City Hall for "special event" protest if at all required though she was sure I dont'need any. So I was back at City Hall where I waited for 20 minutes before a lady appeared. I explained why I was protesting, how and even showed the placard. She laughed and said what I was doing was absoultely perfect and that I was well within my rights of 5th Amendment regarding freedom of speech and freedom of expression, which is part of Bill of Rights. I was happy, I knew I was doing the right thing, not breaking any law. Wherever I sat/stood for protest it wasn't even blocking or impeding pedestrian traffic.

May be the cop was not really a cop but some security personnel of a building. I did not notice his insignia very well. If he wasn't lying then I must have pricked the guilt conscience of the people who complained, most white folks aren't comfortable at all with racism, slavery and such. Anybody holding a placard "Victim of Prejudice" is enough to trigger that! Anyway I will continue to protest unless developments change that course.

Later in the night I let Brad know that there was no FedEx delivery today.

Sending note to Brad, the site director

tobrad.breau@jpmorgan.com

ccChristine.Eckert@jpmorgan.com,
brian.fay@jpmorgan.com

dateWed, Sep 10, 2008 at 10:19 PM
subject No FedEx delivery today
mailed-bygmail.com


Hi Brad,

Earlier I had told HR that "My relationship with JPMC started with an offer letter that was detailed enough and I expect any change in this relationship to be communicated to me in the same manner in all respects. Needless to say the FedEx communication failed to convey whatever needed to be conveyed"

In this regard when we met on the street yesterday you said you will speak to HR and have a FedEx message delivered. This would pave way to our future talks if any. I was expecting a FedEx overnight delivery with communication from HR clarifying what the previous deliverywas about and letting me know the status of my employment in clear terms. I did not receive any today at least not until 4:00PM CST

Please let me know.

regards,

HR's most obscene game ever ..so far

HR person Linda has called the EAP ( it's like a counselling program ) and suggested them to call me to see if I need help! Can you believe that? They need to help themselves, so I responded quite bluntly.


tojudith.d.bess@chase.com, Christine.Eckert@jpmorgan.com, brian.fay@jpmorgan.com

ccsiddharth.x.seth@jpmchase.com, imran.shaikh@jpmorgan.com, dhruv.x.bhatt@jpmchase.com,
Neeraj.K.Singh@jpmchase.com,
Mirza.M.Baig@jpmchase.com,
Jomol.X.Peter@jpmchase.com,
Viswanathan.X.Raman@jpmchase.com,
amit.s.padwal@jpmchase.com,
diane.e.lloyd@jpmchase.com,
lee.r.sheard@jpmchase.com

dateWed, Sep 10, 2008 at 12:08 PM
subjectRe: Unable to access work facility and email. Please advise.
mailed-bygmail.com



Ms Judith Bess,

You called me and left me a voicemail to call you back. I stopped doing call backs after realizing that it's HR's way of not leaving a paper trail. You said you are from EAP. A person will approach EAP if needed only. That's the direction of approach, not your way. I was little disturbed for 2 days or so because of my readings about so much sufferings endured by african americans and original americans in American history. Lack of sleep made it worse. I candidly said that when I sent my OOO note. I believe being not politically correct, meaning being accurate, is not a disease. I am perfectly alright, so much perfect that I am writing emails, did satyagraha, not only spoke but reasoned with Brad, reasoned with several people that impressed them, so living a normal life! I don't need EAP. You can tell Linda not to introduce unnecessary complications to "build a case" against me. This is getting obscene. You can also tell her not to revive the ghost of "Doctor" Samuel Cartwright here by introducing maladies that don't exist :-)

Thank you for your call, but no thanks. I believe you were just doing your job without knowledge of all that is going on. Meanwhile here's an idea. If you are looking for people to councel you can pick Linda. If she believes that I have a problem then she really has a problem. No wonder that has lead to incorrect analysis and faulty conclusion regarding the case I had with HR. May be you can cure her from Eurocentrism.

Hope that's crystal clear.

regards,

Letting coworkers know that I am FOOO

FOOO is Forced Out Of Office!

to Christine.Eckert@jpmorgan.com
ccsiddharth.x.seth@jpmchase.com, imran.shaikh@jpmorgan.com, dhruv.x.bhatt@jpmchase.com, Neeraj.K.Singh@jpmchase.com, Mirza.M.Baig@jpmchase.com, Jomol.X.Peter@jpmchase.com, Viswanathan.X.Raman@jpmchase.com, amit.s.padwal@jpmchase.com, diane.e.lloyd@jpmchase.com, lee.r.sheard@jpmchase.com

Hello all,

I did not get any response either from anna or from HR on my previous two emails - email1 and email2. So yesterday I was outside JPMC building in Houston doing my version of Satyagraha. Brad Breau, site director, came by and talked to me, promised that he will make HR send a clear written communication about my employment status by FedEx overnight. I have not received it yet. Once I get it Brad and myself agreed to have further dialog. Meanwhile it's obvious that I cannot perform any work. So consider that I am forced to be OOO until you receive further communication. Please do not call me at my desk number or send emails to my work address. My cell phone number is below. Thanks.

regards

SATYAGRAHA - my version - day 1

If the opponent is civilized then bringing them to conscience will improve the situation. With no communicaton to the effect that I am not employed by JPMC I have to consider JPMC is not my opponent, not yet. But a part of it is - it is made up of people and processes. Anyway to counter this I started my version of Satyagraha movement starting today 9/9/08. It's one of several steps that I plan to undertake to derive justice. This is how my placard looked.

