My son and I worked for Siemens via Superior Technical Resources from February to November. We were told that if our attendance and production was good, we would more than likely be hired as permanent employees. My son had some health problems, including asthma and irritable bowel syndrome, which became somewhat of a problem from time to time.
Despite these situations, he overcame his low production scores and exceeded their expectations. Our supervisor, Dan, claimed to be a Christian and spoke openly with us about it. We wore Christian t-shirts to work, which Dan said was fine, and we listened to Christian pop and rock artists, which Dan also approved.
Dan told us that if the Muslims could listen to their music and have their prayer time, then we could wear our Christian t-shirts and listen to Christian musicians. Our Lead, Ramahn, was a Muslim. On a daily basis, he wanted to discuss politics and the Koran with me. I obliged at first, but eventually told him I needed to get my work done, and then I finally had to report him to Dan, as my numbers were slipping. Dan took Ramahn's side and pretty much told me to get back to work and not worry about it.
Then, people from first shift tried to say that we were pushing our way through the line at the time clock, and that we were always rude. This was a lie. We always said excuse me and sorry, and they weren't supposed to be lining up, anyhow, or at least that's what they told us at the end of the day. So we started being early every day to solve that problem.
Over time, our coworkers became more and more obnoxious about politics. They cornered my son in the back of the warehouse and demanded to know who he was going to vote for. When I reported this, nothing was done about it, so I calmly confronted the bully who had led the confrontation, and I got in trouble for it.
Then, a man who worked in the warehouse office nearly ran us off the road at 90 mph on the way to and from work several days. He also cut us off in the parking lot, nearly hitting us. When I reported this, I was told that I had a hard time getting along with people.
As the Presidential Election drew closer, people began to become more and more agitated and more intimidating and obnoxious. They began to yell at us in the break room and openly mock us in the parking lot. One man followed us almost all the way home, riding our bumper.
The next day, a sticker was stuck on our car that said "Obama Mama". We calmly removed it and took it to a supervisor, who said he would look into it.
Two days later, we arrived at work only to overhear people talking about us at the preliminary meeting. They said that we yelled at a black man in the break room and told him to shut up, and that we called somebody the 'N' word, both of which were lies. We tried to defend ourselves but were promptly escorted outside and fired... By Dan.
I cried and asked Dan why we were being fired. My son just stood there in shock.
Dan said that the company felt that we were 'divisive'. I asked him how we were divisive, was it our Christian t-shirts and music... And he said yes.
Now we are trying to apply for unemployment - now, almost a year after this incident, and we are being turned down for having a 'fight or argument with coworkers'.
I really feel that Siemens and Superior Technical Resources needs to pay for the political and religious persecution that my son and I had to go through.
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