Panel Rejects Preferential Hiring Plan : Language: The proposal to recruit bilingual 911 dispatchers is seen as discriminatory. A similar recruitment plan for firefighters is rescinded. : MONTEREY PARK

The Personnel Board, during a tense meeting marked by emotional statements from union representatives and Chinese residents, on Wednesday rejected a controversial proposal to give preference to bilingual applicants for 911 dispatcher jobs.

Saying such a policy would discriminate against applicants who speak only English, the board also indicated it will rescind a similar hiring policy for firefighters.

The action, hailed by city employees critical of the hiring plans, was a setback in the City Council’s efforts to recruit bilingual employees to jobs in law enforcement and public safety.

Just nine days before, the council had approved a $150-a-month bonus for bilingual police officers. The panel’s action has no effect on the police officers’ bonus.

However, it stymies a key portion of a hiring program approved by the council in May. That program--which includes a $150-a-month bonus for bilingual dispatchers fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, or Spanish--has a long-range goal of staffing each shift with at least one dispatcher fluent in each language. 911 dispatchers field emergency calls and send police, firefighters or paramedics to the scene.

To accomplish the hiring goal, city officials had proposed the preferential hiring system rejected Wednesday night. It would have divided applicants into three separate categories: Chinese-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and English-only. Under such a system, the city could hire an applicant from any list, depending on the language skill needed.

The Personnel Board is appointed by the City Council and has the ultimate authority to create different job classifications such as the proposed bilingual dispatcher categories. Although the board does not have the authority to hire employees, it sets policies for hiring.

Board Chairman Robert Belcher and Robert Greene voted against the hiring proposal, while Robert Lem supported it.

Before Wednesday’s vote, several employees’ groups attacked the plan, saying it was unfair because it would have allowed the city to hire a bilingual dispatcher whose test scores were lower than those of an applicant who spoke only English.

Critics also said the bonus pay was unfair to dispatchers who speak foreign languages other than Chinese or Spanish, as well as to monolingual dispatchers and other employees.

“This is a violation of the Equal Opportunity Act,” said Ralph De Simone, a negotiator for the Monterey Park General Employees’ Assn., which includes dispatchers.

Supporters of the plan, mostly Chinese residents, urged the board to adopt the proposal. Many said immigrants are afraid to dial 911 because they don’t speak English. At times, the debate was heated.

“You are neglecting the majority of the community!” an emotional Walter Kiang shouted, shaking his finger at the Personnel Board.

Belcher, attempting to explain to Kiang he was not against hiring bilingual dispatchers, but merely opposed the preferential hiring system, blurted out: “Don’t you understand English?”

“Yes,” Kiang responded. He added sarcastically, “Do you speak Chinese?”

“No,” Belcher answered, “and I don’t intend on it.”

Later, board members indicated they plan to do away with a preferential hiring system for bilingual firefighters, similar to the one rejected for dispatchers.

The board initially approved the policy June 12, but decided to reconsider it next month after complaints from the Firefighters’ Assn.

Even without a preferential hiring system for bilingual dispatchers, the City Council still can offer them a $150 bonus by negotiating with their employee association to include the amount in their next contract.

The council has made a similar offer to the Monterey Park Police Officers’ Assn.

However, Bettie Baker, vice president of the General Employees’ Assn., said her group would only accept the bonus if it was extended to bilingual employees in other departments. Currently, most bilingual employees receive a $25-a-month bonus.