Darrel Blankenship 10/14/2009 4:38:00 AM
first off,neither me nor my wife is racist in any way,any implied racism is only on the part of the one manager,brenda simmons...
i apologize for the length of this message but this is a detailed account of the events that escalated & led up to the reasons for this complaint...
on tuesday july 28th 2009 (7-28-09) my wife (ursula blankenship) was terminated from taco bell... she's worked at taco bell for 8 years...she never calls in sick...she's very rarely ever late...after 6 years she had worked her way up to $7.93 per hour,she was getting 40 + hours a week so she bought a new car & cell phone committment based on that rate of pay...then she was transferred to the page & ashby store where she was told she would be getting $8 per hour but instead her pay was cut to $6.75 & her hours were cut to under 30...this cost her to lose the car & cell phone & ruined her credit,as well as made it harder for us to afford our rent & forced us to move to a much worse neighborhood & a much longer drive to work...she repeatedly asked to plz be allowed to transfer to a taco bell closer to where we lived,she even found one there that was willing to hire her on,but she was refused by mary,the manager at the time
...so she's been working at the page & ashby store in olivette,MO (store # 002602) for the last few years & recently,mary,her manager, was demoted because she hired her boyfriend & cut everyones hours to give him 40 hours & so ursula got a new manager (brenda simmons) who would constantly berate,curse & talk down to employees,loudly & even in front of customers,call them names,put them down,cuss them out etc etc...i saw this everyday when i was in there waiting for ursie to get off work...i couldnt believe someone with such a crude mouth & attitude was a manager...then all the white employees started all getting fired,quitting or transferring out of this store...brenda said her intentions were to "clean house & bring in her people"...soon,to my knowledge,my wife was the last white employee...& brenda told her as well that if she wanted to transfer out of there then she would let her...
but then suddenly ursula was not allowed any phone calls even though she rarely ever recieved phone calls but everyone else was still allowed to get them... my mother called up there with an emergency concerning our baby & was told no she couldnt speak to her,my mother asked if she could plz just leave a message & was told no,then hung up on... when my wife asked brenda about it,she was told "i dont have to deal with your familys problems"...
suddenly ursulas not allowed to have anything to eat or drink while at work even though everyone else was still allowed...one day,she got a drink & brenda snatched it from her hand, threw it in the trash & told her to get her ass back in front of the register or go home...i saw another black employee (charmaine wilson) get a drink,brenda just politely told her the price of the drink & charmaine just laughed her off,kept the drink & didnt pay for it... nothing else was said or done to her...
suddenly ursula was made to wear extra clothing that she had never been made to wear before,like aprons & a belt that couldn't be seen anyway,while other employees werent made to wear these things & brenda & mary didnt even wear a uniform at all somedays,they would wear whatever they wanted...one day mary wore a thin skintight white top to work that showed her nipples through her shirt...nothing was said about that,BUT when my wife would come into work on her day off to get her check or get something to eat,they would talk down to her about what she was wearing, said she was dressed trashy, called her a hoochie mama & a chicken head,asked if her husband knew she was dressed like that & what kind of a man lets his wife dress like that...all she was wearing were shorts & a T-shirt in the summer time,whats wrong with that? she wasnt even on the clock but brenda even told other managers at other stores that my wife was dressed innapropriately...my wife is 38 years old & just had a baby,she is not dressing trashy & should be allowed to dress herself how ever she is comfortable on her days off when she's not on the
clock...
there were times that brenda would call & make other managers clock her in cause she wasnt there & she never even came in all that day...
one day brenda pushed my wife into a counter leaving a bruise on her back bigger than a quarter...after being told that she left a bruise she laughed & she slapped my wifes back, then repeatedly pinched her...Lonny green,the district area manager was present,he later asked ursula if she was ok,she said "does my face look like i'm ok?" then brenda asked him why he asked if ursula was ok & that was the last of it...he did nothing about it...
