Jack looked to his right at Lori and smiled as he drove the van into the exit lane for Capital Boulevard North, off the I-440 beltline in Raleigh. She had a peaceful expression on her face this morning. They had looked forward to this day for nearly two months. Finally, the mediation meeting would take place, explaining and resolving the anger and retaliation from the two mid-level state agency bosses.
It was a deeply troubling, workplace mystery. Why had Jack become the target of angry bosses the day after the agency meeting with the DuPont Fayetteville Works environmental manager? Why were they silent during the entire meeting, even after Jack spoke up? Why were they not communicating with him? Almost certainly, DuPont's chemical manufacturing wastewater treatment plant located southeast of Fayetteville, with persistent fluorocarbon compounds discharging into the Cape Fear River, was now in the hands of an EPA team of experts. The EPA team would be working closely with DuPont, as well as the state agency's division of water quality, to upgrade the company's treatment plant and pollution control systems. Clearly, the plant needed an advanced treatment system to remove the persistent fluorocarbon chemicals, rather than the site's existing conventional system that futilely used microorganisms for wastewater streams that contained numerous chemicals that could not be broken down by microorganisms. It was pollution control 101. They needed to install an advanced treatment system.
The EPA team investigating the pollution control systems at DuPont Fayetteville Works would certainly be collaborating with the EPA team that was investigating the DuPont chemical manufacturing plant in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Those EPA teams would likely be consulting with the numerous experts and EPA officials in Durham and the adjacent Research Triangle Park area and university systems in central North Carolina. After all, some of the key regulations and inspection guidance pertaining to the chemical manufacturing industry were developed by consultants and EPA staff located in central North Carolina, not far from North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and North Carolina Central University.
Why not give Jack some information? Any information! Yes, DuPont is powerful. But why the unending anger and silence? And why was Lori dragged into this? Why the cruelty towards her? Jack was the agency inspector for DuPont Fayetteville Works, not Lori. She had not even been an attendee at the agency's DuPont meeting in September. It was baffling.
Within a week of the DuPont meeting, Director Undercash had told Jack over the phone, "it will be considered insubordination if you talk to anyone about what is happening in the Fayetteville Office." And while placing paperwork on the desk of the Fayetteville boss, Jack saw yellow sticky notes next to the phone with text indicating that Director Undercash was trying to get him removed from the agency's Fayetteville Office. It seemed quite possible to Jack that the Fayetteville boss might also have been ordered to stay quiet under the threat of "insubordination." How else to explain the angry behavior of the Fayetteville boss during the past two months.
Both the Office of Human Resources and the Office of Organizational Excellence seemed to be sympathetic, but apparently were not able, or allowed, to explain to Jack or Lori what was happening and why. It was baffling. As they turned the van into the parking lot of the environmental agency's Parker-Lincoln Building the van's stereo played, "I am the Walrus." During the past month it had become one of their favorite songs. The lyrics made no sense at all.
I am the egg man,
They are the egg men,
I am the walrus,
Goo goo g'joob ...
The environmental agency building, the Parker-Lincoln Building at 2800 Capital Boulevard, was a former General Electric factory converted into state government office space in the 1990s. In some respects it had the look and feel of a prison. However, the couple thought the building had a pleasant and rejuvenating glow this morning as they walked down the hall. After all, the mediation meeting about to begin would clear up the mystery and certainly resolve the anger and retaliation. Jack chuckled to himself how the old and unattractive Parker-Lincoln Building seemed quite beautiful to him on this morning.
The group around the conference table was well-dressed and somber. Jack took the seat at the end, directly opposite Director Undercash. Lori took the open seat along one of the long sides of the table. Rhonda Richards of Human Resoures was sitting to the director's left, on the long side of the table nearly opposite from Lori. Any misunderstandings during the past two months could now be discussed and resolved. Finally, the mystery and stress was about to end. Jack and Lori were eager for the meeting to begin.
But as the mediation meeting got underway the couple's optimism quickly turned to alarm. Director Undercash immediately began scolding both of them. He was angry that Lori had written more than a year ago, as part of a request to attend training, about her belief that women in the agency field offices were not always given the same training opportunities as men. Also, the Director was still very angry that Jack had contacted human resources in September to ask for help and advice. He seemed to be arguing that the agency's Office of Human Resources was essentially an "outside party."
