Tyrone N. Butts
APE Reporter
52
Fire Captain wins discrimination lawsuit
(Mobile) February 9 - The City of Mobile lost a reverse discrimination lawsuit. It is expected to cost taxpayers more than a quarter million dollars.
John Wiggins is the United City Workers Coalition President. He said, "Their (firefighters) efforts are going unrewarded, unnoticed and they're up in arms about it and you'll probably see more suits."
Alan Silvester, a 30 year veteran and captain with the department won a 250- thousand dollar lawsuit last week against the City. Richard Fu
uay represents Silvester. He said from his office Monday afternoon, "A minority employee was given the job who was less qualified to satisfy political pressure or agenda." He added, "There
was
a real disparity between qualifications."
Any time a
position opens, the Mobile County personnel Board provides a list of 10 candidates in order of how they scored on a variety of written and oral tests. The rule of ten is intended to increase the number of minority applicants. In this case Alan Silvester ranked number one on the list, the man who got the job, Mike Tranier was number two.
Fuquay said, "Alan had been a captain longer than Mr. Tranier had even been on the fire department."
Mayor Mike Dow responded to the lawsuit by saying, "The City fundamentally goes to great lengths to be fair and it is our goal to hire and promote minorities. I fully support the chief's decision."
In response, Wiggins said, "You put so
meone in position as one of these firefighters or in a supervisory position on the fire department that is not the best qualified person you can get it's dangerous and you're cheating th
e ta
xpay
ers." <
/b>
Silvester was vying for fire administrator, the 6th highest paying job in the department. The Judge
could still grant Silvester the promotion.
Fire Chief Stephen Dean did not want to comment. The Mayor says the city will appeal the jury's decision.
In the fall 2003, the Fire Department filled three District Fire Chief positions. The top two candidates on the list were passed over in favor of numbers three, five and nine.
Wiggins insisted more lawsuits are expected.
**********
Stop the madness! End Affirmative Action NOW!
T.N.B.
Fire Captain wins discrimination lawsuit
(Mobile) February 9 - The City of Mobile lost a reverse discrimination lawsuit. It is expected to cost taxpayers more than a quarter million dollars.
John Wiggins is the United City Workers Coalition President. He said, "Their (firefighters) efforts are going unrewarded, unnoticed and they're up in arms about it and you'll probably see more suits."
Alan Silvester, a 30 year veteran and captain with the department won a 250- thousand dollar lawsuit last week against the City. Richard Fu
uay represents Silvester. He said from his office Monday afternoon, "A minority employee was given the job who was less qualified to satisfy political pressure or agenda." He added, "There
was
a real disparity between qualifications."
Any time a
position opens, the Mobile County personnel Board provides a list of 10 candidates in order of how they scored on a variety of written and oral tests. The rule of ten is intended to increase the number of minority applicants. In this case Alan Silvester ranked number one on the list, the man who got the job, Mike Tranier was number two.
Fuquay said, "Alan had been a captain longer than Mr. Tranier had even been on the fire department."
Mayor Mike Dow responded to the lawsuit by saying, "The City fundamentally goes to great lengths to be fair and it is our goal to hire and promote minorities. I fully support the chief's decision."
In response, Wiggins said, "You put so
meone in position as one of these firefighters or in a supervisory position on the fire department that is not the best qualified person you can get it's dangerous and you're cheating th
e ta
xpay
ers." <
/b>
Silvester was vying for fire administrator, the 6th highest paying job in the department. The Judge
could still grant Silvester the promotion.
Fire Chief Stephen Dean did not want to comment. The Mayor says the city will appeal the jury's decision.
In the fall 2003, the Fire Department filled three District Fire Chief positions. The top two candidates on the list were passed over in favor of numbers three, five and nine.
Wiggins insisted more lawsuits are expected.
**********
Stop the madness! End Affirmative Action NOW!
T.N.B.