my wife was constantly being kept late for work,when asked if they could plz hurry in counting her drawer or finding a relief worker to replace her on time so that i (her husband) could get to MY job on time,she was told that they would take as long as they wanted to & they would take even longer if she complained... this cost me several jobs...also she was always being forced to stay late because her relief was always late, usually up to a half hour on a regular basis,nothing was ever said to them about it yet if my wife was a minute late brenda would jump her butt...
one day while i was waiting for my wife to get off work,i saw a customer come in (a white woman) & stood at the counter waiting to have her order taken...the 2 managers (brenda & mary) were at the register talking...they completely ignored the woman & never acknowledged her presence,till finally after 5 minutes or so she just turned & left while the 2 managers continued talking...they didn't even care...
saturday july 25th 2009 when i dropped my wife off at work,brenda was standing out in the parking lot just talking & hanging out with other employees,who were on the clock & supposed to be working,while brenda was NOT on the clock & not even working that day...she called my wife over & cussed her out in front of everyone for being late...my wife apologized & said as we were leaving to come to work,the baby needed changed,he had a poopy diaper & we didnt want him to have to sit in it the 1/2 hour drive to work then another 1/2 hour home so we just hurried up & changed it...brenda said "i dont give a fuck if your baby sits in shit,i dont give a fuck what you gotta do,i dont give a fuck about you"... after being cussed out for several minutes for being late by a manager who was not even on duty,my wife went inside & called me,furious,wanting me to come get her,she said she could not take it anymore...i talked her into not quitting,so then she clocked in...when she clocked in,she discovered that at THAT time,she was 4 minutes late...if she was only 4 minutes late AFTER taking the time to be yelled at & cussed at & call me to come get her,how late could she have been when she arrived?...i dont believe that she was even late at all & even if she was maybe a minute late,surely thats not late enough to deserve to be talked to like that...
my wife didnt do or say anything about any of this,she just kept showing up to work & doing her job,ursula is not one to cause waves or cause problems,she just keeps her head down & does her job,but i (her husband) tried to call taco bell headquarters but corperate says that this store is a franchise store not a corperate store & so theres nothing they could do about it...i then called the YUM! hotline & got the same answer...so the next 2 days we went around to every other taco bell in our area trying to find one that needs workers so she could transfer...several seemed interested but suddenly changed their minds after talking to brenda...
tuesday july 28th 2009 we went to ursulas work,on her day off,to pick up her pay check & look at the schedule to see when she worked,since the schedule was never posted before hand,she always had to come in on tuesday to see if she worked on wednesday...you're not allowed to get your checks till after 2,so we waited untill 2:30 just to make sure they werent still busy from lunch...i was just going to wait in the car with our baby & my 19 yr old son randy,but after about 20 minutes of waiting, it just got too hot in the car so we came inside to wait, wondering what was taking so long...
what was taking so long was that for some reason,the managers were ignoring my wife & not giving her check to her...i saw other employees were getting theirs,but not my wife...i heard them laughing about it in the back of the restaurant...after another 15 minutes or so of politely waiting,brenda called my wife to the counter...brenda then leaned over the counter & pointed in my wifes face & said in front of other employees & customers that she heard ursula was runnin her mouth & if she ever hears that ursula said anything about her again,she will BEAT her ASS & it will be her LAST day...i am hard of hearing & i was standing about 15 feet away & yet i was still able to hear her loud & clear ,so she did not say this quietly under her breath...my wife did not say anything back to her at all,she just looked at her, shocked...then i immediately stepped up & told brenda she is NOT going to cuss & threaten my wife,i said ursulas a grown woman & she hasnt done any thing to deserve to get treated this way, we are just here to pick up her check,& instead of causing all this trouble in front of customers ,all she (brenda)has to do is let us have her check & we'll be gone...i saw several other employees there with their checks so i knew they were in,but instead she lied to my face & said she hadnt cussed ursula out,YET...i said "i just heard you!!" she just looked around me & pointed at my wife & said"you heard what i said"...so i said,"you hear what i say!! you are not going to cuss at & threaten my wife!!" she then told us to get the fuck out of her store...i said "when you pay my wife her check, we'll leave"...so brenda called the police on us & lied to the police that the checks werent in yet & that WE got belligerent over that & that WE threatened & cussed at HER...i pointed out to the police the other employees that had their checks so we know the checks are in & that brenda was lying...so then brenda says that its my wifes last check since she didnt work there anymore so they dont have to give it to her, they will mail it instead,but when i proved to the officers that ursula had never been fired or quit & that it wasnt her last check, in fact she will still have another check coming,so that was another lie,they finally forced brenda to give my wife her check...(it was short of course,almost a hundred dollars,just like her last one)...& then we were informed that my wifes last check would be mailed to her...then brenda pointed to my son randy & told the police to get him too,he was part of the confrontation, arrest all of us...randy had never said a word to anyone,he just came in with me & sat down & was just quietly sitting there through the whole thing,my wife had never even said anything other than just asking for her check (she even said plz) & i never said one cuss word to her...
