Workers Protest

Many employees of the state are getting together to protest the way they are treated at work.
These people are not happy. They feel that minorities are being discriminated against.
This group of people says that minorities are not being treated fairly at work. They think that
minorities are accused of doing things wrong more often than other people. They also feel that
workers are getting in trouble if they file complaints.
One woman who worked for the state for fifteen years was fired. She does not think that she
should have lost her job. This woman is angry and feels that she was discriminated against
because of her race.
When people were running for the office of governor one man spoke about taking care of
racial discrimination. Many minorities liked what he had to say and voted for him. This man
became governor but many minorities do not feel he has done anything to help them.
This group of people is very unhappy about their working conditions. They do not feel that
they are being treated fairly. They gathered to protest what they are calling discrimination
against minorities in the workplace.
About a thousand state employees are planning a rally and demonstration today. Outside the
state employee board in Capital Mall 91,000 employees from across the state are represented
by this rally. These workers are finding that discrimination has been going on for years within
the state ranks. They back up their claims with a recently released report from their union.
They say that minorities suffer from greater disciplinary actions and that retaliation against
employees who file discrimination complaints are on a sharp increase.
Ana Maria Ortega was a 15-year state employee who was fired in 1997. She backed Governor
Gray Davis because he had campaigned on a promise to help Latinos and African-Americans,
but since his election, she claims he has done little. Ortega says, He made promises to my
community, and I as a Latina thought he was going to take care of this racial discrimination
issue through state government. We are educated and I have excellent work performance with
the state government for many years.
Ana Maria is just one of the many current or former state employees at todays rally. Most
have personal stories much like what she told about. This rally is expected to last until 1pm
today. No response from Governor Davis office as of yet today about the complaints and he
is just outside of Fresno signing some legislation. He will head down to San Diego following
that and is not expected to be in Sacramento at all today.

fired-kirg, elbocsjt
governor- kormnyz, helytart
gather-gyjteni, megtud
minority- kisebbsg, kiskor
employee- munkavllal, alkalmazott

race- faj (hovatartozs) , futam

fair- becsletes
protest- tiltakozs
complaint- panasz, reklamci
to be treated fairly at work- tisztessges bnsmdot a munkahelyen