Jack thought it might be helpful to explain that he contacted Anne Wordell of Human Resources for advice based on the recommendation of Michael Williamson, who had experience at the top level of the agency during Governor Bunt's administration. But this only upset Director Undercash further and caused him to scold Zach again for "speaking to outside parties." It seemed that Director Undercash had a harsh, secretive, CIA-like mindset about the agency's day-to-day business. Jack had never encountered this type of mindset before in DENR, a state environmental agency where the majority of employees had backgrounds in science or engineering, and information-sharing and collaboration were essential. In any event, it was clear to Jack that he should never again call Human Resources and ask for help or advice. But perhaps now the discussion could move forward to clear up the mystery and any office misunderstandings.
"I was just trying to communicate and share information," Jack explained helpfully. "Working in a field office and communicating with Raleigh can sometimes be difficult," he added.
"Don't tell me about working in a field office," Director Undercash snapped back angrily.
Jack froze in his chair. Everyone sitting at the table was very still. The meeting was not proceeding at all as Jack and Lori had expected.
During these tense and quiet seconds, he remembered that Director Undercash had worked for many years in a field office, the Mooresville regional office north of Charlotte, before being promoted to deputy director in Raleigh by Director Alan Klimek. He wondered what had happened in Mooresville to produce this sharp response years later. Did something unpleasant happen to Keith Undercash during his time in Mooresville that involved Human Resources?
"But the DENR Honor Code emphasizes teamwork, and that we respect and support each other," Jack said hopefully.
"No, the agency Honor Code does not apply to our division." Director Undercash responded sharply.
This comment startled both Jack and Lori, as well as others at the table. It made no sense.
"But we all work for the agency. We all work for DENR," Jack responded.
"No, you don't work for DENR. You work for the division, he snapped back."
Jack and Lori were stunned. Lori now had tears in her eyes and quickly got up out of her seat and left the conference room. This was supposed to be a mediation meeting. They had entered the meeting with optimism and in good faith. But it felt like an ambush, with more anger and retaliation. Why so arrogant and cruel?
Jack remembered what Harry had said about always maintaining a cheerful, win-win attitude, regardless of what happened. Harry had wondered if Director Undercash might try to provoke a response that he could use, with witnesses in the room, to cite Jack for insubordination. During the past two months, Jack's Fayetteville boss might also have been trying to use anger to trigger a potentially inappropriate response that could be deemed "insubordination."
When the director said Jack did not work for the agency, Rhonda of Human Resources looked shocked, like she might fall right out of her chair. The monthly paychecks, the signs at the building entrances, the letterhead and envelopes, the business cards, the agency website. All indicated that Lori and Jack, and everyone sitting at the table, were public employees working for DENR, the state environmental agency. It was as if Director Undercash, a long-time public employee in state government, and perhaps carrying some old grievances, had decided that the air quality division of the state agency in Raleigh was now his own private startup company.
Despite the scolding, Jack felt confidant he could give Director Undercash the deference he seemed to need and want for the mediation meeting. But he had a big problem sitting immediately to his right. During the scolding from the director, Charles Valley kept grinning at him. Everyone could see this happening, but no one said anything. As one of the agency's business officers, Charles worked as an assistant to Director Undercash in Raleigh, but Jack recalled that Charles had previously been in the military. He wondered, was this intended as some type of psychological warfare? He tried to avoid looking and thinking about the person sitting next to him, but Charles was leaning forward and his grinning face was several feet from Jack's face. He thought about turning to Charles and politely asking, in front of the group, why he was constantly grinning. However, asking that question might be deemed "insubordinate" by Director Undercash. The grinning face sitting next to him was starting to cause Jack's blood to boil.
Suddenly, Jack thought of something that he wanted to tell the group. "I have a specific example from an agency office of why the DENR Honor Code is important for all of us," he said. For the first time during the meeting, Director Undercash's face and eyes changed from an expression of sternness to one of curiousity.