we were threatened,cussed at,lied to,lied about,almost arrested & my wife was fired for just showing up on pay day to pick up her check...the next day,i called up the head office & tried to file a complaint...my wife was very upset so she didnt want to talk about it,thats why she had me do it instead...no one from head office has EVER called us back yet to this date, 2 months later,even though ive called several times...all that happens is Lonny,the taco bell area district manager,called my wife & chewed her out for not following the chain of command & going over his head...1st of all, she didnt break the chain of command & go over his head, i did...she didnt call any one, i did...i dont have to follow his chain of command cause i dont work there & technically at that point,neither did my wife...why would she have to follow a chain of command for a place she no longer worked for?...2cnd of all,she couldnt call someone whose number she didnt have...3rd,this man was a witness to previous problems,but he did nothing,so why would my wife call him?...
she was then told that they want to resolve this issue,so this is their idea of resolving the issue...if my wife wants to keep her job then she has to come in to a sit down alone with brenda (the woman who threatened her)...my wife repeatedly asked to plz have me there with her,she was repeatedly told no,she MUST be alone (why would you want to be alone with a person who threatened to beat your ass if they ever heard you say something about them?) she said that i (her husband) was her witness,she wanted me there with her & she didnt feel safe without me there...Lonny refused to talk to me,ursula said that she was too upset & she needed me there with her to help her stay calm & focused & get everything right & that if they wanted to resolve this then theres no reason not to listen to what her husband has to say,but he flat out refused,said he didnt care what i had to say...they just wanted her alone so they can bully her into dropping this...
then they wanted to send my wife down to work at a taco bell in the city,atleast a 45 minutes to an hour drive,one way from where we live in st.peters, BUT brenda is NOT going to apologize or admit any wrong doing,she will NOT be transferred & no disciplinary action will be taken against her but if my wife wants to keep HER job then she is not allowed to discuss this with anyone...exact quote"what happens in the store,stays in the store"...well,i'm glad THATS resolved...
then they finally agreed to transfer my wife to the McKelvey taco bell where she was only given 2 days a week,3 hours a day...since all of this happened i have been told by numorous other taco bell employees of horror stories about brenda & things she has done in the past,like we found out that at the last store brenda worked at (bridgeton),she grabbed an employee by the back of the neck & used their head to open the back door,she grabbed another employee & dug her fingernails into them cutting them untill her nail broke off & she was caught on tape hitting, cussing,harrassing & threatening employees but we were told that she was supposedly at the time sleeping with Lonny, the area district manager, so he kept her out of trouble...the same area district manager that chewed my wife out for going over his head... protecting my wife or any other employee is not in his interest or goals,hes only trying to protect himself & brenda...i dont know for fact that brenda & Lonny are sleeping together,its just what we have been told,but apparently theres another man who comes up there who claims to be her boyfriend & yet another man who calls there claiming to be her husband...