VICTIM of PREJUDICE
-----------------PLEASE HELP--------------------

Yesterday I bought a canopy chair. Today morning made not so good cardboard placard, took few supplies, lunch, water, books and such - all set for the strangest experience of my life. I sat on the sidewalk right under a tree in front of JPMC building on Fannin between Lamar and Dallas streets. I attached the placard on the front of the canopy. 

After 10 minutes the building security, a lady, complained that I am on their property. I was on the sidewalk actually. Since it was satyagraha I didn't argue. Went to corner of adjacent building and was comfortable there for a while. Then a cop came by to ask if I had a permit to protest. I had no idea what this was. He gave me some ideas on how to get that. But I had no immediate plans. He suggested to get closer to the street, on sidewalk, there it was ok to protest as long as no pedestrians or others complained. So I moved in closer. The placard kept falling so held it in hand. Spent totally an hour there. I was about to leave that corner when the JPMC security lady came by, seemed like she was taking a picture using her cell phone, I did not exactly notice as I was talking with 2 pedestrians about my protest. I don't know her what her intent was. Should have asked but forgot. She asked - "what happened?" and I explained. She replied - "I understand, We need to be all together in this". She was black, so understood a brown's scenario. I said - "Thanks, and I know that you are just doing your job". She nodded and left. By this time I had interacted with few Indians from JPMC. One passerby had noddingly said - "I am a victim of prejudice too". Another suggested the obvious, that I need to get a lawyer.

Then moved to the corner facing the JPMC Garage and Monsoon. After 10 minutes or so a white car (Ford Taurus may be) speedily swung by from San Jacinto turning towards Lamar, I could not get a good look of the guy inside, he had his passenger side window down and was trying to tell me something with his face turned away while extending his right hand to hand me something, looked like a piece of paper. He never stopped fully. I shouted "what? what?" but did not budge from sidewalk where I was seated. He sped away. May be he was trying to deliver some message from someone to meet somewhere. The next incident makes me believe so.

Another 10 minutes later I saw Brad Breau, the site director and another person briskly walking around the perimeter of JPMC building. They were looking for me. They saw me when I saw them, so came towards me. Brad said extending his hand "Hi Prahalad, I am Brad hope you know me". "Hi Brad, yes I do" and shook his hand. He introduced another as some Hassel(?) , did not get his name right. He asked what's going on, I told a 10 minute version. He said he knew and has read all my letters. He asked if I wanted "talk" and suggested the building facing back entry of JPMC. I said we could talk right there on the street. I was not comfortable going to a non-JPMC building. Further I told about the FedEx message which is a primary hinderance for any further talk seeking clarification. He promised that he will have ER revoke it, will have a FedEx overnight, so that it's clear to have a talk tomorrow in his office. OK. They left. I am not so sure about how this goes, wait and watch.

Sometime later the same cop came by and asked me whether I had the permit by this time, I said no and he asked me to move again. This time I was on the street, so why move, he said this time even people from that building's office were complaining. It was not convincing, I doubted the people because the cop seemed nice, I expected these hurdles, may be racism in subtle ways, anyway I was planning to move.

It was almost lunchtime, time to move beside Monsoon/Parkshop to face lunch traffic. It got real busy. I was telling my story to several Indians, met several new faces. By the time I was done it was almost 2 PM, my head was aching, throat dry, was tired. It was hot and humid outside. Packed up to parkshop to have lunch at subway. Was back at same spot at 2:30 Had detailed talks after that with two Indians again. Finally left for bus stop at 3:40.

This was some kind of social experiment also. Just watching how people react. About 50 responses. Here is the breakdown.

NOT a single white male responded to my placard. 1 white lady did, but she was a recuiter I knew and her talk was focussed on whether I needed a job. I said no, not yet. May be 2 hispanics did, about 15 blacks and rest were all browns like me, meaning Indians. Blacks, expectedly, resonated the most with my experience, since they have endured the most suffering in American history, Original Americans also called native Americans, have suffered more but we don't see them around at all.

Another very intersting part was - someone approaching me and after some icebreaking talk asking me if I was homeless. No. He said anyway I should start a business selling stuff, he was looking at his mobile duffel bag. He was peddling something, may be drugs. Scary!

I have dental appt. tomorrow. Also not feeling well after today's ordeal. Let us see how it goes.

JPMC not responding to Letters and Emails

Entire day I have been waiting for some communication from HR or senior management but it's absolute silence. No reply to this and this. It's time I proceeded with next steps.