Racism charged in city complaint

Lolita Harper

CIVIC CENTER -- Two former employees of the Burbank Public Services

Department have filed claims against the city, alleging a hostile work

environment and acts of retaliation by a supervisor.

In a claim received by the city on Jan. 9, Marie Galvez alleged that

her supervisor, Richard Corbi, retaliated against her after she filed an

in-house complaint with the Public Service Department regarding a hostile

work environment.

A month later, Swen Williams -- who also also filed a hostile work

place complaint within the department -- accused Corbi of the same

retaliatory actions.

In the initial in-house complaint, filed with the Public Services

Department on April 4, 2000, Galvez, Williams and their colleague, Larry

Wagenbach, attached a long list of complaints about Corbi’s work place

behavior, alleging that he “demonstrate[d] racist and chauvinistic

behavior.”

During office hours, Corbi referred to his African-American neighbors

as “dirty [n-words]” and Latinos as “wetbacks,” the complaint reads.

On April 10, 2000, Galvez and Williams received memos from Corbi

outlining additional work responsibilities, according to the claim. Corbi

allegedly required both Galvez and Williams to submit weekly activity

reports and time cards, things not required of other department

employees.

Galvez and Williams have not worked for the city of Burbank for about

a year. They are seeking damages for wages lost when they were allegedly

forced out of their positions. Galvez left her position after 13 years,

and Williams after 11.

Both claims have been denied by the city, said Robert Marquez, the

attorney representing Galvez and Williams. The next step will be to file

a lawsuit against the city, he said.

Marquez declined to comment about the specifics of the lawsuit until

it is filed.

The claims filed by Galvez and Williams follow another lawsuit against

the city claiming racial, gender and age discrimination. Marjorie George,

63, Deborah McMurray, 54, and Tina Staffon, 31, accused the city of

passing them over for promotion due to a “good old boy” mentality, the

women alleged.

“The fact that both Robert Marquez and I represent clients with

complaints against the city shows that there’s a problem there,” said

Brad Gage, the attorney for George, McMurray and Staffon.

Management Services Director John Nicoll said Burbank city policy

dictates he not comment on pending litigation or personnel matters.