unfortunately most of the other employees with horror stories about brenda are afraid of losing their jobs so no one wants to put their neck on the line,unless they can remain anonymous,but 2 ex employees who are willing to talk about what brenda has done is B.J. TREADWAY,he worked at the bridgeton taco bell under brenda & Lonny,and PATTY CROSS who quit the page & ashby store due to unfair treatment... since they no longer work for taco bell they have nothing to be afraid of plus we have a myspace message from a coworker (charray dickson) that was working at the page & ashby store at the time of the incident on 7-28-09,she was on drive through so she didnt really see or hear much of what went on,but in her myspace message to my wife she says she remembers brenda hitting her during the previous altercation that left a bruise on my wifes back...
after 2 months,we are still waiting for a response from head office,i have called several times but they dont seem interested in helping us so we filed a complaint with EEOC & MCHR...we gave them a copy of the 7-28-09 police incident report & the time stub from 7-25-09 showing ursula was 4 minutes late...we are still waiting for a response,we understand it may take some time,but its been 3 months...we have been told not to contact them,that they will get back to us...
then on 8-20-09 my wife arrived at the McKelvey taco bell & was told she was suspended & she was to be sent home & all the days she was scheduled to work,she was no longer working...her boss JD told her that his boss was coming down hard on him to get rid of her & if he didnt,then he would lose HIS job...the reason they are giving her for why she was sent home is that supposedly her drive through order time was too long...shes worked at taco bell & done the drive through for 8 years & shes never been sent home for having too long of a drive through time before...i feel its no coincidence this happens right after i file a complaint...on top of everything else,i then found out that after everything she has done,brenda got a promotion while my wife is barely hanging onto her job...???
now,JD,my wifes new boss at her new store was recently fired & somehow out of all the taco bell managers in the area there was no one else available to come in to the McKelvey store except brenda? my wife was transferred out of brendas command & now shes right back under her thumb? this is ridiculous!! my wife is always on time,never late,comes in everytime shes called in because someone else didnt come to work,she works late all the time because other employees are late arriving to work,yet brenda immediately cuts my wifes hours,yet doesnt cut the hours of the black girl who repeatedly doesnt show up for work & arrives late...why?
last week,my wife was called into work on her day off several times because a black manager named christina washington pulled a no call no show...nothing was said or done to her but then a white employee (michael domaradzki) was fired for a no call no show...i saw this same black manager show up 30 minutes late a few days later,i was waiting for ursula to get off work because she was having to work late because christine was late...when she finally arrived,she didnt apologize for being late,she just started rudely getting an attitude with my wife who wasnt doing or saying anything to her,my wife was just sweeping the floor so she could leave...my wife did not say anything back to the girl she just continued sweeping...i witnessed all of this with my own eyes...yet nothing was said or done to this person...
a few days later,i came to pick ursula up from work & brenda was sitting at a table with lonny & another manager (greg from head office)...they were trying to talk to her about her attitude but she was very rude & aggressive & argumentative & extremely disrespectful to the 2 managers even though both of them are obviously above her...she claimed everyone is lying about her & that she hasnt done anything wrong...it was very hard for me to hear her saying these things & not step in & tell her what a liar she is but i didnt say anything...finally i heard greg tell her she needs to just shut up & go back to work NOW...one more word out of her & she would be fired...obviously we are not the only ones having problems with this woman
on (9-26-09) my wife attended a mandatory 9 AM store meeting...brenda refused to allow anyone to clock in...she had done this at a previous mandatory meeting at the page & ashby store,but unfortunately we dont remember the date,though we can provide witnesses...luckily, lonny showed up & told her to make sure that everyone clocked in,its the law...she argued & berated with almost everyone at the meeting untill one girl (chelsea Bay,a white girl) just up & quit saying she'll be getting her lawyer...i know of 2 other white employees who are also about to quit as well because of brenda & shes only been there a week...at this meeting,they were told that if they need to call in sick they are not allowed to call the store,they MUST call brenda on her personal cell phone & she again threatened to get rid of everyone & bring in "her people"... we know what that means,since we've heard that before...
i told my wife not to do anything,that i was trying to take care of it,i didnt want her to get in any more trouble by complaining,but she was told by other managers & employees that no one can talk to me about anything because i'm not a taco bell employee,so because of what they were telling her,my wife called the employee hotline that was posted in the office...