Jack continued,
"Not long ago I was meeting with one of the DENR bosses and, out of the blue, he started complaining about one of his subordinates who was not present. The boss went into a strange discussion about how the explanation for the subordinate's personality must be that he was a black guy who was short in height. This boss talked at length about how "short black guys" have a certain type of personality and way of behaving. Well, I think this specific example shows why the Honor Code is important for all of us," Jack concluded.
After hearing this example, the faces around the table were suddenly wide-eyed with looks of concern. Director Overcash's face now showed surprise.
Charles Valley, just a few feet away from Jack, stopped grinning. Charles is African-American, and this specific example of a boss ignoring the agency's Honor Code seemed to wipe away his grin for the remainder of the meeting. The meeting's dual tone of scolding and mocking seemed to dissipate. Jack's optimism and hopefulness returned.
Lori entered the room and returned to her seat at the table. She appeared composed and determined. Looking over at Lori gave Jack renewed energy and confidence. Now the mediation meeting could make real progress. The difficult initial phase was over. The group should now be able to have a collaborative and professional discussion. The honest communication could now begin, he thought.
But once again, the couple's optimism quickly evaporated. Director Undercash announced that a decision had already been made, and previously printed out in a memo, now handed for the first time to Jack and Lori. Due to unspecified problems in the Fayetteville office one of them had to leave Fayetteville and drive each day to Raleigh to work in a vacant position in the Parker-Lincoln building. The other could remain in the Fayetteville office. The couple would be given five days to decide who would leave Fayetteville. No specific reasons or explanations were given.
The couple had been married since 2001. But now, four years later, an agency decision had apparently been made regarding them working together in the Fayetteville office. This seemed better than two state government bosses brazenly trying to intimidate Jack out of Fayetteville for reasons still unexplained. In this respect, perhaps Human Resources had been able to influence agency management and provide a bit of help. But why the two months of anger, retaliation, and secrecy? It still did not make sense.
The so-called mediation meeting was over.
As they stood up to leave the room, Jack remembered what Harry had said about always maintaining a cheerful attitude. He turned and addressed Director Undercash with a final comment.
"We can keep working on win-win solutions," Jack stated with a pleasant and hopeful tone.
Jack was expecting a polite response from Director Undercash, but it never came. Since there had been a lack of honest communication, and so little had been explained, he was focused on closely watching the eyes in the room. The reaction to his comment about "working on win-win solutions" was as if he had blurted out a statement in a completely unfamiliar foreign language. Director Undercash silently stared back. He appeared puzzled.
Jack and Lori walked back through the parking lot stunned at what had just taken place in the state agency's Parker-Lincoln building in Raleigh. They climbed into the van for the hour-long drive back to Fayetteville. As they started up the vehicle, the music on the stereo resumed.
Expert, texpert choking smokers,
Don't you think the joker laughs at you,
See how they smile like pigs in a sty, see how they snide,
I'm crying.
Semolina Pilchard,
Climbing up the Eiffel Tower,
Elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna,
Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allen Poe.
I am the egg man,
I am the egg man,
I am the walrus,
Goo goo g'joob, goo goo goo g'joob ...
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
November 28, 2005
Memo to:
Lori Loomis
Jack Loomis
From:
Keith Undercash
Subject: Transfer from the Fayetteville Regional Office
Recent events in the Fayetteville office, have resulted in the Human Resources of DENR conducting an investigation. Anne Wordell of HR and Charles Valley, Business Officer, traveled to Fayetteville on October 25, 2005, and met with each of you as well as your supervisor, Steven Mazda.
Based upon the information gathered, I have decided that change needs to be made for the good of the division and all individuals involved. I feel it is necessary for one of you to be transferred, effective November 29, 2005 to a position outside of the Fayetteville office.
This was not an easy decision to make, as both of you have been good employees for some years now. However, it has become quite evident that your personal relationship has become intertwined with work issues and the situation in Fayetteville cannot continue as it has in the past. I believe that the department and the division have been more than accommodating up until now of your marital situation based upon the stated policy in the State Personnel Manual, but I no longer feel we can do that. Therefore, my decision is as I have stated above.
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