Thread: Fire fighters being fired/ demoted for not speaking Spanish

You want to really get angry read some of the comments here:

http://www.drudge.com/news/105539/firef ... t-speaking

Here's the story written out. I suggest if you are really angry that you copy, pasted and print this article and send it to every Representative of Oregon in Washington. Send it to Obama, Hillary and McCain. Tell them you want English the official language of this land and you want discrimination against English only speaking citizens STOPPED and STOPPED NOW>




Bilingual fire boss rule stirs controversy
YouNewsTV™

Story Published: Jun 22, 2006 at 7:53 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 20, 2006 at 10:07 PM PDT
Video
- By Melica Johnson and KATU.com Web Staff

SALEM, Ore. - Some English-speaking firefighters are losing their jobs because of an Oregon state law that requires them to be bilingual.

The Department of Forestry enacted a law three years ago that requires them to be bilingual, but this year they're actually enforcing it.

2002 was such a devastating wildfire season, contractors were scrambling to find firefighters.

Hispanics often filled their needs on the fire lines.

Follow-Up Story

Lawmakers take notice

Jim Walker of the Department of Forestry said "what we do know is 85 percent of the crew make-up is of Hispanic decent."

But many of the Hispanic fire fighters do not speak English. Walker says the language barrier is a concern.

Those concerns led the state to draft a new rule that all firefighting bosses speak English, and the languages of crew members who don't speak English.

Jaime Pickering, a squad boss overseeing 20 firefighters, says the rule means "job losses for Americans. The white people."

Because of the state's language requirement, Pickering can no longer work as a crew boss and supervise 20 firefighters, he can only manage a squad of four.

Pickering says that "if you have one Spanish guy on the crew, as an English crew boss, you can no longer be a crew boss, you have to step back to a squad boss, which is a demotion."

While the state made the rule change in 2003, it decided to strictly monitor the law this year as Hispanics continue to fill fire lines.

Jim Walker says "our main concern is that they are safe, and they are in a safe environment, and a lot of that deals with communication."

Manuel Franco is a Hispanic contractor for fire crews. He says he thinks the state's rule is necessary for worker safety.

"I think that's good, because that's for safety purpose," Franco says. "If there's a rock rolling down, everybody should understand that."

However, Manuel did say he felt the situation would improve if everyone spoke English. "We're living here. We should speak the language."

Jim Walker ponders the possibility that all fire crew members should be required to speak English, instead of having bilingual crew leaders.

"If it comes down to a safety issue, and it's determined that's the only way we can have people safely on an incident, then yes," Walker said.

Both Oregon state officials and those in the firefighting business say they do not think there are 'that many' illegal immigrant workers in the fire crews.

They say it is more a case of legal workers who do not speak English.

Dixie do you have a date on your story? Mine looks like it older.


Never mind I see Chuck Green wrote his on March 23, 2008

Here are the contact numbers for Oregon's Congressmembers:


Blumenauer, Earl - OR
2446 Rayburn House Office Bldg.,Washington,DC 20515
Tel: 202-225-4811 Fax: 202-225-8941
Website: http://blumenauer.house.gov/

DeFazio, Peter - OR
2134 Rayburn House Office Bldg.,Washington,DC 20515
Tel: 202-225-6416 Fax: No fax number on site
Website: http://www.house.gov/defazio/

Hooley, Darlene - OR
Tel: 202-225-5711 Fax: 202-225-5699
Website: http://hooley.house.gov/

Walden, Greg - OR
Tel: 202-225-6730 Fax: 202-225-5774
Website: http://walden.house.gov/

Wu, David - OR
Tel: 202-225-0855 Fax: 202-225-9497
Website: http://www.house.gov/wu/


Senators:


Smith, Gordon (R-OR)
DC Phone: (202) 224-3753 Fax: (202) 228-3997
Portland Phone: (503) 326-3386 Fax: (503) 326-2900
Pendleton Phone: (541) 278-1129 Fax: (541) 278-4109
Medford Phone: (541) 608-9102 Fax: (541) 608-9104
Eugene Phone: (541) 465-6750 Fax: (541) 465-6808
Bend Phone: (541) 318-1298 Fax: (541) 318-1396
http://gsmith.senate.gov/public/index.c ... ntact.Home

Wyden, Ron (D-OR)
DC Phone: (202) 224-5244 Fax: (202) 228-2717
Portland Phone: (503) 326-7525 Fax: (503) 326-7528
Eugene Phone: (541) 431-0229 Fax: (541) 431-0610
Bend Phone: (541) 330-9142 Fax: (541) 330-6266
LaGrande Phone: (541) 962-7691 Fax:
Medford Phone: (541) 858-5122 Fax: (541) 858-5126
Salem Phone: (503) 589-4555 Fax: (503) 589-4749
http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

I think the firefighters that are getting fired should sue, they speak the language of their country that is all that should matter. Why are hiring spanish speaking only people?...This is crap

They continually move Americans OUT, while moving ILLEGALS IN!!!

"They say it is more a case of legal workers who do not speak English."

What a bold-faced lie! People here legally have to prove English competency. Still, I see their point, after all, Oregon IS a border state. Wait - which borders? Washington? Idaho? Oh Mexifornia.