on tuesday 9-29-09 Lonny called & told my wife she was suspended again because she called the hotline...i took the phone & asked him if they have posted next to the hotline number that if they call it they will get suspended? he rudely refused to talk to me,the argument escalated to the point where i began cussing at him...he said ursula was out of line by calling the hotline & i was out of line for cussing at him,so i asked him why is it ok for brenda to cuss at & threaten my wife in the store in front of customers & other employees but its not ok to cuss at him in private when he called MY phone? he said the conversation was over & hung up
so i called & talked to victoria,the new GM at page & ashby,asking her if she could plz offer us any advice in what we can do...she said she cant talk to me because i'm not a taco bell employee but she did say that i'm not the only one who feels this way about brenda,victoria also said her father is greg,he is one of the head managers that i talked to at the headquarters & hes the manager that i saw chewing brenda out...she said sorry,but ursula has to make these calls herself & she has to go through lonny & brenda, she cant talk to any one else,she has to go through them...i explained that THEY were the problem & they werent letting anything through to any one above them & that if ursula called herself,she gets in trouble but she cant get in trouble for ME calling so this is why i was doing it instead of her...
i then called the head office again & i was transferred to greg,victorias father,who was extremely rude with me for absolutely no reason at all,he told me we could try & get ahold of the owner all we wanted but that it was never going to happen,he told me not to ever call them again or he would contact the police & then he guaranteed that i would never call again & then he said that ursula needs to keep her fucking mouth shut & do what the fuck shes told & stop causing all these disruptions & chaos,i said that ursula wasnt doing anything,brenda was causing all of this & he said no shes not & the conversation was over & he hung up...
on tuesday october 6th 2009,i talked to one of the managers about ursula picking up her check,i said i cant afford to drive down there if brendas just gonna play games & not let her have her check,so he told us to come after 4:45 when brenda would be gone & he would make sure ursula got her check with no problems...but when we got there,turns out brenda had decided to personally go to farmington to pick up the checks & she wouldnt be back with them untill 6pm...we then found out that 2 more white employees had been fired...stephen fahey was fired for calling the harrassment hotline & another employee named ron (dont know his last name) was also fired because his wife knew one of the taco bell managers out side of work,so brenda feels that ron must also know this manager outside of work so she fired him...we asked this manager if he has been told yet how long ursulas suspended for since she hasnt been told yet & shes not on next weeks schedule,he said no,they wont tell him,he says they wont put her back on the schedule untill she agrees to meet with lonny & brenda,but theyre insisting she be alone & we want someone there with her that can protect her...she said if they wont let me be there then she wants another nuetral manager there or a lawyer,they say shes not allowed to have ANYONE at the meeting...
tuesday oct 13th 2009,ursula again called into work to ask if she was back on the schedule or was she still suspended...brenda told her she must come in to a meeting ALONE at 9 AM the next morning, my wife says she doesnt want to be alone with her,but brenda insists she MUST be alone,she said i cant even come into the store,i HAVE to wait in the car...we then called the nuetral manager to ask him if he could plz atleast be at the store the next morning so that ursula wouldnt be alone...he informs us that he no longer works there,he has been transferred to the bridgeton taco bell...i asked if he thought he could get ursula transfered to the bridgeton store & he said that EVERYONE on the schedule had already asked him the same thing,the whole store wants out of there,no one wants to work under brenda
how is it possible that this womans reign of terror is allowed to continue with out repercussions? she does NOT have taco bells best interest in mind & she quite frankly doesnt care about any one around her,she is a foul mouthed street bully who has no right to be in a position of authority & power...my wife has worked at taco bell for 8 years,shes devoted her self to her job,she constantly comes in to work for other employees on her days off & theres no reason why she should be treated this way or have to quit because of this bully...why is taco bell protecting this woman,but not my wife? if nothing is going to be done about brenda simmons then i am going to get a lawyer & i am going to talk to every media avenue that i can possibly think of
